Metro News Release

For immediate release: January 23, 2013

Metro to begin full replacement of three escalators at Pentagon Station entrance

Metro will begin its third major escalator replacement project on Monday, Feb. 4, at Pentagon Station. Three of the station's six entrance escalators will be replaced with new, more reliable units, as part of Metro's multi-year Metro Forward capital rebuilding program.

Pentagon Station has two banks of entrance escalators, both leading to the station's faregates. The escalators to be replaced are known as the "southside escalators," located on the left side as customers exit the station.

The existing southside escalators, each rising 42 feet to street level, were installed 18 years ago, and their reliability has decreased dramatically over time. They are the last escalators on the Metro system made by British company APV Baker, which stopped producing escalators and parts several years ago. Without a supply of necessary components to make repairs, maintenance has been challenging, and Metro engineers determined that rehabilitating the aging units is neither practical nor cost effective in the long term.

During the project, the three escalators will be demolished and removed from the site; the area beneath the units will be modified; and new, standard size, transit-grade escalators will be installed. (Transit-grade escalators are those that meet new standards set by the American Public Transit Association.)

Customers will be able to enter and exit the station using the northside entrance, which also has three escalators. Elevator service is also available.

The closure is necessary to ensure customer safety while heavy lifting of escalator segments takes place in a tight workspace. This approach also will allow the work to proceed on a faster timeline than would otherwise be possible. Completion of the project is expected this fall.

Last week, Metro announced a separate contract to replace up to 128 additional escalators across the system. The nine new entrance escalators at Foggy Bottom, Dupont Circle and Pentagon stations are in addition to the 128 units in the recent contract award.

News release issued at 11:43 am, January 23, 2013.