An estimated 700,000 Washington, D.C.-area residents are going to have a tough time getting to work on Wednesday. Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority officials announced Tuesday afternoon that the entire D.C. Metrorail system will shut down at midnight for 29 hours so emergency safety checks of 600 underground electrical cables on the tracks can be conducted.
"While the risk to the public is very low, I cannot rule out a potential life safety issue here, and that is why we must take this action immediately," Metro General Manager and CEO Paul J. Wiedefeld said at a Tuesday press conference. "We say safety is our highest priority, I mean it. That sometimes means making tough, unpopular decisions and this is one of those times. I fully recognize the hardship this will cause."
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
Join more than 350,000 subscribers and keep yourself informed with a selection of The Week’s most interesting, enlightening and entertaining stories - plus daily puzzles.
Join more than 350,000 subscribers and keep yourself informed with a selection of The Week’s most interesting, enlightening and entertaining stories - plus daily puzzles.