Metro’s incoming general manager announced Friday that he has left his former job running Austin’s transit system and will join Metro late next month.
Clarke led Austin’s transit system for four years and previously held leadership and safety roles at the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority in Boston. His work in Washington will include navigating through the loss of tens of thousands of commuters because of telework and a corresponding budget hole that could reach a half-billion dollars annually starting next summer.
On Thursday, Off said Metro was several weeks away from starting final tests and preparations to open the 11.4-mile Silver Line extension from Reston to Loudoun County. The extension, delayed by nearly four years because of construction issues, could open in late fall or winter, providing the first rail stop to Washington Dulles International Airport. The extension includes six stations.
Chief among Metro’s problems is the absence of its 7000-series rail cars, which the safety commission suspended in October after a federal investigation into a derailment uncovered a defect in the cars’ wheels and axles. The commission sidelined 748 cars, making up 60 percent of Metro’s fleet. Their suspension has created a nearly eight-month train shortage that has forced the transit agency to reduce service, creating lengthy waits for trains. The commission late last month approved Metro’s request to return 64 cars to service, committing to daily inspections of the cars’ wheels.
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