Community Corner

What's Up with the Green Line: Metro Announces New Weekend Approach

Metro announces a new approach to weekend work and shares its plans for June 10 through June 12.

The Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA), declared "Metro will continue its aggressive efforts to rebuild the Metrorail system this weekend on the Red, Blue and Orange lines."

Fortunately, Metro has no work scheduled for us Green Liners over the weekend. Still, keep a lookout for work zones, if you're transferring to Red, Blue or Orange lines.

While you're on the lookout, keep your eyes on this interesting development. Metro announced Thursday, they're going to take a new approach to weekend work. Over the next year and a half, Metro reported, it will close individual stations or clusters of stations on about two, out of every three weekends. Then, instead of single tracking it -- Metro will replace trains with buses at the effected locations.

Find out what's happening in Greenbeltwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Metro explained this means, "Rather than attempting to single-track every train through a work zone—affecting service on the entire line—customers instead will be provided free shuttle bus service around the work area."

Clearly those starting off or stopping at a station in the work zone will be affected. But, I would think, it is also going to affect those going from point A to point C, outside the work zone, when point B is in he middle and part of the "cluster of stations" closed down for work -- because when they hit point B, mid-commute, they too will have to get off the trains and hop on a bus -- instead of, as in the past, staying on the trains, though single tracked.

Find out what's happening in Greenbeltwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

But those with shorter travel distances, whose commute is shy of point B, might catch a break.

Metro indicated they are finalizing the schedule and will make their upcoming construction list known soon, so stay tuned on that one. In the meantime, here's the work Metro has announced for this weekend, from 9:30 p.m. Friday through closing on Sunday, unless otherwise indicated:

Red Line 
Red Line trains will single track it between the Grosvenor-Strathmore and Twinbrook stations for platform rehabilitation work at White Flint and Twinbrook stations. 

From 10 p.m., Friday, through closing Sunday, Red Line trains will share one track between the Takoma and Forest Glen stations due to train control room upgrades.

Metro recommends Red Line customers allow about 20 minutes of extra travel time. 

Blue and Orange Line 
From 10 p.m., Friday, to closing on Sunday, Blue and Orange Line trains will share one track between Foggy Bottom-GWU and Arlington Cemetery/Clarendon stations while Metro replaces rail fasteners. 

Metro recommends Blue and Orange Line customers allow about 20 minutes of extra travel time.  

The Trip Planner on Metro’s website will not reflect the impact of this work on schedules. 


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