Metro seeks community feedback on proposed Fiscal Year 2027 budget and service plan

The public comment period on Metro’s proposed Fiscal Year 2027 (FY27) has begun, and the community is encouraged to weigh in on the budget. The public can take an online survey and is also invited to in-person and online public hearings. 

Public feedback will be provided to Metro’s Board of Directors in March, as part of the final decision-making process before approving the budget. 

About the proposed service plan

The $4.8 billion capital and operating budget proposal supports Metro’s dedication to delivering a safe, reliable, affordable, and sustainable customer experience. 

The service plans are designed to maximize service within available funding, while meeting growing demand. Metro is advancing service efficiencies through bus schedule optimization, train automation, and the refinement of 6-car and 8-car trains to improve reliability and travel times. 

Service improvements proposed include targeted increases in Metro bus frequency and coverage to address crowding and on-time performance challenges; continued streamlining of the Better Bus Network informed by Year One results; and Metro rail enhancements that increase weekday, evening, and late-night frequency and add peak-period capacity. Fares will not increase.

Major capital program investments to further improve service and customer experience include Railcars and Rail Facilities, Rail Systems, Track and Structures Rehabilitation, Station and Passenger Facilities, Bus, Bus Facilities, and Paratransit, and Operations and Business Support.

Learn more about the budget at wmata.com/budget.

How to provide feedback

Online Survey

Submit feedback online by 5 p.m. on Tuesday, Feb. 10. Participants may complete a survey, write free-form comments, or upload a document. 

In-person Hearing 

Tuesday, Feb. 3 

Open House at 5:30 p.m., Hearing at 6:00 p.m.

Bozman Government Center

Arlington County Board Room

2100 Clarendon Blvd., Ste. #307

Arlington, VA 22201

To register to speak, call 202-962-2511, Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. or email speak@wmata.com by 12 p.m. on Tuesday, Feb. 3. On-site registration will also be available.

Virtual Hearings

Wednesday, Feb. 4 at 12 p.m.

View on YouTube at MetroForward

To testify by phone, individuals should call 206-899-2028 during the hearing and enter Meeting Code: 906 459 640#. There is no advance registration to provide phone testimony. 

To testify via videoconference at this hearing, individuals must submit their name and organizational affiliation (if any) in writing to speak@wmata.com by 5 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 3. 

Thursday, Feb. 5 at 6 p.m.

To testify by phone, individuals should call 206-899-2028 during the hearing and enter Meeting Code: 855 875 175#. There is no advance registration to provide phone testimony. 

To testify via videoconference at this hearing, individuals must submit their name and organizational affiliation (if any) in writing to speak@wmata.com by 5 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 4. 

About Metro

The Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA), known as Metro, is the region’s leading public transportation provider, serving a population of approximately four million people across Washington, D.C., Maryland, and Virginia within a 2,054-square-mile jurisdiction. With a network of six rail lines, 98 stations, 126 bus routes, and a door-to-door paratransit service, Metro is the second busiest transit system in the United States serving more than 269 million trips in 2025 with a $5 billion operating and capital budget. Since 2022, Metro has completed multiple transit-oriented development projects that have brought $15 million in tax revenue to the region from housing, office, and retail space in our community.  Safety and security are core values at Metro. Over 30,000 cameras monitor the system, and Metro currently has the lowest crime rate in history with fare evasion down 82%. In 2025, the American Public Transportation Association (APTA) named Metro the Transit Agency of the Year in recognition of industry-leading ridership growth, record high customer satisfaction, a newly redesigned Bus network, expanded rail service, and improved customer experience.