Metro prepares for busy tourist season, announces capital project schedule for second half of 2018

Metro is preparing for the upcoming tourist season, with a spring break from daytime track work over the four weekends of the 2018 Cherry Blossom Festival, the transit agency announced today. Metro will also suspend track work during the Rock 'n' Roll Marathon in March and Major League Baseball's All-Star Week in July. In addition, Metro is rescheduling a capital project that had been planned outside Huntington Station in May, and today announced its schedule for four capital improvements in the latter half of the year.

"We're gearing up for the busy tourism season and, for many visitors, Metro is the best way to get to all the attractions," said Metro General Manager Paul J. Wiedefeld. "We have made significant improvements in getting Metro back to good and want visitors to know that Metro is a convenient, affordable option to get around."

Here is a summary of Metro track work suspensions in support of major community events through July:

Metro will suspend daytime track work on Saturday, March 10, for the benefit of participants and spectators attending the Rock 'n' Roll Marathon. Trains will run normally on all lines throughout the morning and afternoon hours.

Visitors attending the National Cherry Blossom Festival will enjoy four consecutive weekends free of daytime track work from Saturday, March 24, through Sunday, April 15, when weekend ridership can nearly double. Normal weekend service will run on all lines throughout the day and evening hours. Metro may schedule some track work after 10 p.m. when ridership is extremely light.

On July 4, all evening track work will be suspended to accommodate visitors attending the fireworks display on the National Mall and other events throughout the region.

Also in July, Washington, DC, will host Major League Baseball's All-Star Game. During All-Star Week, July 13-17, Metro will suspend all scheduled maintenance to accommodate fans attending the festivities.

There are no capital projects that will impact riders during the spring and most of the summer. Work originally scheduled for May 12-27 that would have closed the Huntington and Eisenhower stations is being rescheduled to 2019 to better coordinate with other capital work in the area.

Today, Metro also announced four capital improvement projects in the second half of the year that will impact service for some customers. The projects, which are necessary to ensure continued safe and reliable operations, are being scheduled during times of the year when ridership is lighter to minimize customer inconvenience. Due to the "heavy construction" nature of capital work, these projects will, in many cases, impact service levels at all times of the day.

CAPITAL PROJECTS - July through December 2018 Red Line Saturday, July 21 - Labor Day, Monday, September 3 Immediately following All-Star Week, Metro will return to Rhode Island Avenue Station to complete necessary structural repair work that begun during SafeTrack. Rhode Island Avenue Station was closed on an emergency basis in 2016 when concrete fell from the aerial structure. Metro engineers stabilized the structure and advanced as much remediation work as possible during a SafeTrack surge in 2016. This 45-day project will allow crews to complete structural repairs at Metro's oldest outdoor station, including addressing deteriorating platform conditions that affect the ADA-accessibility of the station. Rhode Island Ave and Brookland stations closed.

No Red Line service between Fort Totten and NoMa-Gallaudet stations; use Green Line as alternate.

Shuttle buses provide service between Fort Totten, Brookland, Rhode Island Ave, and NoMa-Gallaudet stations. Red Line trains will operate in two segments: between Shady Grove & NoMa-Gallaudet and between Fort Totten & Glenmont.

Rush Hour Promise will remain in effect for most rail customers; however, certain Red Line trips will be excluded due to service adjustments. Additional details and service information will be announced in Spring 2018. Blue Line Orange Line Silver Line Saturday, August 11 - Sunday, August 26 For 16 consecutive days (including 10 commuting days) when ridership is lightest in August, Metro will address the tightest curve in the entire Metrorail system between McPherson Square and Smithsonian Stations. Working around the clock, crews will rebuild the track infrastructure, including installation of new rail, new fasteners, and repairs to the concrete pads that support the rails. Crews will work on each track for approximately one week at a time so that single-track service can be maintained. 24/7 work zone with single tracking between McPherson Square and Smithsonian.

Significantly reduced service on Orange, Blue and Silver lines. Service patterns will be altered (details to be announced).

Rush Hour Promise will not be in effect for trips on the Blue, Orange or Silver lines during this time, but will remain in effect for customers on other lines. Additional details and service information will be announced in Summer 2018.

Blue Line Yellow Line Friday, November 2 - Monday, November 5

Over a four-day period in early November, including two commuting days, Metro will improve/upgrade several switches outside Reagan National Airport, as well as install new concrete pads beneath the rails along the aerial structure at the airport station.

Reagan National Airport and Crystal City stations closed.

Free shuttle buses replace trains between Braddock Rd and Pentagon City.

Rush Hour Promise will not be in effect for trips on the Yellow and Blue lines on Friday, November 2, or Monday, November 5, but will remain in effect for customers on other lines. Additional details and service information will be announced in Summer 2018.

Yellow Line Monday, November 26 - Sunday, December 9

Immediately following the Thanksgiving holiday weekend, Metro will begin a continuous 14-day capital project on the Yellow Line bridge over the Potomac River. The project will include structural repairs, and rail infrastructure improvements, such as grout pad reconstruction and fastener replacement along the entire bridge.