Judge: D.C. Metro Does, In Fact, Own Its Facilities

An internet company can't just stop paying for the use of underground transit facilities when it decides the subway company doesn't have the right to charge for the access.

1 minute read

November 12, 2018, 9:00 AM PST

By James Brasuell @CasualBrasuell


Washington DC Metro

Mark Fischer / Flickr

Max Smith reports: "[D.C.] Metro really does control its tunnels and stations, a federal judge ruled Thursday."

The issue was critical to determining whether Metro had the right to charge a fiber optic cable provider for the right to run communications cables through Metro’s tunnels, according to Smith. "FiberLight, LLC stopped paying its bills in 2014, claiming Metro did not truly own the tunnels, or that certified telecoms providers should be allowed to use them for free."

In effect, FiberLight, LLC owes Metro $1 million. "U.S. District Judge Ellen S. Huvelle ruled Thursday that failing to pay was a clear violation of the company’s contract," reports Smith.

Saturday, November 10, 2018 in WTOP

Young Professional

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban and Environmental Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban and Environmental Planner

Get top-rated, practical training for planners

"Planetizen federal action tracker" logo superimposed over black and white image of US Capitol dome.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker

A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

45 minutes ago - Zachary Whalen

Overlapping highways

The state-sanctioned urbicide of Austin

People don’t kill cities. Freeways do.

September 8, 2026 - Benjamin Schneider

The Hoover Dam blocking the Colorado River. The river's water level is noticeably low. The cliffs surrounding the blue water are brown and jagged.

US to reduce Colorado River water deliveries to Mexico

A new Colorado Treaty amendment reduces Mexico’s Colorado River water allocation by 250,000 acre feet.

September 11, 2026 - The Arizona Republic

NYC Mayor Zohran Mandami speaks behind a blue podium.

Mamdani overhauls NYC's Vision Zero plan with 100 new policy goals

The overhaul aims to reduce traffic deaths and make streets safer for pedestrians, cyclists and drivers through lower speed limits, new safety infrastructure and more.

30 minutes ago - ABC 7 Eyewitness News

A New Jersey train approaches people waiting at the station.

Amtrak not solely to blame for New Jersey commuter rail's unreliability, report finds

A new study from the Garden State Initiative found that NJ Transit’s budget grew 20% across a 4 year period, but reliability declined significantly over the same period.

September 15 - Mass Transit

A tall, gray power plant billows smoke into a blue sky.

EPA erases limits on planet-warming pollution from power plants

Under Monday’s plan, power plants would still have some limits on how much mercury, arsenic and other contaminants they can emit.

September 15 - New York Times

FREE Course: Walkable City 1: Why Walkability?

After describing his path towards focusing on walkability as the essence of good planning, Jeff Speck marches through his five principal reasons for making more walkable places.

Reinventing Malls: Planning Alchemy—Turning Gray Fields Into Gold

The course focuses on the opportunities and imperatives that shape reinvention of mall sites.