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week, two big stories you saw only on 4 first, a father sharing his coerns about a guardrail found on local roads and c how itld impact your safety. >> i came out here, i read the documeds, i mea the units, and they're different from what was test, period. >> the new accusations against the maker of that controversial guardrail that's being blamed for a number of deaths. we have consumer investigation. and later a new beginning for the catholic church in washington. d news4'soreen gentzler sits down with archbishop wilton d. gregory for his local tv interview. >> welcome to news4 this week.

hello, everyone. i'm leon harris. we're going to begin with a consumer investigation that you saw only on here on news4. ew accusations against the maker of a controversial guardrail that's being blamed for a number of deaths here i our region and across the country. this particular guardrail is called the xlite. it's been the center of an investigation for nearly two tars. here arehe new details. >> reporter: steve, his daughter died in 2016 after hitting an xlite. he believes the product is defective, and he is on a mission to get the guardrails removed from our nation's highways. so we traveled te his h in tennessee earlier this year to give you a firstooand inside his ground zo where he says he's made some sprising discoveries. it's aic typ wednesday morning at their home. melissa pulling double duty as

mom and teacher for seven of her kids. fore leaving for work, steve heads to the backyard to see the animals. >> you c be fine one minute, and then you never know what's going to get you. >> reporter: hannah eimers was just 17 years old when she crashed into an x-lite guardrail and died. the tragic accident changed this family forever. >> it is something that has always stemmed somewhere, but it doesn't always stem -- after a while we've been able to think of, you know, you can remember hannah, and it's not instantly the memory of how she was killed but more of her life in general. >> reporter: melissa and steve say the grief never goes away. it just looks different over time. and they're working to make sure no other family has to experi

for the past two years, steve's been researching the x-lite ai he started digging deeper after learning three other people have also died in tennessee when x-lites pierced their vehicles. the deadly accidents have happened in other states, too. sarah weinberg was killed on i-66 ivirginia, and after hitting an x-lite on maryland's eastern shore, maryland, virginia, and 14 other states are now in the process of replacing x-lights. back in tennessee, steve sorts through these thousands o pages he has collected through public records requests and online research. the tennessee department of transportation says the x-lite functioned properly innn ha's crash, something this father doesn't accept based on what ot's discovered. he's particularlyred by emails he found that show the federal highway administration was aware of concerns about the

x-lite before his daughter died. >> i have federal highway talking about extraordinary x-lite images. >> reporter: you are looking at those extraordinary images we obtained them through the freedom of information act. they show six different crash scenes in missouri where x-lights were hit. >> i have been meeting twice in may of 2016 and june of 2016 and discussing these concerns. >> reporter: just a few monthsh after t meetings, federal highway sent this email to one of its field offices, talking about potential problems. >> it says "have caltrans check with tdot befory use the x-lite." they knew this was an tesue. >> rep steve says emails from state transportation officials also detailed concerns about the guardrails. >> here's an email from the georgia dot. and they said "we have some issues with performance." >> reporter: in this email, the rhode island dot describes,

quote, quality concerns. and this one from arizona mentions constructability challenges. but steveay s the most troubling discovery he's made isn't in all of these papers on hitchen table. >> it's out here on the road. >> they've increased it b about 50%. >> reporter: he believes the x-lite guardrails that line our highways today are not the same product thatas psed crash tests during developmen >> what we have is the head was thicker. we have this part here is not as wide. these areon lr and more narrow. this bolt has been three different sizes. >> reporter: soow did steve discover the differences? simplo measurements specifications provided by the manufacturer in this crash test report. he says he's found dozens of changes. >> and they were having performance issues, and i believe they just -in installation issues. and so we basically have changel

virt every part on this system. >> reporter: kind of on the fly? >> on the fly. well, let's try this, let's try that. maybe we can make it a little better. >> reporter: we asked the maker of the x lite lindsay transportation solut e changes and whether they have run new crash tests. they didn't answer our questione and decli an on-mera interview citgay wrongful d ea administration has examined and re-examined the x-lite and its in-service performance and has gathered input from state departments of transportation across the country. in federal highway's evaluations, the x-lite haspe ormed consistently with other end terminals on u.s. roads and highways. but even the federal highway administration acknowledges it has limited information how specific types of guardrails actually perform in crashes. they dend ontate for that kind of data.

