Metro News Release
For immediate release: April 5, 2010
Metro outlines Nuclear Security Summit service plans
Mt. Vernon Sq. station will be closed from 9 p.m., Sunday, April 11 through Tuesday, April 13; Metrobus, MetroAccess riders expect lengthy waits, detours
The Mt. Vernon Square/7th St-Convention Center Metrorail Station (Yellow and Green Lines) will close at 9 p.m., on Sunday, April 11, and will reopen at 5 a.m. on Wednesday, April 14 due to security concerns associated with the international Nuclear Security Summit scheduled during that time at the Washington Convention Center. Trains will be able to pass through the station, but passengers will not be allowed to access the station.
Map of street closures and parking restrictions
Several streets around the convention center will be closed for security purposes. As a result, MetroAccess will not be able to provide paratransit service within the security zone and customers who use MetroAccess in this area should expect major delays due to detours associated with the road closures. Additionally, 13 Metrobus routes are expected to be impacted by the road closures. They are routes 42, 63, 64, 70, 71, 79, 80, D4, G8, P6, S2, S4, and X2. Metrobuses will continue to operate on detoured routes. Specific Metrobus detour information will be available later this week on Metro’s Web site at www.wmata.com.
Metrobus riders whose routes are impacted by the street closures should plan for their bus trips to take a significant amount of additional travel time starting at 9 p.m. on Sunday, April 11. Regular Metrobus service will resume on Wednesday, April 14.
All Yellow Line trains that typically operate between the Huntington and Mt. Vernon Sq/7th St-Convention Center Metrorail station between 5 a.m. to 9:30 a.m., and from 3 to 7 p.m., will instead terminate at the Gallery Pl-Chinatown Metrorail station on Monday, April 12, and Tuesday, April 13. At all other times, Yellow Line trains will operate to the Fort Totten Metrorail station.
Metro encourages everyone to purchase a SmarTrip card or round trip farecard before entering the Metro system.
Parking at Metrorail Stations during the Summit
Metrorail parking facilities and 60,000 parking spaces will be available and free on Sunday, April 11. Regular parking rates will apply on Monday, April 12 and Tuesday, April 13. Due to the road closures around the Washington Convention Center, Metro anticipates parking will be extremely tight at all Metro parking facilities during this time frame.
Metro Transit Police Security
Customers will see a strong Metro Transit Police presence throughout the entire Metrorail system during the Nuclear Security Summit. This includes members of the police special response teams carrying additional weaponry and patrolling with specially trained dogs.
During the Nuclear Summit, all Metrorail station restrooms will be closed for security reasons.
Customers are asked to report any suspicious behavior, unusual activity or unattended items to a uniformed Metro employee, police officer, or by calling the Metro Transit Police at 202-962-2121.
Metrorail Service for Sunday, April 11 Credit Union Cherry Blossom race
The Metrorail system will open two hours early, at 5 a.m., on Sunday, April 11, for the Credit Union Cherry Blossom 10-mile race and will close at midnight. Metrorail will operate its normal hours, 5 a.m. to midnight on Monday, April 12, and Tuesday, April 13.
Due to security precautions related to the Nuclear Summit, the Mt. Vernon Sq/7th St-Convention Center Metrorail station on the Yellow and Green lines will close at 9 p.m., Sunday, April 11, and will reopen at 5 a.m. on Wednesday, April 14. All Yellow and Green Line trains will be able to pass through the station, but passengers will not be allowed to access the station.
For more information and service updates related to the Nuclear Security Summit, visit Metro’s Web site at www.metroopensdoors.com or call (202) 637-7000.
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News release issued at 10:20 am, April 5, 2010.