And the latest from Metro’s government relations team:

U.S. Department of Transportation – Plans For Lapse In Annual Appropriations

With less than 24 hours before a possible shutdown of the federal government, the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) has prepared a document detailing how the transportation agency will be operating in the event Congress and the White House are unable to reach a deal tonight.

As was shared last week, the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) would face across the board furloughs in the event of a government shutdown. The FTA would continue with limited efforts related to Hurricane Sandy and other emergency operations. The Federal Highway Administration, which operates under contract authority authorized by MAP-21, will avoid the furlough of employees and will continue operations during a possible government shutdown.

We are concerned that a prolonged government shutdown and the furloughing of nearly 95% of the FTA’s staff would make it very difficult, if not impossible, to continue making strong progress towards the Full Funding Grant Agreements we expect to enter into for the Regional Connector and the Westside Subway Extension in the coming months.

Please find here a copy of a document entitled, “Operations During a Lapse in Annual Appropriations: Plans by Operating Administration” prepared by the USDOT’s Office of the Assistant Secretary for Budget and Program and CFO. We will continue to remain in close contact with the USDOT as part of our ongoing effort to gauge the impact of a potential government shutdown on our agency.