Metro's SafeTrack having impact on businesses, employees

WASHINGTON - The Metro SafeTrack overhaul is causing a ripple effect on local businesses, especially those who cater to the late night crowd. Some restaurant, bar owners and employees are feeling the pinch already and are anticipating a big financial impact.

Some of the late night businesses in Washington D.C. are closing early due to Metro closing at midnight on the weekends instead of 3 a.m. It is not just because there is less business and customers due to the lack of rail service, but many employees also rely on Metro to get home.

FOX 5 spoke with some of the restaurants that are juggling schedules and trying to stay profitable.

"Financially, that half an hour makes a big difference," said Mehdi Zorgani, general manager for Sette Osteria, which is now closing at 11 p.m. "And for us as a business, a small business, I definitely can see the impact this past weekend, more or less. I foresee that is going to be a huge impact on all the small businesses around here, especially with Dupont Circle Metro-accessible. Parking is a nightmare and I don't see that the city is doing anything in regards to the parking. They are still enforcing the same late hours after 10 p.m."

Business owners understand the work on Metro has to be done, but they don't feel the city is making it any easier to keep business coming in.

However, a lot of the ridesharing services are expanding the amount of pooled rides they will have available to help make moving around the city easier.