FTA: Safety deficiencies remain despite Metro track work

WASHINGTON (AP) -- Federal regulators say Metro still isn't doing enough to emphasize safety during its 9-month effort to rebuild tracks and catch up on maintenance.

The Federal Transit Administration issued a report on Monday and directed Metro to take a dozen steps to address safety concerns.

The FTA's report follows a nearly yearlong investigation of Metro's safety and maintenance practices following a derailment last year. It also contains regulators' preliminary findings about a derailment last month.

The agency notes that Metro didn't try to fix the problem area on the tracks where the recent derailment occurred because it needed the tracks to stay open while work was done nearby.

Regulators also found that Metro track inspectors are inadequately trained and that Metro doesn't give them enough time to perform their duties.