WASHINGTON — Heads up, commuters! Some significant road closures and a major Red Line shutdown are planned for this Martin Luther King Jr. Day weekend.
Closures across the city include Saturday road closures downtown for the 2020 Women’s March and Monday closures for events such as the Martin Lither King Jr. Peace Walk and Parade in Anacostia.
Major Metro shutdown
On the Red Line, there are no trains Saturday through Monday between Takoma and Glenmont stations.
Silver Spring, Forest Glen, Wheaton and Glenmont stations are closed. But good news: shuttle buses will be running to get you to your destination.
Metro is closing these stations due to Maryland's Purple Line construction work taking place in Silver Spring.
Red Line trains are scheduled every 18 minutes from Shady Grove all weekend, with trains every nine minutes from Medical Center through downtown to Takoma.
Due to the installation of cable/communication equipment to support cellular service in tunnels and new radio systems, trains will single track between Medical Center and Grosvenor-Strathmore.
Metro's other lines are scheduled to have regular weekend service Saturday and Sunday with no track work to help handle any crowds.
2020 Women's March closures
The Women’s March is scheduled to close roads from Farragut Square and McPherson Square to the area near the Washington Monument, including 17th Street, Northwest, 15th Street, Northwest, and Constitution Avenue, Northwest near the Ellipse from as early as 6:30 a.m. Saturday to 4 p.m. Saturday.
The following streets will be posted as 'Emergency No Parking' for the event from 6:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.:
- 17th Street between H Street, Northwest and Independence Avenue, Northwest
- Constitution Avenue between 18th Street and 15th Street, Northwest
- 15th Street between H Street, NW and Constitution Avenue, Northwest
- H Street between 17th and 15th Street, Northwest
- E Street from 14th Street, Northwest to 13th Street, Northwest
- Pennsylvania Avenue, Northwest from 15th Street, Northwest to 12th Street, Northwest
- 13th Street, Northwest from E Street, Northwest to Pennsylvania Avenue, Northwest
The following streets will be closed to vehicle traffic from approximately 9:30 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.:
- 17th Street between I Street and Independence Avenue, Southwest
- C Street between 17th and 18th Streets, Northwest
- D Street between 17th and 18th Streets, Northwest
- E Street between 17th and 18th Streets, Northwest
- F Street between 17th and 18th Streets, Northwest
- G Street between 17th and 18th Streets, Northwest
- H Street between 18th and 14th Streets, Northwest
- New York Avenue between 17th and 18th Streets, Northwest
- Constitution Avenue, Northwest between 18th Street and 14th Street, Northwest
- 15th Street between K Street, Northwest and Madison Drive, Northwest
- Pennsylvania Avenue between 14th and 15th Streets, NW and 18th to 17th Streets, Northwest
- Pennsylvania Avenue between 18th to 17th Streets, Northwest
- E Street between 14th Street and 15th Street, Northwest
- F Street between 14th Street and 15th Street, Northwest
- G Street between 14th Street and 15th Street, Northwest
- New York Avenue between 14th Street and 15th Street, Northwest
- Vermont Avenue from I Street to H Street, Northwest
- 16th Street from I Street, Northwest to H Street, Northwest (except hotel traffic)
- Connecticut Avenue from I Street, Northwest to H Street, Northwest
Officials urge that the public should expect parking restrictions along the street and would be guided by the posted emergency no parking signage. All vehicles that are parked in violation of the emergency no parking signs will be ticketed and towed, according to MPD.
Holiday schedule changes
On Monday, Metro is scheduled to run regular weekday hours of 5 a.m. to 11:30 p.m. but with weekend-level service including off-peak fares and free parking at Metro's parking garages.
Metrobuses run a Saturday supplemental schedule, and MetroAccess paratransit subscription trips are canceled.
VRE does not run on the holiday. MARC Train runs a reduced “R” schedule on all three lines.
MLK Day Weekend closures
The Martin Luther King Jr. Peace Walk and Parade in will lead to closures along Martin Luther King Jr. Avenue, Southeast from Good Hope Road in Anacostia to Malcolm X Avenue, Southeast in Congress Heights from about 10:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.