Photo via WMATA

Metro announced two improvement projects today that will make its underground stations brighter and train floors less dirty.

Over the next two years, Metro says it will install “slip-resistant resilient flooring” in all 5000- and 6000-series cars. The flooring, which “does not absorb dirt and spills as carpet does, and will be much easier for Metro maintenance personnel to keep clean,” has already been installed in over a dozen cars. It will be standard in the 7000-series rail cars.

Metro also announced that brighter lighting will be installed at all underground stations by 2015, as it already has at the Judiciary Square, Gallery Place, Bethesda, Metro Center and Smithsonian stations. Construction at the L’Enfant Plaza station is already underway.

“The new lighting will provide for better visibility and in turn, improve safety, security and the overall customer experience for riders as that make their way through the Metrorail system,” Metro GM and CEO Richard Sarles said in a release. “Through our Metro Forward rebuilding program, we are committed to improving the customer experience and lighting efficiency upgrades will continue to be rolled out as part of that process.”

Here’s more info from PlanItMetro:

Through careful fixture selection, the new fixtures provide a higher quality of light with an improved Color Rendering Index (CRI) thereby improving both lighting levels and overall visibility. Significantly, the new lighting design offers better light levels without compromising the integrity of the original lighting design and station aesthetic. The retrofits also provide significant lifecycle cost savings for Metro through reduced energy consumption and maintenance requirements.

Update: Here’s Councilmember and WMATA board member Muriel Bowser’s statement on the improvements.

The planned improvements are a significant demonstration of Metro’s investment in service, safety, and security. When combined with the billions of dollars being invested to improve the on-time performance and reliability of the system, Metro is truly on the way to is achieving a higher quality experience for all riders.”