Metro News Release

For immediate release: September 4, 2010

Metro details shuttle bus service plans for this weekend's Red Line station closures

Free shuttles to run from Glenmont to Wheaton, Forest Glen, Silver Spring, Takoma, Fort Totten and Georgia Ave-Petworth stations

From now until 1 a.m., on Tuesday, Sept. 7, Metro is undertaking a complete track overhaul that has closed the Takoma, Silver Spring, Forest Glen, Wheaton and Glenmont Metrorail stations on the Red Line. Customers using this portion of the Red Line should add 40 minutes to their travel plans to transfer to free shuttle buses to get past the affected work area. This weekend, extra Metro employees are on hand to guide customers to their connecting shuttle buses, which will run in coordination with Red Line service. Regular service will resume when the Metrorail system opens at 5 a.m. on Tuesday, Sept. 7.

This weekend, Metro is operating three separate free shuttle bus routes that will service the Glenmont, Wheaton, Forest Glen, Silver Spring, Takoma, Fort Totten and Georgia Ave-Petworth Metrorail stations. During the first night of shuttle operations, Sept. 3, Metrobuses made 441 trips, transporting 2,875 passengers around the Red Line work area.

Customers have a selection of free shuttle buses to get around the affected Red Line stations, depending on where customers want to go. By offering three different shuttle routes, and regular weekend service on Metrobus and Ride-On, Metro is aiming to minimize inconvenience and maximize customer demand. Free shuttle bus service will get customers where they want to go. It will just take a little longer.

The designated free shuttle buses for this weekend’s closures are operating between these locations: 

- Green Shuttle: The Green shuttle will serve the Glenmont Metrorail station to and from the Georgia Ave-Petworth Metrorail station with stops at the Wheaton, Forest Glen and Silver Spring Metrorail stations. This shuttle bus will depart from the Glenmont Metrorail station (from bus bay E) and serve the Wheaton Metrorail station (northbound buses use bus bay E, southbound buses use bus bay A). At the Forest Glen Metrorail station, the Green shuttle will stop at the corner of Georgia Ave at Forest Glen Road. At the Silver Spring Metrorail station, the Green shuttle will serve riders along Dixon Ave. Northbound buses use Stop Q and southbound buses use Stop M. At the Georgia Ave-Petworth Metrorail station, the Green shuttle will serve riders on the west side of Georgia Ave., north of New Hampshire Ave. at Stop B or the east side of Georgia Ave., north of New Hampshire Ave. 

- Yellow Shuttle: The Yellow shuttle will Silver Spring Metrorail station to and from the Fort Totten Metrorail station with a stop at the Takoma Metrorail station. This shuttle will depart from the Silver Spring Metrorail station at Dixon Ave., Stop M, and serve the Takoma Metrorail station (northbound buses use bus bay F; southbound buses use bus bay E). The Yellow shuttle will serve the Fort Totten Metrorail station at bus bay D. 

- Red Shuttle: The Red shuttle will serve the Glenmont Metrorail station to and from the Fort Totten Metrorail station with service at the Wheaton, Forest Glen, Silver Spring and Takoma Metrorail stations. This Red shuttle will depart from the Glenmont Metrorail station (bus bay E) and serve the Wheaton Metrorail station (northbound buses use bus bay E and southbound buses use bus bay A. The Red shuttle will serve the Forest Glen Metrorail station (northbound buses use bus bay C and southbound buses use bus bay D or Georgia Ave. at Forest Glen Rd. At the Silver Spring Metrorail station, the Red shuttle stops will be at Dixon Ave., where northbound buses use Stop Q and southbound buses use Stop M. At the Takoma Metrorail station, the Red shuttle stops will have northbound buses use bus bay F and southbound buses use bus bay E. The Fort Totten Metrorail station Red shuttle will operate from bus bay C.

The weekend’s free shuttle buses will operate continuously in coordination with Red Line service.

Last Metrobus Shuttle Bus Departure Times

In order for Metrorail riders to make their final connections to Red Line trains at the Fort Totten Metrorail station and Yellow and Green Line trains at the Georgia Ave-Petworth Metrorail station, the last shuttle buses of the night will depart from the following locations and times:

Available Existing Bus Service Labor Day Weekend

Riders who prefer to avoid the track work can use one of the following Metrobus or Ride-On lines to connect to the western end of the Red Line during the holiday weekend:

This weekend, Metro officials are replacing two old track switches to improve rail system safety and conducting several additional projects between the Takoma and Glenmont Metrorail stations to improve service reliability and maintain a state of good repair. The track switch replacement is work that has been recommended by the National Transportation Safety Board.

This weekend, track workers are focusing on replacing old components to keep the rail system in a state of good repair. They are replacing two old track switches at the Silver Spring Metrorail station and installing 750 new track fasteners, 1,720 new crossties, 525 feet of new track, 500 new rail insulators, new tunnel safety lights and repairing up to 4,800 feet of water leaks in the tunnels. To help ensure fire-safe conditions, Metro is replacing 6,400 feet of emergency fire lines along the tracks. To support upgraded cell phone access in the Metrorail system, 2,400 feet of new fiber optic communications cables will be installed. The improved cell phone access is a Congressional mandate and serves as an added customer convenience as well as a safety enhancement. New heater tape will be installed along the outdoor tracks to help improve rail conditions during times of the year when ice and snow is expected. Heater tape helps ensure that there is less of a build-up of ice or snow on the tracks during inclement winter conditions and helps maintain rail service during such storms.

News release issued at 9:59 am, September 4, 2010.