With lack of maintenance, DC subway system loses its luster

WASHINGTON (AP) — The closure of the subways in the nation's capital in the middle of the workweek to inspect and repair power cables that could otherwise burst into flames was just the latest symptom of a lengthy decline for the Metro system, once a source of regional pride.

Metro, which reopened Thursday morning after emergency repairs, is now known for broken escalators, frequent delays, an acrid smell in the stations and aging railcars with carpets caked in decades of grime. The system's board chairman, Jack Evans, says walking into the stations is like entering a "dungeon."

Metro opened in 1976, but its problems date back even farther, to decisions made in the 1960s when construction began and its unusual governing structure was established.

Metro belongs to everyone and to no one: Its board of directors includes elected officials from Maryland, Virginia and District of Columbia, and all three jurisdictions have to agree every year to provide the money needed for the system to operate.

The federal government provides oversight and Congress chips in with funding, but it comes with strings attached. It's also the only major transit system in the United States without a tax that provides a dedicated revenue stream.