Metro News Release
For immediate release: October 7, 2010
Metro to replace track switch to comply with NTSB recommendation, maintain a state of good repair
Columbus Day Weekend track work will close Farragut West, McPherson Square and no Blue or Orange Line service at Metro Center – no trains to pass through area
Metro will close the Farragut West and McPherson Square Metrorail stations and there will be no Blue or Orange Line service at the Metro Center Metrorail station during the three-day Columbus Day Holiday Weekend from 10 p.m., Friday, Oct. 8, to closing on Monday, Oct. 11, as the agency undertakes a major rehabilitation and rebuilding project to improve safety, comply with a recommendation made by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) and maintain service reliability and a state of good repair. Red Line service will continue through Metro Center. Normal service will resume on Tuesday, Oct. 12.
To help riders get through the work zone, Metro will operate free shuttle buses around the station closures. Customers should build an extra 40 minutes into their travel plans if they need to pass through the work zone. Waits for shuttle buses are expected to be long due to downtown traffic patterns. Customers are advised to avoid the area of track work, if possible.
During the Columbus Day Holiday Weekend, Metro will replace four track switches, which comprise the entire rail interlocking at the McPherson Square Metrorail station which was an NTSB recommendation to improve safety of the rail system. Metro will also install 215 new track fasteners; replace old track, install new tunnel safety lights, test emergency call-box phones, replace blue emergency call box lights and repair water leaks in the tunnels.
Metro scheduled this important safety improvement during the course of the holiday weekend because Monday, Oct. 11 is the Federal Columbus Day holiday when rail system usage is significantly lower than usual because government offices are closed. More than 40 percent of rush hour riders are federal employees.
Columbus Day Holiday Weekend Blue and Orange Line Metrorail Service
The Blue and Orange Lines will each be split in two sections throughout the three-day Columbus Day Holiday Weekend. Blue Line trains will operate between the Franconia-Springfield and Foggy Bottom Metrorail stations and between the Largo Town Center and Federal Triangle Metrorail stations. Orange Line trains also will operate in two sections, between the Vienna-Fairfax/GMU and Foggy Bottom Metrorail stations and between the New Carrollton and Federal Triangle Metrorail stations.
On Oct. 9, 10 and 11, from 7 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. every other Blue Line train departing the Franconia-Springfield Metrorail station will instead operate over the Yellow Line Bridge to the L’Enfant Plaza Metrorail station and terminate at the Mt. Vernon Sq/7th St-Convention Center Metrorail station to get people between Washington, DC and Virginia in a way that avoids the station closures. After 9:30 p.m. on Oct. 8, 9, 10 and 11, all Blue Line trains departing the Franconia-Springfield Metrorail station will terminate at the Foggy Bottom Metrorail station.
During the day on Oct. 9, 10 and 11, all Orange Line trains will operate approximately every 12 to 15 minutes. After 9:30 p.m., on Oct. 8, 9, 10 and 11, all Orange Line trains will operate approximately every 20 minutes. During the day on Oct. 9, 10 and 11, all Blue Line trains will operate approximately every 12 to 15 minutes between the Largo Town Center and Federal Triangle Metrorail stations and approximately every 24 to 30 minutes between the Franconia-Springfield and Foggy Bottom-GWU Metrorail stations and between the Franconia-Springfield and Mt. Vernon Sq/7th St-Convention Center Metrorail stations. After 9:30 p.m., on Oct. 8, 9, 10 and 11, all Blue Line trains will operate approximately every 20 minutes.
Last Blue Line Trains Departing Franconia-Springfield and Largo Town Center – Oct. 8
Prior to the weekend closure, on Friday, Oct. 8, the last Blue Line train in the direction of the Largo Town Center Metrorail station will depart Franconia-Springfield at 9:12 p.m., Rosslyn at 9:40 p.m., Foggy Bottom at 9:43 p.m., Farragut West at 9:45 p.m., McPherson Square at 9:46 p.m., Metro Center at 9:47 p.m., Federal Triangle at 9:49 p.m., and arrive at the Largo Town Center Metrorail station at 10:16 p.m. The last Blue Line train in the direction of the Franconia-Springfield Metrorail station will depart Largo Town Center at 9:22 p.m., Federal Triangle at 9:50 p.m., Metro Center at 9:51 p.m., McPherson Square at 9:52 p.m., Farragut West at 9:53 p.m., Foggy Bottom at 9:55 p.m., Rosslyn at 9:58 p.m., and arrive at the Franconia-Springfield Metrorail station at 10:26 p.m.
