Metro News Release

For immediate release: January 18, 2011

Metro successfully completes Martin Luther King, Jr. Holiday Weekend track work

All Metrorail stations reopened on-time Tuesday morning

The schedule track overhaul on the Blue and Orange Line that interrupted service between the Rosslyn and Farragut West Metrorail stations and closed the Foggy Bottom-GWU Metrorail station during the Martin Luther King, Jr. Holiday Weekend was completed successfully and all stations reopened on time -- at 5 a.m. today, Tuesday, Jan. 18.

This past weekend, Metro replaced four track switches, which comprised the entire rail interlocking at the Foggy Bottom-GWU Metrorail station, which was a National Transportation Safety Board recommendation to improve rail system safety. Metro also improved cell phone coverage on the Orange Line, single-tracked trains on the Orange Line to continue work for the rail extension to Dulles and made safety improvements on the Red Line.

The free shuttle buses were busy throughout the holiday weekend. Approximately 70,050 customers used the shuttle buses to help complete their trips during the entire holiday weekend of work.

As a reminder, during the Presidents Day Holiday Weekend of Feb. 18 to 21, there will be no Blue and Orange Line service between the Metro Center and L’Enfant Plaza Metrorail stations as Metro replaces four track switches, to comply with a National Transportation Safety Board recommendation. The track switch replacement comprises the entire rail interlocking between the Federal Triangle and Smithsonian Metrorail stations. The Federal Triangle and Smithsonian Metrorail stations will be closed during the Presidents Day Holiday Weekend. Additional details on the President’s Day weekend project will be available next week.

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News release issued at 10:07 am, January 18, 2011.