Metro News Release
For immediate release: August 24, 2006
Metro nearly halfway through weekend track work between the Franconia-Springfield and King Street Metrorail stations
Metro is reaching the halfway point of a major track rehabilitation project on the Blue Line that will continue this weekend between the Franconia-Springfield and King Street Metrorail stations. Passengers using the Blue Line on the Virginia side of the rail system should plan to add 35 minutes to their travel time while using this section of the Blue Line in Virginia.
To date, Metro has replaced 6,000 fasteners (fasteners are rectangular shaped plates that help hold the rail in place), 3,000 cross ties (cross ties support the load of the train as well as anchor the track system), and resurfaced three miles of track between the Franconia-Springfield and King Street Metrorail stations.
When the project is completed, Metro will have replaced nearly 13,700 fasteners and 6,600 cross ties.
Metro will continue to do track maintenance work between these locations during these weekends:
• Friday, August 25, 10 p.m., to Sunday, August 27, midnight
• Friday, September 8, 10 p.m., to Sunday, September 10, midnight
• Friday, September 15, 10 p.m., to Saturday, September 16, midnight
• Friday, September 29, 10 p.m., to Sunday, October 1, midnight
• Friday, October 13, 10 p.m. to Sunday, October 15, midnight
When this work occurs, Metrorail will operate special six-car shuttle trains sharing one track between the Franconia-Springfield and King Street Metrorail stations.
Once a shuttle train arrives at the King Street Metrorail station, passengers transfer to a Blue or Yellow Line train at the King Street Metrorail station to ride to their final destination. All other Blue Line trains run between the Largo Town Center and Huntington Metrorail stations. Passengers coming from Virginia are encouraged to use the Huntington Metrorail station (Yellow Line) for rail service into downtown Washington.
“We recognize this maintenance work may be an inconvenience, especially on the weekends,” said Charles Dziduch, Metro’s Blue and Orange Line Service Director. “We always schedule heavy track maintenance work on the weekends when ridership is lighter, compared to a typical weekday when ridership is nearly three times higher.
“As this work continues, we want our passengers to know how much we appreciate their cooperation and patience while this work continues. Once this maintenance program is completed, passengers riding the Blue Line will notice the difference and they will have a much smoother ride,” said Mr. Dziduch.
The Trip Planner, located on Metro’s Web site, will not reflect the impact of this work on its schedules. For more information on traveling by Metrobus or Metrorail, customers may call (202) 637-7000 or TTY (202) 638-3780.
News release issued on August 24, 2006.