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Yesterday, the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) Board Planning and Development Committee approved three rail-yard expansion projects totaling $141.4 million.

Modifications to the Greenbelt yard would include constructing a two-story, 72,000-square-foot facility and improving an existing rail-car facility. At the Shady Grove yard, WMATA would build a four-track, 16-bay service and inspection maintenance facility. And at the Brentwood yard, a heavy maintenance shop would be converted to a three-track, 12-car service and inspection shop. Electrical, mechanical, traction power, train control, communications and other system improvements will be completed at all three yards.

The yard modifications would be part of WMATA’s “Metro Matters” program to increase rail-car capacity by operating eight-car trains.

The full board likely will approve the projects on July 21. If approved, they’d be completed by January 2008.