Metro is investing in system safety, reliability and the region's economy through our Capital Improvement Program (CIP). Every year, Metro submits a proposed 6-year Capital Improvement Program that must be reviewed and approved by Metro's Board of Directors.

The capital program is designed to improve the safety of our rail, bus and paratransit system for all customers and employees, improve the customer experience, and keep the region's infrastructure in a state of good repair. The capital program does this by investing in new railcars, buses and paratransit vehicles, improving stations and platforms, upgrading fire-suppression and emergency response systems, building new bus garages, replacing and repairing tracks, tunnels, bridges, signals, and more.

Supporting Metro's Goals

Metro's Strategic Transformation Plan (STP), YourMetro, The Way Forward provides a long-term strategy and directs Metro's day-to-day decision making over the next five-plus years. The plan established four goals:

• Service Excellence: Deliver safe, reliable, convenient, equitable, accessible, and enjoyable service for customers
• Talented Teams: Attract, develop, and retain top talent where individuals feel valued, supported, and proud of their contributions 
• Regional Opportunity & Partnership: Design transit service to move more people and connect a growing region
• Financial Stewardship and Resource Management: Manage resources responsibly to achieve a sustainable operating, capital, and energy-efficient model

Service Excellence

Metro customers rely on aging infrastructure and equipment that requires constant attention to remain in good working order and prevent major disruptions. Failures of any of these assets can jeopardize customer safety or reduce the system's reliability. Metro's CIP includes investments that support delivering safe, reliable, convenient, accessible, equitable, and enjoyable services for all customers.

Talented Teams

The Capital Program will contribute to progress in talented teams by investing in projects to support this initiative, including employee training facility investments and MetroSync, an advanced platform that will support more seamless and efficient business operations.

Regional Opportunity and Partnership

The Capital Program will contribute to progress in regional opportunity and partnership by investing in the following activities bus shelters and bus customer information, planning support for the District of Columbia, Maryland, and Virginia to explore potential future projects, and supporting design and construction efforts to integrate the Purple Line with the Metrorail system.

Financial Stewardship and Resource Management

Notable investments will help reduce Metro's energy cost profile, reducing expenses and helping Metro become more cost effective. Metro plays a significant role in promoting a cleaner environment by reducing car usage and mitigating CO2 emissions.

Funding Sources

Metro's federal funding includes Passenger Rail Investment and Improvement Act (PRIIA) funding, as well as formula grants, most of which come through the Federal Transit Administration (FTA). PRIIA was reauthorized for FY2023 to provide $150 million annually in federal grants to Metro.  Of this amount, $5 million has been designated for use by Metro's Office of Inspector General, while the balance of funds continues to support the capital program.  Federal PRIIA funds will continue to be matched by contributions from the District of Columbia, Maryland, and Virginia, whose support helps Metro address its safety and state of good repair capital needs.

Federal formula funding programs provide support for management of long-term assets and help to address the backlog of state of good repair projects.

Since 2010, Metro's jurisdictional partners affirmed their commitment to Metro's safety and state of good repair goals with the execution of a Capital Funding Agreement (CFA). The CFA provides the vehicle for jurisdictional matches to federal formula and discretionary grants and system performance funds - contributions over and above what is required to match federal grants.

In 2018, Metro's funding partners came together and established the agency's first dedicated capital funding source that provides $500 million each year, providing Metro the flexibility to plan critical capital projects on a long-term horizon and align necessary financing required to support the program.

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