FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Thursday, July 2, 1998
Contact: Gail Taylor
Tel.: (202) 366-4043
FTA 13-98

LINTON ANNOUNCES
$199 MILLION TO WMATA
FOR METRO CONSTRUCTION

U.S. Federal Transit Administrator Gordon J. Linton today announced that the Federal Transit Administration will provide $199 million in federal transit funds to the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority for continued construction of the final 13.5 miles of the 103-mile Metrorail System.

"Many people have come to rely on Metrorail as a means of safe, reliable transportation," Vice President Al Gore said. "These federal funds will allow Metro to continue to provide service to the thousands of riders who use the system as a vital transportation link for getting to jobs, school and many other destinations throughout the nation’s capital and surrounding areas."

"President Clinton is committed to providing quality, accessible transit service for all people," Linton said. "By investing in strong, transportation systems like Metrorail, we are continuing to strengthen the economy and meet the needs of the traveling public."

Today's grant will fund the purchase of additional railcars and will assist WMATA with construction of the remaining 13.5 miles of the 103-mile system in the following four segments:

• the Blue Line extension from the Van Dorn Street Station to the Franconia Springfield Station which opened on June 29, 1997.
• the Red Line extension from Wheaton to Glenmont, which includes the Glenmont maintenance yard scheduled to open on July 25, 1998.
• the Green Line connection between the U Street-Cardozo Station and the Fort Totten Station scheduled to open in late 1999.
• the Green Line extension from the Anacostia Station to the Branch Avenue Station scheduled to open in early 2001.

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Briefing Room