WASHINGTON — Commuters who use the Green Line may face challenges as four metro stations are closed until September 5 for planned construction.
According to the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA), the Greenbelt, College Park-U of Md, Hyattsville Crossing, and West Hyattsville stations on the Green Line are closed starting Saturday for months while crews work to improve rail network technologies. Free shuttle service will be available during the station closures.
Green Line service will also be unavailable at the Fort Totten station on July 22 and 23 as the work begins. Red Line service is still available at Fort Totten.
Commuters say they factor in additional time, depending on traffic, when they take the shuttle service.
"It's probably about 20 minutes, 30, but if you’re used to Metro you just have to plan ahead and reroute find the best route," said passenger Debbie Smith.
"It’s a little bit inconvenient, but as long as I get where I'm going, I'm alright with it," said commuter Orlando Houston.
During the closure, crews will be installing fiber-optic cables to improve radio and signal capabilities for the Metro system.
"The cables are in the middle of the two tracks and can only be replaced with both tracks out of service," a release from WMATA says. "This work could not be done during a prior construction closure in this area because the tracks were needed to bring equipment in and out of the work zone."
Officials say many systems depend on fiber-optic cables, including security cameras.
Work crews also plan to use the shutdown for rail renewal and maintenance, track bed cleaning, vegetation removal, and traction power with cable replacements.
For more information about Metro’s 2023 Major Construction, free shuttle bus information and other travel alternatives, at wmata.com/2023majorconstruction.
Shots were fired aboard a Green Line Metro train Saturday nearby the Waterfront Metro station in Southwest D.C., according to the Metro Transit Police Department.