As for service reductions, there are several strategies on the table, such as eliminating bus routes with poor ridership and the highest subsidy-per-rider. Increasing headways between trains is another option. Among the more drastic options being proposed is choosing the 20 Metro stations with the lowest ridership and closing them during off-peak periods. Most of those stations are at the outer ends of the system.

“We’ve known this is coming,” said board member Malcolm Augustine, who represents Prince George’s County. “But from our discussions, we knew that all of the options needed to be on the table.”