Metro News Release

For immediate release: June 12, 2012

Metro weekend track work June 15-17, 2012

Buses replace trains between Franconia-Springfield and Van Dorn Street stations; single tracking on portions of Blue, Orange, Red and Yellow Lines as rebuilding continues

The massive effort to rebuild Metrorail will continue over the weekend of June 15-17, affecting schedules on the Blue, Orange, Yellow and Red lines. The work will begin at 10 p.m. Friday and continue through system closing on Sunday. 

Blue Line                                                            

Buses will replace Blue Line trains at Franconia-Springfield and Van Dorn Street stations to allow for VDOT bridge work and track upgrades. Free shuttle bus service will operate between Franconia-Springfield, Van Dorn Street and Eisenhower Avenue stations. Blue Line trains will operate between Huntington and Largo Town Center every 20 minutes throughout the weekend. (Stations with combined Blue/Yellow line service will see a train arrive every 10 minutes.) In addition, trains will single track between Eastern Market and Stadium-Armory to allow platform rehabilitation, tile work and station dome repairs. Customers should allow 10 minutes of additional travel time, except those customers using shuttle bus service, who should allow 30 minutes of additional travel time.  Customers who normally park at Franconia-Springfield or Van Dorn Street should consider using Huntington Station instead.  View Advisory

Orange Line

Orange Line trains will single track between Eastern Market and Stadium-Armory to allow platform rehabilitation, tile work and station dome repairs. Trains will operate every 20 minutes throughout the weekend. Customers should allow 10 minutes of additional travel time. Blue Line trains will operate 2 minutes before or after each Orange Line train.  View Advisory

Red Line

Trains will single track through two work areas: between Takoma and Forest Glen to allow for platform reconstruction and fiber optic cable installation and between Friendship Heights and Medical Center to allow for third-rail insulator renewal and rail joint elimination for a safer and smoother ride.  Red Line trains between Shady Grove and Glenmont will operate every 24 minutes throughout the weekend.  Customers should allow 15 minutes of additional travel time.  Between 9 a.m. and 9 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday, additional trains will operate between Friendship Heights and New York Avenue stations, providing service about every 12 minutes through the downtown core. View Advisory

Yellow Line

Because Blue Line trains will operate to and from Huntington, rather than Franconia-Springfield, Yellow Line trains will operate every 20 minutes between Huntington and Mt. Vernon Square throughout the weekend.  Customers traveling to/from stations north of Mt. Vernon Square should use Green Line trains to complete their trip.  Customers traveling on the Yellow Line should allow 10 minutes of additional travel time. View Advisory

Metro is advancing Metro Forward, a six-year, $5 billion Capital Improvement Program (CIP) that is focused on safety and bringing the Metro system into a state of good repair. In FY2012, Metro Forward includes projects to replace escalators; retrofit track; replace critical track circuitry and equipment along the right of way; rehabilitate third-rail power systems, running rail and track pads; modernize 12 stations; replace 100 Metrobuses and the rehabilitate 100 more; renovate three bus garages; and install 30 new track turnouts.

The Trip Planner on Metro’s website will not reflect the impact of this work on schedules. Customers are encouraged to sign up for MetroAlerts (wmata.com/metroalerts) to receive service information via email or text message.

For more information on traveling by Metrobus or Metrorail, customers may call 202-637-7000 or TTY 202-638-3780, or visit wmata.com.

News release issued at 10:38 am, June 12, 2012.