Photo by Craig Moe

Nearly five months after Paul Wiedefeld announced his “Reality Check” proposal, held subsequent public meetings, and made revisions, Metro’s General Manager has an approved budget for fiscal year 2018.

In a meeting today, Metro’s board green-lighted a plan that includes fare hikes and service cuts, proposed by Wiedefeld to close a $290 million budget gap.

Metro spokesperson Dan Stessel told DCist that the changes will likely go into effect late June or early July. Metro will announce the actual dates soon.

It’ll cost a minimum of $2.25 to ride Metrorail during peak hours and a minimum of $2 for off-peak trips.

Riders will pay $2 per bus trip, but weekly bus passes will stay at its current price of $17.50 so that frequent riders who purchase them won’t have to pay an extra quarter per ride like everyone else. And some buses will run less frequently or have shorter routes.

Most trains will run every eight minutes during peak hours, instead of every six minutes. And off-peak times remain the same.

In December, Metro’s board also approved cuts to Metrorail’s hours. Trains will run until 11:30 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 1 a.m. Friday and Saturday, and from 8 a.m. to 11 p.m. on Sunday.

The budget also calls for firing an “unprecedented” 1,000 people, many of whose positions have already been eliminated.