and until just a few years ago most weren't even collecting it. the only data is from a pilot program it launched in 2015 which looked at about 500 ashes involving several different types back at the eimers' home, steve tells us he will continue tot fighntil every state removes the x-lights that are on the roads. >> my goal, i don't want to fix all the world's problems, but for some reason, i've been -- i feel like this is my responsibility to see it thr:ugh. >> repor melissa says she will continue to support her husband's mission, and s d thinks theghter hannah would be so proud. >> i would like to think that she'ser pleased and proud of her dad. >> reporter: steve's going to keep pushing states to remove these ecguardrails bse the decision is ultimately theirs. as far ashehanges to t

-lites, the manufturer wasak mc al olowe bu tt, again, since the companys not commenting on the changes that steve has found, we don't know exactly when they were made or why. back to you. >> thank you, susan. when we come back, the effort to make your commute a r at two busylelettoo metro c stations hits>> a snag. > plus, a new chapter for the catholic church. washington's new archbishop interviews wilton d. gregory f his first local television interview. he will share his plan to restore the faith of lal start the car! start the car! the ikea summer sale. wooooooo! save up to 50% off select items in store only june 26th to july 7th. ikea.

major investment is going towards improving reagan national airpoth. week u.s. transportation secretary elaine cho -- the multimillion dollar grant is from the federal aviation administration. this money is going to also bee o reconstruct an aircraft.

some bad nifs though you're hoping for some cool air in c aple of very busy, very hot metro stations. news4 has learned that there is a new delay for a permanent fix for the dupont circle and the fair gate north stations. metro tells us that while they were trying to fix the pipes that supplant the cool air, crews hit a lamp post in the path. so mental health roe now has permission from d.c.o move that lamp post. they say they hope to restore th chilled air to the station sometime next month. but in the meantime, as news4 has found out, temperatures inside those stations, they can stay routinely in the 90s. when weome back after a break, an unlikely path to the o priestod. only on news4, doreen gentzler's conversation with washington's new archbishop as he talks about his personal life as well a racism and the sex scandals that have shaken the cathol

a new chapter for theic catholhurch as it tries to heal from recent scandals. archbishop wilton d. gregory has been at the helm for months now. and he says he's been visitinge difft parishs and schools across the archdiocese of washington. he's out there meeting with people .face-to-face this week he had his first local television interview he talked with doreen gentzler about his plan to mend some deep-seeded wounds. we build trust among catholics whose faith has beente t here. >> reporter: in silver spring, everyone wants to meet the new archbishop of washington, wilton d. gregory. this face-to-face connection is a priority for him. >> listen to the people, understand them, find outhat's on their heart, and then try to respond as generously and lovingly as you can. and so that's what i'm doing. >> reporter: one by one, they line up to share a hug or a handshe and t pose for uress he

>> okay, i will pray for it. >> reporter: it's been a time of turmoil for the catholic church here. parishioners and priests have told him how they are feeling. >> they want me to know how deeply embarrassed and ashamed p t toashewant know that that pain is real. but so is the depth of their faith. epteexor r tr:t inpaha abuse scandals involving gregory's two predecesso. first the defrocking of how ex-cardinal todore mccarrick afterhe vatican found him guilty of sexually abusing children and adults. and ex-cardinal wuerl. >> every bishop has to be a church.erson for the and that's what i have to do. i have to do it in a

particularly sensitive arena because this is the nation's capitol, and so muchen atton ake aid to the events that place here. >> reporter: people inside and outside of the church are looking for his leadership. gregory arrives as the very first african-american archbishop here at a time of growing racial tension nationwide. >> i hope i can provide the kind of example that shows people th i can shepherd the entire church. i was not assigned just for the african-americans. racism is like a cancer. it can metastasize. it can go dormant, but all it needs is a catalyst to allow it to erupt again. so it's an ongoing struggle, and i think it will be an ongoing struggle. >> reporter: at 71, archbishop gregory isel wrespected in the catholic community. but his past path to the priesthood was unusual. he wasn't raised in the catholic

