GAO Reports On Washington Transit

The GAO reports on the many successes at Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority, but notes that capital planning should be enhanced.

1 minute read

August 6, 2001, 11:00 AM PDT

By Chris Steins @planetizen


In recent years, the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority’s(WMATA) public transit system has experienced problems related to thesafety and reliability of its transit services, including equipmentbreakdowns, delays in scheduled service, unprecedented crowding ontrains, and some accidents and tunnel fires. At the same time, WMATA'sridership is at an all-time high and WMATA managers expect the numberof passengers to double over the next 25 years. As agreed with youroffices, this report addresses the following questions: (1) What challengesdoes WMATA face in operating and maintaining its Metrorail system?(2) What efforts has WMATA made to establish and monitor safety andsecurity within its transit system? (3) To what extent does WMATA followestablished best practices in planning, selecting, and budgeting for itscapital investments? Editor's note: The link below is to an Adobe Portable Document Format (PDF) file.

Thanks to Center of Excellence for Sustainable Development

Friday, August 3, 2001 in U.S. General Accounting Office

portrait of professional woman

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 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 Planner

Get top-rated, practical training

Logo for Planetizen Federal Action Tracker with black and white image of U.S. Capitol with water ripple overlay.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker

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

April 30, 2025 - Diana Ionescu

Close-up on Canadian flag with Canada Parliament building blurred in background.

Canada vs. Kamala: Whose Liberal Housing Platform Comes Out on Top?

As Canada votes for a new Prime Minister, what can America learn from the leading liberal candidate of its neighbor to the north?

April 28, 2025 - Benjamin Schneider

Hot air balloons rise over Downtown Boise with the State Capitol building visible amidst the high rises.

The Five Most-Changed American Cities

A ranking of population change, home values, and jobs highlights the nation’s most dynamic and most stagnant regions.

April 23, 2025 - GoodMigrations

People biking along beach path with moored ship in San Diego, California.

San Diego Adopts First Mobility Master Plan

The plan provides a comprehensive framework for making San Diego’s transportation network more multimodal, accessible, and sustainable.

5 hours ago - SD News

Sleeping in Public

Housing, Supportive Service Providers Brace for Federal Cuts

Organizations that provide housing assistance are tightening their purse strings and making plans for maintaining operations if federal funding dries up.

6 hours ago - KSL

Conductor walks down platform next to Amtrak train at station in San Jose, California.

Op-Ed: Why an Effective Passenger Rail Network Needs Government Involvement

An outdated rail network that privileges freight won’t be fixed by privatizing Amtrak.

7 hours ago - Streetsblog USA

Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools

This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.

Planning for Universal Design

Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.

Senior Manager Operations, Urban Planning

New York City School Construction Authority

Building Inspector

Village of Glen Ellyn

Manager of Model Development

Central Transportation Planning Staff/Boston Region MPO