WASHINGTON — The north entrance of the L'Enfant Plaza metro station will be closed for seven months as crews work to replace three escalators.
According to a press release from the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA), the northern entrance to the metro station located at Maryland Avenue and Seventh Street will be closed starting May 9.
Crews will be replacing three escalators at the metro station as part of a seven-year, $179 million escalator replacement project, which aims to install 130 new escalators by 2028.
People will still be able to access the L'Enfant Plaza metro station through the following entrances:
- D Street between 6th Street and 7th Street SW
- L'Enfant Plaza Mall Concourse, 9th Street and D Street SW
- DOT Courtyard, 7th Street and C Street SW (Elevator)
WMATA says Metro's escalators are custom built to fit each entrance and cannot be purchased off the shelf.
The three escalators that will be replaced are reportedly more than 39 years old and last went under rehabilitation in 2001.
Once the first three escalators are replaced, crews will work to replace the remaining six escalators at L'Enfant Plaza. Construction is slated to take place from Sept. 2023 through Oct. 2025.
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