Last Orange Line Trains Departing Vienna-Fairfax/GMU and New Carrollton – Oct. 8
Prior to the weekend closure, on Friday, Oct. 8, the last Orange Line train in the direction of the New Carrollton Metrorail station will depart Vienna-Fairfax/GMU at 9:28 p.m., Rosslyn at 9:50 p.m., Foggy Bottom at 9:53 p.m., Farragut West at 9:55 p.m., McPherson Square at 9:56 p.m., Metro Center at 9:57 p.m., Federal Triangle at 9:59 p.m., and arrive at the New Carrollton Metrorail station at 10:25 p.m. The last Orange Line train in the direction of the Vienna-Fairfax/GMU Metrorail station will depart New Carrollton at 9:18 p.m., Federal Triangle at 9:45 p.m., Metro Center at 9:46 p.m., McPherson Square at 9:47 p.m., Farragut West at 9:48 p.m., Foggy Bottom at 9:50 p.m., Rosslyn at 9:53 p.m., and arrive at the Vienna-Fairfax/GMU Metrorail station at 10:15 p.m.
Last Blue Line Train Departures from Franconia-Springfield and Largo Town Center
In order for Foggy Bottom and Federal Triangle bound Blue Line trains to make their final connections for the last shuttle buses, the last Blue Line train will depart the Franconia-Springfield Metrorail station 30 minutes earlier than usual, leaving at approximately 1:59 a.m., on Saturday, Oct. 9 (late Friday night) and Sunday, Oct. 10 (late Saturday night), and 10:59 p.m., on Sunday, Oct. 10 and Monday, Oct. 11. The last Blue Line train will depart the Largo Town Center Metrorail station 30 minutes earlier, leaving at approximately 1:54 a.m. on Saturday, Oct. 9 (late Friday night) and Sunday, Oct. 10 (late Saturday night) and approximately 10:54 p.m. on Sunday, Oct. 10 and Monday, Oct. 11.
Last Orange Line Train Departures from Vienna/Fairfax-GMU and New Carrollton
In order for Foggy Bottom and Federal Triangle bound Orange Line trains to make their final connections for the last shuttle buses, the last Orange Line train will depart the Vienna/Fairfax-GMU Metrorail station 30 minutes earlier than usual, leaving at approximately 1:55 a.m., on Saturday, Oct. 9 (late Friday night) and Sunday, Oct. 10 (late Saturday night), and 10:55 p.m., on Sunday, Oct. 10 and Monday, Oct. 11. The last Orange Line train will depart the New Carrollton Metrorail station 30 minutes earlier, leaving at approximately 2:06 a.m. on Saturday, Oct. 9 (late Friday night) and Sunday, Oct. 10 (late Saturday night) and approximately 11:06 p.m. on Sunday, Oct. 10 and Monday, Oct. 11.
Columbus Day Holiday Weekend Shuttle Bus Service
From 10 p.m., Friday, Oct. 8, to closing (midnight) on Monday, Oct. 11, Metro will operate two free shuttle bus routes between the affected stations. Shuttle bus lines and waits for buses are expected to be long due to downtown traffic patterns. Customers should be aware that buses will serve riders along the streets as there are no bus bays at the affected stations. The weekend’s free shuttle buses will operate to meet each train, approximately every 12 to 15 minutes during the day and every 20 minutes after 9:30 p.m.
Shuttle Bus Route 1: Traveling Clockwise
• Foggy Bottom-GWU Metrorail station: Shuttle bus location will be at 23rd St. northbound, south of I St., N.W.
