WASHINGTON — WMATA (Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority) has announced Monday that two significant projects are slated to start in Maryland on the Metro's Red Line rail track.
These two projects are to improve rider safety and will impact riders on the Red Line, with improvements to the tunnel ventilation system, according to WMATA.
This project will begin in September and will necessitate the closure of the Shady Grove and Rockville Metro stations through December.
The work, beginning Saturday, July 17, through Sunday, August 29, requires around-the-clock single tracking between Dupont Circle and Van Ness stations, said WMATA in its statement.
On Saturday, July 17, and continuing through Sunday, Aug. 29, WMATA and its contractor will begin a project that will allow the installation of new, more powerful fans in the tunnels adjacent to the Woodley Park and Cleveland Park stations as part of a pilot project to improve station and tunnel safety in the event of a smoke or fire emergency.
The ventilation project is necessary to improve station and tunnel safety in the event of a smoke or fire emergency.
The around-the-clock work schedule will help WMATA reduce the duration of the project and minimize the impact on customers that use the Metro.
Trains will single track between Dupont Circle and Van Ness stations with service every 18 minutes along the entire Red Line. Weekdays until 7 p.m., trains will operate more frequently – every 9 minutes – between Glenmont and Farragut North, according to WMATA.
In addition to single tracking, two weekend shutdowns at Woodley Park and Cleveland Park will be necessary on August 7-8 and August 28-29.
The pilot project addresses a directive by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) to upgrade tunnel ventilation following a 2015 smoke incident at L’Enfant Plaza. The ventilation shafts and fans are original to construction of the Red Line and prior to the establishment of the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) safety standards for transit systems.
Service Information:
July 17 – August 29
- Continuous single tracking between Dupont Circle and Van Ness stations.
- Trains will operate every 18 minutes between Shady Grove and Glenmont.
- Additional trains will operate between Glenmont and Farragut North from opening until 7 p.m. on weekdays only to provide more frequent service.
- Customers may also wish to use Metrobus Route L2 which runs along Connecticut Ave between Chevy Chase Circle and Farragut Square as an alternative.
Weekends of August 7-8 and August 28-29
- Red Line trains will operate in two segments: Shady Grove to Van Ness; and Dupont Circle to Glenmont.
- Free shuttle buses replace trains between Dupont Circle and Van Ness stations.
- Cleveland Park and Woodley Park stations closed.
Additional weekend shutdowns and single tracking may be necessary in 2022 to allow for fan installation and safety testing.
