Weekend Brings Metro Closures and Buses

Buses will replace trains, train schedules will be altered and four stations will be closed for construction on Metro’s Red Line this weekend. 

From 10 p.m. on Friday through closing on Sunday, free shuttle buses, instead of trains, will run between the Rockville and Bethesda stations.

Local shuttles will stop at Twinbrook, White Flint, Grosvenor and Medical Center. Express shuttles will offer direct trips between Rockville and Bethesda.

The Twinbrook, White Flint, Grosvenor and Medical Center stations will be closed.

The Red Line will operate as usual between Bethesda and Glenmont. Trains will operate every 20 minutes between Shady Grove and Rockville.

On Friday and Saturday nights, the last train will depart Shady Grove 45 minutes earlier than usual—at 1:58 a.m. Saturday and 10:58 p.m. Sunday.

Customers traveling on the Red Line through the work zone should allow 45 minutes of additional travel time.

The Trip Planner on Metro’s website will not reflect schedule changes due to construction. Call 202-637-7000 or TTY 202-638-3780.

Metro advises customers wishing to avoid construction delays to consider taking the J and Q Metrobus routes, Ride On or Metrorail from the opposite end of the Red Line (e.g. the Silver Spring station).

Crews will install new rails, repair tunnel leaks, replace rail ties and fasteners, install new communication cable to enhance cell phone coverage and perform preventive maintenance on 23 elevators and 10 escalators along the Red Line.

Improvements also include ongoing platform rehabilitation at the Twinbrook and White Flint stations and repairs to the aerial structure near the Grosvenor station.

Construction projects also will close stations on the Blue Line and will affect service on the Blue and Orange lines. Click here for details.

The construction is part of a six-year, $5 billion capital improvement program aimed at improving safety and upgrading facilities. The current fiscal year’s plan calls for:

• Replacing escalators, critical track circuitry and equipment.
• Track retrofits.
• Rehabilitating third-rail power systems, running rails and track pads.
• Modernizing 12 stations.
• Replacing 100 Metrobuses and rehabilitating 100 more.
• Renovating three bus garages.
• Installing 30 new track turnouts.