Washington DC: Metrorail's July 4 Ridership Hits Highest Numbers Since March 2020

(DCist) Ridership on D.C. Metro could be making a comeback after more than a year of pandemic lows.

On Sunday, July 4, Metro rail ridership topped 210,000 people, the highest single-day total since March 2020. Overall, Metro ridership levels have fallen about 85% since the beginning of the pandemic, and ridership has not reached the peaks seen in 2019. On July 4, 2019, there were more than 400,000 riders on Metro rail, according to WMATA ridership data.

Last year visitors were discouraged from gathering on the National Mall to watch fireworks on July 4 due to COVID restrictions on large gatherings.

Metro’s board of directors hopes to get more people back to riding the metro later this summer with a series of changes including extending operating hours to midnight on weekdays and 1 a.m. on weekends, providing more frequent trains during peak hours, and offering a flat $2-per-ride fee on the weekends. ............(more)

https://dcist.com/story/21/07/06/metro-ridership-shows-signs-of-recovery/