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WMSC closes six corrective-action plans after Metro completes bridge load ratings and upgrades records
Summary
The WMSC reported closure of six corrective action plans after Metro completed load ratings for elevated structures, moved fitness-for-duty records to an electronic system, and updated maintenance instructions and training access.
The Washington Metro Rail Safety Commission reported on Aug. 19, 2025, that six corrective action plans reached final closure after Metro completed a series of engineering, records, and maintenance updates, most notably completing load ratings for elevated structures.
Commission staff told the meeting that Metro completed the remaining 84 load-rating calculations cited in a WMSC notice of noncompliance issued in October 2024, bringing the inventory to 161 structures after Silver Line phase 2 additions. Each load rating is a professional-engineer-stamped engineering calculation based on original design documents and current condition reports; WMSC said many submittals exceeded 100 pages and the agency sampled seven structures to verify Metro's calculations.
Ashley, a WMSC corrective-action staff presenter, said the independent review confirmed Metro now knows the loading capacity for each bridge and aerial structure. "Now that Metro has completed its baseline load ratings, if there was ever a seismic event requiring a check on the structure or the future use of a heavier railcar series, it's now an easy task for Metro to determine whether the structure is safe based on the changed variables," she said.
Staff also reported Metro implemented an electronic occupational-health system that went live in January 2025. The new system produced trend reports and compliance data for medical issues such as obstructive sleep apnea and allowed Metro to analyze trends by department and track exam expirations, a capability not possible with prior paper files.
Other closed items included updates to preventive maintenance instructions to add achievable tolerances (Metro revised 60 manuals after consulting original equipment manufacturers); new maintenance procedures and gap analyses for communications assets (seven missing preventive-maintenance instructions were created); a training dashboard giving supervisors direct access to mechanics' training records; and a centralized repository and standardized curriculum for roadway maintenance machine operator training.
Commission staff emphasized that CAP closure does not end WMSC monitoring: "Closure is not the end of the WMSC's monitoring, but it does mean that both MetroRail and the WMSC have achieved the desired corrective action," staff said. The WMSC will continue to observe durability through inspections and audits.
Staff provided implementation details: a WMSC independent professional engineer sampled seven structures; Metro's inventory grew from an initial 148 to 161 structures after Silver Line phase 2; an electronic health system went live in January 2025 and produced usable trend reports by June; and CAP C0280 (roadway worker protection) remains open with an expected completion date of October 2026 for broader RWP requirements.
