Later this month, part of Metro’s Red Line will close temporarily. However, as not to inconvenience commuters, they will be offered free bus rides between the closed stations.
On Saturday, November 25, Metro will begin a two-week long preventative maintenance project as part of its “Safetrack” initiative, which is a capital improvement project designed to make the system safer and more efficient. Crews will be replacing interlocks at track switch points. As the project commences, service between three red line stations will be halted until December 10. During construction, no trains will run in either direction from the Silver Spring, Fort Totten and Takoma stations. [caption id="attachment_5930" align="aligncenter" width="479"]
courtesy of WMATA[/caption]
Metro will provide a free shuttle between the three closed stations, but commuters should expect significant delays and longer commute times. Trains between Glenmont and Silver Spring are scheduled to run every 12 minutes, and every 10 minutes between Shady Grove and Fort Totten. During peak weekday rush hour, trains will run every five minutes between the more-busy Grosvenor and NoMa-Galludet stretch of the red line. Red Line trains will run every 15 minutes after 9:30 p.m., daily.
Metro is advising customers, who usually ride along the Takoma to Glenmont stretch, to consider using alternate means of transportation. One such option being the MARC train’s Brunswick Line between the Rockville, Kensington, and Sliver Spring stations and Union Station downtown -- where riders can transfer to the Red Line.
Commuters who travel between Glenmont, Silver Spring, and Union Station may want to consider using the Q and Y Metrobus lines, which operate along the Georgia Avenue Corridor as on December 2-3. Trackwork will extend to the Glenmont station on the line’s northeastern end.
Customers who wish to find alternate travel options during this time should consult metro’s website and online trip scheduler, as crowding is to be expected during the closures.
Are you being affected by the construction? Let us know your thoughts on the closures in the comments below. Safe travels!
