Applying DOT Rail Policy to Washington, D.C.'s Metrorail System Could Save Federal Funds
RCED-83-24
Published: Jan 12, 1983. Publicly Released: Jan 12, 1983.
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Highlights
GAO reviewed funding for the Washington, D.C., Metrorail system to evaluate whether Federal funds were used effectively and efficiently to construct Metrorail and whether local jurisdictions are able to support Metrorail.
Recommendations
Recommendations for Executive Action
| Agency Affected | Recommendation | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Department of Transportation | The Secretary of Transportation should direct the Administrator, UMTA, to negotiate full-funding contracts with WMATA for unfunded Metrorail segments which UMTA is willing to fund. |
This recommendation was made when DOT was considering funding 26 miles of Metrorail. After the report was issued, DOT decided not to fund the additional Metrorail segments.
|
| Department of Transportation | The Secretary of Transportation should direct the Administrator, UMTA, to provide WMATA with anticipated levels of annual Federal funding and require that WMATA develop more realistic capital cost estimates using this data. |
This recommendation was made when DOT was considering funding an additional 26 miles of Metrorail. After the report was issued, DOT decided not to fund the additional Metrorail segments.
|
| Department of Transportation | The Secretary of Transportation should direct the Administrator, UMTA, to work with the General Manager, WMATA, to reduce the number of operable Metrorail segments under construction, consistent with the UMTA policy objective of more rapid completion of highest priority segments in times of limited Federal funding. |
DOT plans no action on this recommendation because it believes that it has already urged WMATA to build the most beneficial, operable segments first and that other factors aside from cost effectiveness must be considered before determining which metrorail segments should be constructed first.
|
| Department of Transportation | The Secretary of Transportation should issue guidance requiring periodic reevaluation of jurisdictions' stable and reliable revenue sources. |
DOT believes that its current practice of reviewing any proposed changes to the agreed upon local stable and reliable funding plan adequately assures the availability of local funding sources.
|
| Department of Transportation | The Secretary of Transportation should issue criteria defining what constitutes a stable and reliable funding source for WMATA, including the minimum percentage of the total to be supplied by sources earmarked for WMATA. |
DOT believes that the development of such criteria is unnecessary because the criteria is contained in an August 8, 1982, legal opinion which was prepared by DOT and is available to the public.
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Cost controlFederal aid for transportationIntergovernmental fiscal relationsMass transit fundingPolicy evaluationTransportation policiesRailTransportationConstructionFederal funds