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The Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) has approved a $2.5 billion operating and capital budget for fiscal-year 2012.

The budget maintains the current level of service without raising fares and provides funding for “critical safety and reliability” projects, WMATA officials said in a prepared statement.

The budget was balanced through a combination of higher contributions from the local jurisdictions that fund WMATA, various efficiencies implemented by management, and a few “minor” service changes, they said.

“After an extensive process of public outreach, we listened to our riders, who told us not to raise fares or cut services, and requested jurisdictional commitment through increases in contributions,” said WMATA Chairwoman Catherine Hudgins.

The operating budget is $1.48 billion. The $1 billion capital budget will fund the second year of a $5 billion, six-year program of various prioritized capital needs.

Meanwhile, WMATA General Manger and Chief Executive Officer Richard Sarles predicted a “favorable finish to FY2011,” which will include repaying WMATA’s capital program preventive maintenance money that had been transferred in FY2010.