DC subway system faces possible shutdown over safety directive

WASHINGTON — Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx says he seriously considered ordering a shutdown of the entire Washington subway system last week and may still do that if local officials don’t follow a Transportation Department safety directive.

Foxx told reporters Tuesday that local officials have yet to identify the root cause of incidents involving electrical arcing, smoke and fire, and so have no plan for how to fix the problem.

He says it is clear to DOT officials who watched a video of one recent incident that there is too much electrical power flowing through the subway system.

Foxx calls a track maintenance schedule local officials unveiled Friday “ambitious,” but says the plan still doesn’t address the root cause of the incidents.

This is a developing story. Check back for updates.