Silver Line service to be reduced Friday, March 16, due to concrete structural repairs near Benning Road; Blue Line to be rerouted to New Carrollton

Metro is advising customers of a service change on Friday, March 16, that will reduce Silver Line service and reroute Blue Line trains to allow for concrete structural repairs between Benning Road and Capitol Heights.



The service change is necessary to address a crack in the concrete "floating slab" beneath the rails between Benning Road and Capitol Heights stations. Metro currently has a speed restriction in the area to allow trains to continue to operate safely until permanent repairs are made March 16-18. The existing structure dates back to the original construction of this segment of the Blue Line, which opened in 1980.



In order to make repairs, Metro will need to remove the rails and fasteners and carefully extract approximately 18 square feet of existing concrete before pouring new concrete into the substructure. Crews need 72 consecutive hours to complete the work and allow sufficient time for the new concrete to cure. Silver Line trains will operate every 24 minutes with single tracking through the work zone starting at 10 p.m. Thursday, all day Friday and throughout the weekend. Blue Line trains will be rerouted to New Carrollton.



Metro expects normal service as of 5 a.m. Monday, March 19.



"Unfortunately, this is a repair job that cannot wait and cannot be confined to a weekend," said Joe Leader, Metro's Chief Operating Officer. "To the customers at the 10 stations who will be impacted on Friday, March 16, we apologize and hope that they will consider using stations on other lines or alternate travel options that day."



On Friday, March 16; Saturday, March 17; and Sunday, March 18:



Silver Line trains will run every 24 minutes – including during Friday rush hours – between Wiehle-Reston East and Largo Town Center.

Blue Line trains will be rerouted to New Carrollton, rather than Largo, and will operate at normal service levels between Franconia-Springfield and New Carrollton.

Orange Line trains will operate at normal service levels between Vienna and New Carrollton.

The Red, Green and Yellow lines are not affected.



The following 10 stations will experience reduced service (trains every 24 minutes). Customers who normally use these stations are encouraged to use stations on other lines:



Wiehle-Reston East (use West Falls Church as alternate)

Spring Hill (use West Falls Church as alternate)

Greensboro (use West Falls Church as alternate)

Tysons Corner (use West Falls Church as alternate)

McLean (use West Falls Church as alternate)

Benning Road (use Minnesota Ave or Metrobus as alternate)

Capitol Heights (use Deanwood or Metrobus as alternate)

Addison Road (use Cheverly or Metrobus as alternate)

Morgan Boulevard (use New Carrollton or Branch Ave as alternate)

Largo Town Center (use New Carrollton or Branch Ave as alternate)



Rush Hour Promise will not be in effect for customers traveling to or from the 10 affected stations, but will remain in effect on all other lines and the 81 remaining stations.



Metro is notifying customers of this service change through MetroAlerts email and text messages, social media, in-station signage, public address announcements, flyers, and news media reports.