• Farragut West Metrorail station: Shuttle bus location will be at 18th and K St., N.W.
• Farragut North Metrorail station: Shuttle bus location will be at 17th and K St., N.W.
• McPherson Square Metrorail station: Shuttle bus location will be at 14th and K St., N.W.
• Gallery Pl-Chinatown Metrorail station: Shuttle bus location will be at 9th and G St., N.W.
• Metro Center Metrorail station: Shuttle bus location will be at 11th St., N.W. southbound between F and G St.
• Federal Triangle Metrorail station: Shuttle bus location will be at 12th St., N.W. northbound between Constitution and Pennsylvania Ave.
Shuttle Bus Route 2: Traveling Counterclockwise
• Federal Triangle Metrorail station: Shuttle bus location will be at 12th St., N.W. northbound between Constitution and Pennsylvania Ave.
• Metro Center Metrorail station: Shuttle bus location will be at 11th St., N.W., northbound between F and G St.
• McPherson Square Metrorail station: Shuttle bus location will be at I St., between 13th and 14th St., N.W. and 15th and I St., N.W.
• Farragut North Metrorail station: Shuttle bus location will be at I St., and Connecticut Ave., N.W.
• Farragut West Metrorail station: Shuttle bus location will be at 18th I St., N.W.
• Foggy Bottom-GWU Metrorail station: Shuttle bus location will be at 23rd and I St., N.W., southbound.
Additional Weekend Events
Throughout the Columbus Day Holiday Weekend, there will be several events taking place in the region that may impact Metrorail riders who plan to attend the events. On Saturday, Oct. 9, and Monday, Oct. 11, the Washington Capitals will play at the Verizon Center at 7 p.m. On Saturday, Oct. 9, the DC United will play at RFK Stadium at 7:30 p.m. On Sunday, Oct. 10, the Washington Redskins will play at FedEx Field at 1 p.m. On Sunday, Oct. 10, there is a concert at the Verizon Center at 8 p.m. Metro reminds customers riding or connecting to the Blue and Orange lines who will be attending these events to add at least 40 minutes into their travel time, and to avoid passing through the work zone if possible.
Customer Tips
Fans using the Orange and Blue Lines from Northern Virginia and attending events at the Verizon Center, FedEx Field or RFK Stadium should add 40 minutes to their travel schedules. They also are encouraged to do the following:
? People headed to the Verizon Center who use the western end of the Orange Line can avoid the weekend closure between the Farragut West and Metro Center Metrorail stations if they begin their trip from the Franconia-Springfield and catch a special Blue Line train operating over the Yellow Line to Gallery Pl-Chinatown Metrorail station or begin their trip from the Huntington Metrorail station to catch a Yellow Line train to the Gallery Pl-Chinatown Metrorail station.
? People who are traveling short distances in the area of the station closures may want to walk a few blocks to avoid waiting for a shuttle bus to take them to their final destination.
? Customers with disabilities who normally use the street elevator at the Metro Center Metrorail station at 12th and G St., N.W., to access the Red Line platform toward the Glenmont Metrorail station are advised that the mezzanine to platform elevator to the Blue and Orange Lines will be closed because of the weekend maintenance work. Customers at Metro Center who need to catch a Red Line train to Glenmont should catch a Shady Grove bound train and ride one stop to the Farragut North Metrorail station and transfer across the platform to catch a Glenmont bound train.
Customer Assistance
From 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., Saturday, Oct. 10, to Monday, Oct. 12, Metro administrative employees will be working between the Foggy Bottom and Federal Triangle Metrorail stations, and at the Franconia-Springfield, Van Dorn Street and L’Enfant Plaza Metrorail stations to assist customers locate the shuttle buses and to help customers catch their correct train.
To alert customers about this work, Metro has developed a free brochure, placed banners and signs in Metrorail stations, taken out paid newspaper advertisements and planned to make train and station system announcements.
The Trip Planner on Metro’s Web site will not reflect the impact of this 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, or visit www.metroopensdoors.com.
###
News release issued at 11:59 am, October 7, 2010.