church. growing up in chicago's south side, he was enrolled in catholic school. his mother was hoping he uld get aetter aed speiocial bond with the priests and nuns there and chose to join the church. >> i was mesmerized by these people. i had no personal first hand knowledge of catholicism, but they promoted and projected such a wonderful image that i was -- the fter a few months in school i decided i was going to be a priest. >> reporter: you're hold? >> 11. parents know that kids go thdsugh all kin of vocational decisions. n monday he's going to be a fireman. on tuesday he's going to be a dentist. on wednesday he's going to be a rocket scientist. >> reporter: 11-year-old wilton gregory never wavered. he became ariest at the age of 25. later a bishop. he's been the archbishop of atlanta for the past 14 years. ♪

>> reporter: he says his place now is here in the pews with his people. ♪ >> reporter: presiding over mass at parishs across the archdiocese of washington. and on this occasion baptising a baby. and when he's not at church, he's walking among us in the ci f. you mightd him shopping in the aisles of your local grocery store or maybe playing a round of golf. i'm a horrible golfer. absolutely horrible, but i love the game. and then when i go home, i like put on casual clothes now that it's nice, warm washington summer weather, i like to put on shorts and flipflop, and i like to cook. >> reporter: what do you cook? >> i lived for four years in italy during my doctoral studies. love italian food. the italians know how to do it. >> reporter: will we see you out and about inhe community in your shorts and flipflop relaxing and playing golf?

>> some have. [ laughter ] to be a human being, to be someone who goes to safeway and buys bananas, who goes into starbucks and has a coffee, it's a humanizing experience for me, and i hope it lets pple know that first of all i'm very much at home, i very much have enjoyed this first month in , washingtonnd i look forward to many, many more years of servic >> reporter: as for what the archbishop hopesis legacy will be here in washington. >> i hope that when pope francis says washington has had enough, i hope that i can leave a legacy of healing and bringing the people togethern a more loving and peaceful relationship. >> the archdiocese of washington is home to more than 6 catholics.

leading it is a powerful position, and it's one that could put archbishop gregory in line to become one day the country's first african-american cardinal. when we come back, preparing for the fourt july. a look at the road clores a the different events planned this year.

we are sisters. and we just moved in together. why alsa and aleah chose fios. we stream sooo much. a lot of times alissa is watching tv on her laptop, using her phone, also using her tablet.t i am really good altitasking cause i'm awesome. a little. the best internet is even better at our best price. switch now and get our fastest speeds available. plus, a free samsung chromebook on us. that's fios. when i was diagnosed with ms, the firstwas my family.ht about i came home and cried. but, as i've seen my disease progress, the medicine has progressed right alongside it. trying to make medications more affordable is important, we might leave innovation bend. let's fix the system the right way. innovation is ho, and the last thing you want to lose in life is hope.

f > i your favorite restaurant in the district hasn't ditched the plastic straws yet, they could be fined up to $800. therace period for switching to paper or more environmentally friendly straws is now ending. d.c.'s department of energy and environment will start issuing fines on july 1st. those fines could be as much st. however, restaurants are required to keep a a few plasti straws on hand for customers with disabilities. now if you have been around the district during the fourth , you know the pa it's best to keep the car at home, and here's why. take a look at all the road closures planned for the holiday. police will begin closing things

off at 4:00 a.m. the morning of july 4th. if you're heading to the mall to vi the fireworks, public access points will open up at 10:00 a.m. for you. and a reminder there will be additional eventsng happe on the national mall this year. he national independence day parade on constitution avenue will step off just before noon. salute to america, the event ine which presi trump is set to speak, that starts at 6:30. up cage for that will open to 3:30. and the concert starts at 8:00 p.m. and the fireworks show, that starts at 9:07 p.m. sharp. hawell, ts all for news4 this week. m leon harris. thanks for joining us. have a great week, and hope to see you at the great holiday. ♪ ♪ ♪

z3a5wz z16fz y3a5wy y16fy someone is going to be the first. someone is going to make waves. someone is going to blow up the game. someone is going to reinvent a classic.ng sosomeone is goio start fromthe gascratch.

someone is going to break barriers. t someone is going to dohat thing you really, really want to do. it might as well be you.

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