The NFTA's new budget does not fund overdue improvements to Metro Rail stations even though some escalators no longer work. In order to balance the $208 million budget for 2016, NFTA Executive Director, Kim Minkel says the upgrades are being delayed.
"We'd love to replace the escalators in our rail station. They're original...they're 30 years old. And the cost of repairing them and maintaining them is going up. But the capital cost to replace them is an over $27 million project and that's something we just can't bear at the moment. So it's something we're going to defer for another time," Minkel said.
The new budget also includes some "minor service adjustments" to Metro Bus routes. Minkel says compared to last year, the NFTA's expenses increased by .2 per cent for 2016.