Metro News Release

For immediate release: March 22, 2013

Metro breaks for blossoms


Next 4 weekends free from track work

Following an intense period of rebuilding and modernization work virtually every weekend, Metro is taking a four-weekend break from scheduled track work to allow customers to enjoy cherry blossom season.

"While the work we do almost every weekend is necessary to get the system back to a steady state of safety and reliability, we are in a position where we can take a short break to let everyone enjoy the season," said Metro General Manager and CEO Richard Sarles. "The spring break will give people an opportunity to experience the type of system we are working toward."

This year's break will take place over four consecutive weekends, today through Sunday, April 14. During this time, the only planned weekend work will take place after 10 p.m. on Sunday evenings, when ridership is light. 

Metro is in the midst of the largest capital program since the original construction of the system, as crews work to eliminate a multi-year backlog of infrastructure needs.  Rebuilding work is scheduled almost every night and every weekend.

Weekend rebuilding is more than 70 percent more productive than overnight work because, after setting up the work zone, personnel have 48 hours of uninterrupted rebuilding time.  In contrast, overnight work windows only allow between three and five hours of productive time on the tracks. In addition, weekend outages are the only way to safely accommodate heavy construction activity, such as the platform rebuilding projects currently underway at Takoma, Fort Totten and Deanwood.  

This fiscal year alone, Metro plans to tamp 32 miles of track, weld 1,000 rail joints for a smoother ride, replace 12,000 wooden cross-ties and more than 20,000 rail fasteners, and repair more than 2,000 tunnel leaks to mitigate water infiltration.

Cherry Blossom Travel Tips

  • Metro customers should expect more crowded trains and stations during Cherry Blossom season.
  • To avoid crowds, visitors are encouraged to travel during non-rush hour times and if possible, avoid traveling at the height of the afternoon peak period, from 4 to 6 p.m.
  • Customers who regularly use Smithsonian Station, which is the most frequently used station for tourists arriving at the National Mall, are urged to stagger their arrival and departure times for work or use L’Enfant Plaza, Archives, Federal Triangle or Union Station as alternate stations during Cherry Blossom season.
  • Visitors can purchase a $14 Metrorail One-Day Pass for multiple trips. The One-Day Pass can be used for unlimited travel on the day it is first used.
  • If using a SmarTrip card, be sure to load enough value for your entire roundtrip to avoid long lines.  If using a paper farecard, remember to add $1 for each trip ($2 for roundtrip) to the applicable fare.
  • For your safety, always stand back from the platform edge.
  • When boarding the train, please move into the car and away from the doors to allow other customers to board.
  • When riding on escalators, please stand on the right. 

News release issued at 9:56 am, March 22, 2013.