WMATA to consider long-term expansion plans for Metrorail

The Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) yesterday announced long-term, multibillion-dollar expansion plans that would address shortcomings in its rail system.

WMATA officials yesterday released an analysis of six options to increase the rail system's capacity, The Washington Post reported. Issues that would be addressed include a lack of tunnel capacity between the District of Columbia and Virginia, as well as stations for Georgetown and National Harbor.

Growth around stations that use the tunnel is projected to create crowding problems, something that's been occurring even before the pandemic, the newspaper reported.

The six options range from doing nothing to investing up to $50 billion to reorient the Blue or Silver lines.

The Metrorail corridor improvements could take 10 to 20 years to build. It would be decades before any extension would open to riders, according to The Post.