MARTINSBURG, W.Va. — Each day, as many as 250 commuters ride the MARC train from the Eastern Panhandle into Washington, D.C., but that may not be enough to keep the trains running.
Delegate Paul Espinosa, R-Jefferson, said the Maryland Transit Authority wants West Virginia to kick in $3.2 million to keep the service coming into the Mountain State, but current ridership does not support a subsidy of that magnitude.
“$3.2 million dividing by 250 riders,” he said. “Do the math there. I think it’s about $12,000 per person. I think that’s really the math you ultimately have to do.”
The state Legislature last year was able to secure around $1.5 million for what Espinosa calls a stop-gap measure. Efforts to draw down federal dollars to keep the trains going took a serious hit with the ouster of former Delegate Riley Moore, R-Jefferson.
“Delegate Riley Moore worked very closely with (United States) Sen. Shelley Moore Capito on some potential federal funding. (I’m) certainly going to continue to look at any opportunities to try to secure that service,” Espinosa said
Currently, Eastern Panhandle commuters can catch the train at the Martinsburg, Duffields and Harpers Ferry stations. If a funding source does not come through, those riders may have to make the trek to Brunswick, Maryland in order to use MARC.
Story by WEPM’s Marsha Chwalik