Metro News Release

For immediate release: March 17, 2010

Metrorail to open at 5 a.m. on Saturday for the National Marathon

42 Metrobus routes plus MetroAccess to be rerouted

Metrorail will open two hours early—at 5 a.m.—on Saturday, March 20, to help participants get to the starting line for the SunTrust National Marathon. The race begins at 7 a.m. near the Stadium-Armory Metrorail station on the Blue and Orange lines.

Several thousand race participants are expected to assemble near Stadium-Armory for the 7 a.m. start. The race course will wind its way through Washington, D.C., and conclude back at Stadium-Armory by 1 p.m.

Prior to the start of the race, all Red Line trains will operate every 12 minutes and will share one track between the Medical Center and Grosvenor Strathmore Metrorail stations due to track maintenance. All Blue, Orange, Yellow and Green line trains will operate every 15 minutes from the ends of each rail line and every seven to eight minutes in downtown Washington, D.C. Upon conclusion of the race, all Blue Line trains will share one track between the Franconia-Springfield and Van Dorn Street Metrorail stations every 24 minutes due to track maintenance. Every other Blue Line train traveling toward Franconia-Springfield will terminate at the Van Dorn Street Metrorail station and return to the Largo Town Center Metrorail station.

There are extensive road closures for Saturday’s marathon that will significantly impact 42 downtown Metrobus routes and MetroAccess service. Patrons who rely on Metrobus and MetroAccess service are likely to be rerouted due to the race route on Saturday. Metro encourages Metrobus and MetroAccess riders to build extra time into their Saturday trips and if possible, reschedule their trips to mid-afternoon or use the Metrorail system.

The following District of Columbia Metrobus routes will be impacted: 5A, 13A, 13B, 13F, 13G, 32, 34, 36, 38B, 42, 52, 54, 64, 70, 80, 90, 92, 96, 98, A42, A46, A48, B2, D4, D6, D8, G2, G8, H2, H4, H8, L2, M6, N6, N22, P6, S2, S4, U6, V8, X2 and X8. Buses are expected to return to their normal routes in the early afternoon. For more information on specific detours, please visit http://www.wmata.com/bus/metrobus_detours_new.cfm and scroll to the bottom of the page.

For more information on Metro services, please call (202) 637-7000 or visit Metro’s Web site at www.metroopensdoors.com.

###

News release issued at 9:50 am, March 17, 2010.