WASHINGTON -- While Metrorail's regular weekend trackwork can often cause minor headaches -- or major headaches -- expect an intense migraine if you planned to take the Yellow or Green lines through the L'Enfant Plaza station or travel elsewhere in the system. Due to a switch replacement adjacent to L'Enfant and the closure of the Yellow Line's bridge over the Potomac River, Metrorail riders will be forced to use alternate routes or shuttle buses to get around.
Additionally, all Red Line stations between the Fort Totten station and the Glenmont terminal are closed.
Red Line
Free shuttle buses will replace Red Line trains between Fort Totten and Glenmont to allow for track renewal, signal improvements, platform reconstruction and fiber optic cable installation.
Five stations -- Takoma, Silver Spring, Forest Glen, Wheaton and Glenmont -- will be closed.
Red Line trains will operate between Fort Totten and Shady Grove every 10 minutes between 9 a.m. and 9 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday, and every 15 minutes at other times.
Customers traveling through the work zone via shuttle bus should allow 50-60 minutes of additional travel time.
Green Line
Free shuttle buses will replace Green Line trains between Archives and Waterfront to allow for switch replacement near L'Enfant Plaza, as well as tie replacement and fiber optic cable installation.
There will be no Green Line service at L'Enfant Plaza.
Green Line trains will operate in two segments:
Between Greenbelt and Archives every 10 minutes between 9 a.m. and 9 p.m., and at regular weekend intervals at other times.
Between Waterfront and Branch Avenue at regular weekend intervals.
Shuttle bus service will operate between Archives, L'Enfant Plaza and Waterfront stations throughout the weekend. Customers using shuttle bus service should add 20 minutes to their travel time.
The last Green Line train from Greenbelt to Archives will operate 20 minutes earlier than normal on Friday, Saturday and Sunday nights.
Yellow Line
There will be no Yellow Line service this weekend between Fort Totten and Archives due to bridge work on the Yellow Line bridge over the Potomac River--including the structure's annual inspection--as well as switch replacement outside L'Enfant Plaza.
Instead, Yellow Line trains will operate via the Blue Line (through the Rosslyn tunnel) between Huntington and Eastern Market stations. Trains will operate every 24 minutes; Blue Line trains will provide additional service.
Customers traveling to or from Yellow Line stations from Fort Totten to Archives should use Green Line trains to complete their trip. If traveling to or from Yellow Line stations in Virginia, consider transferring between Gallery Place and Metro Center using a Red Line train. At Metro Center, Yellow Line trains will arrive on the lower level.
(Example: A customer traveling between Georgia Ave-Petworth and Pentagon City would take a Green Line to Gallery Place, transfer to a Red Line train to Metro Center, and then transfer to a Yellow or Blue line train to Pentagon City.)
There will be no shuttle bus service between L'Enfant Plaza and Pentagon stations. Customers should use Yellow or Blue line trains, via Rosslyn, for travel between these stations. Plan about 15-20 minutes of additional travel time.
At L'Enfant Plaza, Yellow Line trains will arrive on the lower level.
The last Yellow Line train from Huntington to Eastern Market will operate 10 minutes earlier than normal on Friday, Saturday and Sunday nights.
Orange Line
Orange Line trains will single track between Stadium-Armory and Cheverly to allow for platform reconstruction, and between East Falls Church and West Falls Church for work associated with the Silver Line extension project.
Throughout the weekend, trains will operate every 24 minutes between Vienna and New Carrollton.
Customers using Orange Line trains should allow 15 minutes of additional travel time.
Blue Line
Blue Line trains will single track between Stadium-Armory and Addison Road to allow for repairs to the floating concrete slabs beneath the rails.
Throughout the weekend, trains will opeate every 24 minutes between Franconia-Springfield and Largo Town Center.
Customers using Blue Line trains should allow 15 minutes of additional travel time.
Note: This weekend, Yellow Line trains will operate via the Blue Line between King Street and Eastern Market stations, providing additional service frequency between these stations.
Metro is advancing Metro Forward, a six-year, $5 billion Capital Improvement Program (CIP) that is focused on safety and bringing the Metro system into a state of good repair. In FY2012, Metro Forward includes projects to replace escalators; retrofit track; replace critical track circuitry and equipment along the right of way; rehabilitate third-rail power systems, running rail and track pads; modernize 12 stations; replace 100 Metro buses and the rehabilitate 100 more; renovate three bus garages; and install 30 new track turnouts.
Happy travels!
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