Metro News Release
For immediate release: March 3, 2009
Metro sets its March weekend track maintenance schedule
Metro curtails track maintenance the last weekend in March for the National Cherry Blossom Festival
In March, Metro will replace a rail switch on the Green and Yellow lines, replace rail fasteners on the Red Line, replace cross ties on the Orange Line, and conduct bridge repair work on the Blue and Orange lines to upkeep the tracks and help ensure good Metrorail service. Customers should expect significant travel delays during these select times.
Metro will not conduct major track maintenance in recognition of the opening of the National Cherry Blossom festival on Saturday, March 28.
Friday, March 6, to Sunday, March 8
Red Line - Metrorail customers traveling between the Silver Spring and Forest Glen Metrorail stations should add at least 20 minutes of travel time for their trips because personnel will replace rail fasteners that stabilize the rail tracks. Trains will share one track between these locations from 8 p.m., Friday, March 6, to closing (midnight) on Sunday, March 8.
Orange Line - Metrorail customers traveling between the Vienna/Fairfax-GMU and West Falls Church-VT/UVA Metrorail stations should add at least 30 minutes of travel time because personnel will replace crossties, the track support structures. Trains will share one track between these locations from 8 p.m., Friday, March 6, to closing (midnight), on Sunday, March 8. To help expedite rail travel back to Washington, D.C., every other Orange Line train in the direction of the Vienna/Fairfax-GMU Metrorail station will terminate at the West Falls Church-VT/UVA Metrorail station and return to the New Carrollton Metrorail station.
Friday, March 13, to Sunday, March 15
Green and Yellow Line - Metrorail customers traveling between the Mount Vernon Sq-7th St-Convention Center and U Street/African-Amer Civil War Memorial/Cardozo Metrorail stations should add at least 30 minutes of travel time because of switch replacement work at the Mount Vernon Sq-7th St Convention Center Metrorail station. A switch is an intersection in the track, where trains can “switch” from one track to another, depending on their destination and route. Trains will share one track between these locations from 10 p.m., Friday, March 13, to closing (midnight) on Sunday, March 15. Additionally, Yellow Line trains will not operate between the Mt. Vernon Sq/7th St-Convention Center and Fort Totten Metrorail stations. Customers who normally ride the Yellow Line to the Fort Totten Metrorail station will need to board a Green Line train. Yellow Line trains will only operate between the Huntington and Mt. Vernon Sq/7th St-Convention Center Metrorail stations this weekend.
Orange Line - Metrorail customers traveling between the Vienna/Fairfax-GMU and West Falls Church-VT/UVA Metrorail stations should add at least 30 minutes of travel time because personnel will replace crossties. Trains will share one track between these locations from 8 p.m., Friday, March 13, to closing (midnight), on Sunday, March 15. To help expedite rail travel back to Washington, D.C., every other Orange Line train in the direction of the Vienna/Fairfax-GMU Metrorail station will terminate at the West Falls Church-VT/UVA Metrorail station and return to the New Carrollton Metrorail station.
Friday, March 20, to Sunday, March 22
Red Line - Metrorail customers traveling between the Grosvenor-Strathmore and Medical Center Metrorail stations should add at least 20 minutes of travel time for their trips because personnel will be replacing rail fasteners that stabilize the rail tracks. Trains will share one track between these locations from 10 p.m., Friday, March 20, to closing (midnight) on Sunday, March 22.
Blue and Orange Line - Metrorail customers traveling between the Eastern Market and Stadium-Armory Metrorail stations should add at least 30 minutes of travel time for their trips because personnel will conduct bridge maintenance on the aerial structure outside the Stadium-Armory Metrorail station. Trains will share one track between these locations from opening (7 a.m.), to 7 p.m., on Sunday, March 22.
Please note, this schedule is subject to change. Metro riders should visit www.metroopensdoors.com at the end of each month to see the following month’s schedule of work. Metro will continue to post news releases each Thursday as a reminder to provide updates about any last minute track maintenance schedule changes.
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News release issued at 9:15 am, March 3, 2009.