Metro will not release details of an internal review of the death of an employee who was struck and killed by a train last month until the National Transportation Safety Board completes its investigation, officials said Wednesday.
The transit agency will not wait, however, to make immediate safety improvements, said Dan Tangherlini, Metro’s interim general manager.
Beginning this weekend, Metro will force trains to slow to 15 mph through work zones — something that is now considered “optional.” Metro trains typically travel between 15 mph and 59 mph, officials said. A team of safety officials will also check work sites to ensure employees are following safety rules.
Officials do not expect the changes to significantly slow the travel times of riders, since most track work occurs during the night and weekend hours, when the times between trains are greater, officials said.
Jong Won Lee, 49, of Springfield, was hit by a Red Line train outside the Dupont Circle station on May 14. Metro, which will complete its own investigation in July, will wait for the NTSB findings before releasing details, officials said.
Michael Waldron, 47, of Riverdale, died several weeks after being struck Oct. 1 by a Yellow Line train while he was picking up a piece of equipment. A safety panel ruled that human error was the cause of that accident. The two recent deaths are the first since 1997, when a track worker was electrocuted after slipping onto the 750 volt third rail.
The new effort pleases union officials, who led a protest outside Metro headquarters shortly after Lee’s death.
“We are glad that Mr. Tangherlini is taking our concerns seriously, and we are looking forward to entering into a joint partnership to improve safety for our 7,000 employees,” Mike Golash, president of ATU Local 689, said in a statement.
New safety mandates
» Safety officials will mandate that all employees do hourly radio checks of all personnel who are working on the tracks to ensure awareness of where employees at all times.
» Transit managers also are reviewing the manual flag signal system to alert trains to slow, stop or resume travel on the tracks.
» Metro is working with the American Public Transportation Association to set up a panel of safety experts to review the transit agency’s procedures and training.
