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The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has closed five of the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority's (WMATA) outstanding safety recommendations, WMATA officials announced yesterday.

The action indicates the agency is making progress in resolving safety issues, WMATA Board Safety Committee Chairman Mort Downey said in a prepared statement.

The NTSB's safety recommendations followed a fatal crash in 2009 on the Red Line that caused nine fatalities and many injuries.

Of the 22 remaining recommendations, WMATA has submitted 12 for closure. Of those 12, the NTSB has declared four as "open-acceptable response(s)," which means they will remain open pending additional information, WMATA officials said, adding that the agency is working to provide those details. Eight submittals are still under NTSB review.

"That leaves 10 recommendations to address," said WMATA General Manager and Chief Executive Officer Richard Sarles. "Within the next month or so, [we] will submit three additional recommendations for closure. And we are working to achieve closure for the remaining seven."

Some of the remaining recommendations will take time, such as the agency’s efforts to replace the 1000-series Rohr rail cars, Downey said. The cars will be replaced with new Kawasaki 7000-series cars, which are undergoing final design.