Notes: Metro safety commission finds critical staffing, training deficiencies in rail operations audit

Good morning, Alexandria!  Today is Thursday, Aug. 28, the 240th day of 2025. There are 125 days left in the year.

☀️ Today’s weather: Mostly cloudy, then gradually becoming sunny, with a high near 80 degrees. Calm wind becoming southwest 5 to 9 mph in the afternoon. Partly cloudy tonight, with a low around 62 degrees. South wind 3 to 6 mph.

🚨 You need to know

The Washington Metrorail Safety Commission has identified nine serious operational deficiencies requiring immediate corrective action plans following a comprehensive audit of Metro’s control center and rail operations, the commission announced Wednesday.

The audit, which examined mainline and rail yard operations as well as station and control center functions, found that Metrorail lacks sufficient rail traffic controllers while experiencing increasing turnover rates. The commission also discovered that written assessments and certification tests for controllers present conflicting data about individual competency levels, raising concerns about the qualification process for critical safety positions.

Training deficiencies emerged as another major concern, with auditors finding that rail vehicle operators do not receive mandatory refresher training on incidents and emergencies. The commission also determined that Metro’s Train the Trainer program for rail instruction lacks proper procedural definition, potentially compromising the quality of safety education across the system.

Communication and procedural compliance issues rounded out the findings, including instances where rail traffic controller consoles were manipulated without operators’ knowledge and staff were not properly informed of revised automatic train control procedures. The audit also revealed that personnel routinely violate radio transmission protocols and that Microsoft Teams chat records during safety events are not systematically reviewed for incident analysis.

Metro must submit corrective action plans for all nine findings within 30 days of the report’s issuance. The commission also issued three additional recommendations addressing service disruption protocols, alarm system standardization, and evaluation procedures for platform instructors. The complete audit report is available on the WMSC website.

What else you should know

A commercial property at 1503-1505 Mount Vernon Ave. that currently houses The Garden restaurant is being marketed for lease with availability starting Sept. 1, according to a listing from PVIM LLC, a commercial real estate brokerage based in Old Town Alexandria.

Alexandria Mayor Alyia Gaskins will sit down with ALXnow next Tuesday for her regular monthly conversation with the community, offering residents a direct line to city leadership as the City Council prepares to resume meetings after its August recess. Submit Questions

The Alexandria Redevelopment and Housing Authority Board of Commissioners took decisive action Wednesday morning, voting to hire an independent law firm to investigate CEO Erik Johnson and placing him on probationary status with a final warning.

The City of Alexandria will host the second Duke Street Land Use Plan Community Meeting on Thursday, Sept. 25, at Bishop Ireton High School cafeteria to discuss draft guiding principles based on community feedback.

Looking for something to do this Labor Day Weekend? Here’s our roundup of upcoming events, live music, and entertainment.

📈 Wednesday’s most read

The following are the most-read ALXnow articles for Aug 27, 2025.

1. GSA launches search for new Alexandria office space to house displaced National Science Foundation
2. Mount Vernon Avenue restaurant property listed for lease
3. Alexandria police investigate hit-and-run on Richenbacher Avenue
4. ARHA board places CEO on probation, hires law firm for investigation
5. Alexandria frozen custard shop receives $50,000 historic preservation grant

📅 Upcoming events

Here is what’s happening today in Alexandria, as per our event calendar.

• 6:00 pm: Yoga on the Magnolia Terrace – Happy Hour Thursday
• 6:00 pm: Join us at Nepenthe Gallery to be the first to see a newly acquired artwork!

Things To Do

• Alexandria Summer Restaurant Week
• 10 a.m.: Book a Librarian – Applications Assistance at Kate Waller Barrett Branch Library
• 10:15 a.m. & 11:15 a.m.: Here Nor There Story Time at James M. Duncan Jr. Branch Library
• 12 p.m.: Line Dancing at Ellen Coolidge Burke Branch Library
• 1 p.m.: Crafting for Teens at James M. Duncan Jr. Branch Library
• 1:15 p.m.: Baby Bounce – for babies 0-12 months and their caretaker(s) at Charles E. Beatley Jr. Central Library
• 2 p.m.: Old Town North Farmers’ Market at Montgomery Park
• 2 p.m.: How to Thrive in a World of Constant Chaos – with Organizational Psychologist Dr. Tasha Eurich (virtual)
• 2 p.m.: American Style Mahjong – Learn and Play at Kate Waller Barrett Branch Library
• 2 p.m.: Summer Film Series – “Judy” at Ellen Coolidge Burke Branch Library
• 3 p.m.: Handcraft Crafternoon at Charles E. Beatley Jr. Central Library
• 5 p.m.: Intro to Robotics for Kids at James M. Duncan Jr. Branch Library
• 5:30 p.m.: Tai Chi at Charles E. Beatley Jr. Central Library
• 5:30 p.m.: T(w)een STEM Hour at Kate Waller Barrett Branch Library
• 6 p.m.: Be the first to see a newly acquired artwork at Nepenthe Gallery
• 6 p.m.: Yoga on the Magnolia Terrace – Happy Hour Thursday at Carlyle House Historic Park
• 6 p.m.: Nerdy Knotters – Knitting and Crochet group at James M. Duncan Jr. Branch Library
• 6 p.m.: Coding Game Night – ages 6-12 – Hands-on fun in programming, robotics, and electronics at Charles E. Beatley Jr. Central Library

• 10 a.m.: Everyone’s an Asset Builder Training (virtual)
• 6 p.m.: ACPS Board Development
• 6:30 p.m.: Child Youth Fam. Coll. Comm Exec. Mtg. (virtual)