Metro News Release

For immediate release: September 1, 2004

Metro announces Labor Day weekend track work to support the New York Avenue-Florida Avenue-Gallaudet U Metrorail station

This Labor Day weekend, track work will shut down a portion of the Red Line

In preparation for the opening of the New York Avenue-Florida Avenue-Gallaudet U Metrorail station on the Red Line at the end of this year, the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (Metro) will conduct major track work on the Red Line between Union Station and Fort Totten, resulting in a partial shutdown of the Red Line during the Labor Day holiday weekend. Customers are advised to plan accordingly. The schedule Below is the scheduled dates and times for the Labor Day Weekend shutdown between Union Station and Fort Totten: " Friday, September 3, (8 p.m.) to Tuesday, September 7, 5:30 a.m.What will occur during the shutdown" Over the long holiday weekend, personnel will be aligning and connecting the existing inbound track through the station, then conduct extensive testing. At the end of the weekend, trains bound for downtown Washington, D.C. from Glenmont and Silver Spring will pass through the new station.Metro’s Labor Day Weekend service plan During the scheduled shutdown between Union Station and Fort Totten, Metro will institute the following weekend service pattern:" Metrorail Red Line service will be suspended between Union Station and Fort Totten, resulting in the closure of the Rhode Island Avenue and Brookland-CUA Metrorail stations." Metrorail Red Line service will operate between Shady Grove and Union Station, and between Glenmont and Fort Totten." Free shuttle buses will operate every 5 minutes between Union Station and Fort Totten with stops at the Brookland-CUA and Rhode Island Avenue Metrorail stations. Customers who normally board at Brookland-CUA or Rhode Island Avenue will need to take a free shuttle bus from those stations to either Union Station or Fort Totten, depending on their direction of travel." Metrorail Red Line trains will operate every 8-10 minutes during the day, and every 12-15 minutes during the evening between Shady Grove and Union Station, and between Glenmont and Fort Totten." Customers traveling between Glenmont and Takoma on the Red Line can transfer to the Green Line at Fort Totten, travel to Gallery Place-Chinatown, and transfer back to the Red Line toward Shady Grove. Customers traveling on the Red Line to Takoma and all stops to Glenmont can transfer to the Green Line at Gallery Place-Chinatown, travel to Fort Totten, and transfer back to the Red Line. Metrorail service following the completion of track work" On Tuesday, September 7, and Wednesday, September 8, customers traveling from Glenmont and Silver Spring may experience minor delays between New York Avenue-Florida Avenue-Gallaudet U and Union Station due to speed restrictions while personnel continue to test and monitor the communications and signal systems associated with the placement of the new inbound track. These tests are necessary to ensure customer safety while traveling through this particular location. "We recognize this next phase of work will cause some inconvenience to our customers and we do apologize," said John Thomas, Project Manager for the New York Avenue-Florida Avenue-Gallaudet U Station project. "During the Labor Day holiday, we will be installing up to 400 feet of new track, and then having to test the new automatic train control systems associated with the installation of this new track. While it may take our customers slightly longer to get to where they are going, Labor Day weekend, they will arrive at their destinations safely. We want our customers to know how much we appreciate their patience as we continue the next phase of work as we prepare to open this new station." The New York Ave-Florida Ave-Gallaudet U Metrorail station is known as an "in-fill" station because it will be the first station in Metro’s 28-year history to be constructed between two existing, operating rail stations - Union Station and Rhode Island Avenue. The train station will have two entrances - M Street, N.E., and Florida Avenue, N.E. The station will have two sets of elevators and improved signage and lighting. Funding for this project ($103.7 million) was made possible through a partnership that includes the District of Columbia, the federal government, and a special assessment district of area private land owners. While the station will not add any miles of track to the rail system, it will increase the total number of Metrorail stations in the regional system to 84. Metro is also designing and constructing the portion of the Metropolitan Branch Bike Trail with the station contract. The trail will enhance access to the station by pedestrians and bicyclists. The Ride Guide, located on Metro’s Web site, will not reflect the impact of this track work on its schedules. Customers should allow more time for their trips because of this work. For more information on traveling by Metrobus or Metrorail, customers may call (202) 637-7000 or TTY (202) 638-3780.

News release issued on September 1, 2004.