The Washington Metrorail Safety Commission released its study of Metro’s radio communication system on Monday and revealed that some key deficiencies remain, despite a plan to improve the system after response delays during a deadly 2015 incident.
During that incident, unreliable communications caused significant delays in first responders arriving to the scene of a Yellow Line train that was slowly becoming filled with smoke. One woman died of smoke inhalation.
The radio system is not only depended on for day-to-day operations, but also serves as a lifeline during emergencies. A revamp of the system that started in 2015 was supposed to be finished in 2022, but the WMSC now believes that finish date is the end of next year.
The safety commission said as work continues to finish the project, issues involving the inability to use the system or audio that can’t be understood continue. The report cites 64 incidents that involve the radio system between April 2019 and July 2024.
One instance, in January of this year, resulted in communications delays as officials worked to handle an incident involving a person being on the Metro tracks, and the same person being struck by a train near the Grosvenor-Strathmore Metro station.
The investigation also counted 15 systemwide outages between Feb. 1 and April 24 of this year.
According to the study, communication upgrades were partially delayed due to Metro’s efforts to prioritize better cellphone coverage in train tunnels, as well as a need for plans to be modified so the system could better handle fiber network failures. Both of those issues reportedly caused a two-year delay.
There were also six-month delays caused by pandemic-related work stoppages and stakeholder projects separate from radio upgrade initiatives.
The report also detailed that the plan saw cost overruns, with the original projected costs starting at $161 million and ballooning to $569 million.
“Although delays and overruns can occur in any complex project, the WMSC believes that the cost and time allotted in the original contract should have been sufficient to complete this project and finds the degree of delay in this project notable and beyond expectation,” the report stated.
The safety commission is calling on Metro to “continue its new focus on and prioritize expeditious completion of the radio modernization project.”
It also urges more oversight of the work, including having the transit agency’s Inspector General monitor not only the radio issues happening now, but also closely monitor the work to finish the new system.
Metro confirmed it has a copy of the report.
“We are reviewing the report and will work with the WMSC to take appropriate action upon completion of our review,” it said in a statement.
Reflecting on the report, Benjamin Lynn, spokesman of the Amalgamated Transit Union Local 689, said the union felt “deeply troubled that WMATA has appeared to prioritize improving public conveniences instead of fixing essential radio communications necessary for worker safety.”
Lynn added, “WMATA needs to focus on worker safety first.”
Get breaking news and daily headlines delivered to your email inbox by signing up here.
© 2025 WTOP. All Rights Reserved. This website is not intended for users located within the European Economic Area.
