Senator seeks inquiry following accidents on D.C. transit system

A Maryland senator is calling for a federal investigation into accidents and inspection problems on Washington, D.C.'s public transit system.

Sen. Barbara Mikulksi (D-Md.) called on Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood to investigate the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) with regard to how it has treated requests from its local regulator, the Tri-State Oversight Committee.

"Time after time after time, we hear about safety practices at Metro that give us pause," Mikulski said. "The people who rely on Metro everyday can’t pause from their jobs, or from school, or from taking care of their families. And they shouldn’t have to pause, worrying about their safety when they get on the Metro." 

In June, Metrorail had the deadliest crash in its history. The collision killed nine and injured dozens. Until Tuesday, Metro had banned independent inspectors from examining the system's track lines, which some say are necessary to prevent accidents that kill or injure employees and riders. 

The June accident raised serious questions about the adequacy of the rail system and caused travel delays for riders that lasted months. 

Mikulski is a member of an Appropriations subcommittee that partially funds WMATA. Other sources of the agency's funding come from Maryland, Virginia, and the District of Columbia.

After Mikulski called for the investigation, Sen. Robert Menendez (D-N.J.), who chairs the Banking committee's transportation subcommittee, said he would launch an investigation in the coming weeks. 

Others have complained that the Tri-State Oversight Committee lacks the necessary authority to force WMATA to ensure the safety of its system.

Mikulski has long been a proponent of dedicating a federal funding source for Metro.