On the Legacy of the Great Society: the Washington, D.C. Metro

Katie Zezima writes about the D.C. Metro as one of the legacies of the Great Society as it celebrates its 50th Anniversary.

The D.C. Metro was precipitated by the Urban Mass Transit Acts of 1964 and 1966, according to Zezima, which "gave federal funds to public agencies that operated regional transit systems, helped public and private transportation companies improve facilities, funded research and development and provided fellowships for young people who wanted to study mass transit."

Then, in 1965, "federal legislation allowed for the creation of a mass transit system for Washington, D.C." The 1965 law created a small, 25-mile system, which would be expanded by plans created in 1969.