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WMATA reports ridership gains and revenue uptick but warns of looming FY2029 capital cliff
Summary
WMATA told the D.C. Council's Committee on Transportation and the Environment that ridership and revenue are improving after the pandemic, but the authority is still facing a major capital funding “cliff” in FY2029 and needs planning and efficiencies now to avoid deep cuts later.
General Manager and CEO Randy Clark told the Council—s Committee on Transportation and the Environment on March 3 that Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) is seeing multi-month ridership growth and stronger revenue, but warned the agency faces a near-term capital funding crisis that requires planning now.
Clark said WMATA—s rail and bus ridership has increased for 47 straight months and that recent peak-day federal tap counts were the highest in five years. "We're feeling really good across the board on everything from safety to security to ridership to revenue," Clark said during the committee's annual performance oversight hearing.
The committee heard that a midyear uptick in fare and other revenue is allowing WMATA to reduce the amount of capital funds used to cover operating costs for FY2026, returning roughly $45…
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