WASHINGTON -- If Wednesday morning's massive Metrorail delays due to cracked rails from cold temperatures weren't enough of an annoyance for riders, Metro's ongoing track rehabilitation program will be a constant reminder of what a long, sluggish winter it will be for the transit system.
Riders will be greeted with closures or reduced service for nearly every weekend into the spring.
And that's not all. In addition to regular weekday trackwork, starting next month, the south entrance of the Red Line's Dupont Circle station will close for at least eight months to replace the unreliable escalators.
Here's what you can expect in the coming weeks and months.
WEEKEND WORK, JAN. 6-8: Red Line trains will share the same track in two sections: Between Dupont Circle and Friendship Heights and Takoma and Forest Glen. Trains will depart the Shady Grove and Glenmont terminals every 30 minutes starting Friday at 10 p.m. The track work will wrap up by the opening of the system on Monday. On Saturday and Sunday between 9 a.m. and 9 p.m., additional trains will run between the Fort Totten and Farragut North stations, serving the Red Line's downtown core.
Blue and Orange line trains will share the same track between the Smithsonian and Eastern Market stations. Blue and Orange Line trains will leave their respective terminals every 26 minutes, which will result in train service every 13 minutes at stations served by both lines.
Green and Yellow Line trains will have service every 15 minutes because of track work between the Georgia Avenue-Petworth and Fort Totten stations.
More information here.
WEEKNIGHT TRACK WORK, THURSDAY, JAN. 5: Starting at 8 p.m., Red Line trains will share the same track between the Friendship Heights and Medical Center stations. At 10 p.m., trains will also share the same track between the Forest Glen and Takoma stations. Between 8 p.m. and 9:30 p.m., trains will operate every 15 minutes. After that, trains will operate every 24 minutes.
Blue and Orange Line trains will also share the same track between the Smithsonian and Eastern Market stations after 10 p.m.
More information here.
- Jan. 14-16, Orange and Blue Lines: Buses replace trains between L'Enfant Plaza and Eastern Market. Federal Center SW and Capitol South will be closed.
- Jan. 21-22, Red Line: Buses replace trains between Bethesda and Grosvenor-Strathmore. Medical Center will be closed.
- Jan. 28-29, Red Line: Buses replace trains between Dupont Circle and Van Ness-UDC. Cleveland Park and Woodley Park will be closed.
- Feb. 4-5, Orange and Blue Lines: Buses replace trains between Rosslyn and Foggy Bottom-GWU.
- Feb. 11-12, Orange Line: Buses replace trains between East Falls Church and West Falls Church.
- Feb. 18-20, Orange Line Buses replace trains between Rosslyn and Virginia Square. Clarendon and Court House will be closed.
- Feb. 18-20, Red Line: Buses replace trains between Medical Center and White Flint. Grosvenor-Strathmore will be closed.
- March 3-4, Red Line: Buses replace trains between White Flint and Rockville. Twinbrook will be closed.
- March 10-11, Red Line: Buses replace trains between Dupont Circle and Van Ness-UDC. Cleveland Park and Woodley Park will be closed.
For a complete long-term schedule of weekend track closures, click here.