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12/16/2025
The Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority's (WMATA) proposed budget for fiscal-year 2026-27 calls for increased rail service and maintaining fares at their current rate.
WMATA's fiscal year starts July 1, 2026, and ends June 30, 2027.
If approved, the proposed operating budget would increase rail trips by 6% on weekdays, leading to shorter wait times for the Orange, Silver and Blue lines during day hours and shorter wait times for the Red Line during late-night hours, WMATA officials said in a press release.
WMATA also proposed two scenarios for its six-year capital improvement program. The first scenario calls for WMATA to reduce its spending by deferring projects, citing the transit agency's fiscal cliff. The other scenario includes plans for rail signal upgrades and state-of-good-repair projects.
The latter scenario assumes WMATA receives a proposed $460 million in annual capital program funding outlined in the DMVMoves initiative, a plan by leaders of the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments and WMATA to address the lack of funding for the region's 14 public transit systems. port the region's broader transportation needs.
WMATA will hold public hearings on the proposed budget in February 2026 and anticipates approving the final budget in April 2026.