The U.S. Department of Transportation said it wants to improve travel safety in the nation’s capital, with a series of letters to D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser and the heads of Amtrak and Metro.
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy’s letters come as the Trump administration has increased its focus on the nation’s capital this week, with President Donald Trump requesting Mayor Bowser remove homeless encampments in the District.
In his letter to Bowser Thursday, Duffy wrote that he’s concerned with “the application of murals or other forms of artwork within the traveled way can distract from the critical task of safe travel for everyone.”
Earlier this week, Bowser said Black Lives Matter Plaza would be changing after Republican Rep. Andrew Clyde from Georgia introduced a bill that would withhold certain funds from D.C. unless the plaza was removed.
A District Department of Transportation spokesperson told WTOP the agency would be reconstructing the plaza soon, with work set to begin next week for about eight weeks.
“DDOT will closely coordinate with local stakeholders to ensure a smooth process, and we appreciate the public’s patience as we work to enhance this important corridor,” the agency said.
Duffy also requested that Bowser ask DDOT to send him a written report on D.C.’s roads.
In a video posted on social media, Duffy highlighted recent criminal incidents involving area transit, including a shooting at Union Station and a man having his Canada Goose jacket stolen while riding Metrorail. Duffy, in his other letters, asked Amtrak to share its plan to address crime at Union Station and for an update from Metro on what it is doing to stop fare evasion and crime.
Amtrak noted in a statement to WTOP that it was only recently granted control of the station by a federal judge last year.
“We appreciate and agree with Secretary Duffy’s interest in a safe and clean Washington Union Station. Important customer experience and security upgrades are already underway,” Amtrak said.
Metro has already taken initiatives to crack down on fare evasion and crime by installing taller fare gates at stations and having police officers patrol Metro stations and railcars. WMATA General Manager and CEO Randy Clarke told WTOP in December that those efforts have led to a significant reduction in both.
In a post on X on Thursday, Clarke said he will work with Duffy, adding, “While we’ve made incredible progress, there’s still more work to do.”
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