Metro keeps pace on escalator reliability for customers, with installation of four new escalators to begin at Pentagon City August 16
On Monday, August 16, Metro will begin work to replace the four entrance escalators at Pentagon City station with brand new, more durable escalators. Construction is expected to take approximately nine months to complete both entrances and will require each entrance to be closed during construction, starting with the east side of South Hayes Street and followed by the two escalators on the west side.
The closures are necessary to allow for site preparation, demolition, construction, installation and testing. This also allows Metro’s contractor, KONE, to work on both escalators at the entrance simultaneously instead of one at a time, reducing the duration of the project.
While work is underway, one entrance will always remain open to allow customers to enter and exit the station, in addition to the elevator on the east side of South Hayes Street. The entrance on the east side of South Hayes Street will be closed first, continuing through December. Once the new east side escalators go into service, the west side entrance will close for escalator replacement.
Pentagon City is the sixth station in Metro’s seven-year, $179 million escalator replacement project to install 130 new escalators. Today Metro completed the first set of escalators in the project, six weeks early, at the Gallery Place 9th and G streets entrance. New escalators are also being installed currently at Federal Center SW, New Carrollton, Rhode Island Ave and Virginia Square. Funded through Metro’s Capital Improvement Program, the project will ensure the system’s escalators are safe and reliable for the thousands of customers that enter and exit stations every day.
Since Metro began an aggressive campaign to rehabilitate and replace its aging escalators in 2011, reliability has improved and today continues to maintain 95 percent of escalators available at any given time according to a new progress report released this month.
The escalator replacement project is funded through Metro’s Capital Improvement Program and backed by dedicated funding from Maryland, Virginia, and the District of Columbia. Now half-way through the six-year, $9.7 billion capital program, a new report shows the region’s investment in critical infrastructure and maintenance has resulted in substantially safer, more reliable service and fewer delays for customers.
In addition to the new escalators, Arlington County is scheduled to begin construction on a new elevator on the west side of South Hayes Street late this year, providing a secondary option for customers with mobility needs. The new elevator, expected to be completed by 2023, will be located near the existing, west side escalator and will improve access for Metro customers and retail shoppers.
Additional information can be found on the Escalator, Canopy and Elevator Project page or by calling Metro Customer Service at 202-637-7000. Customers are also encouraged to sign up for MetroAlerts text or email messages to receive project updates and service information.