WMATA: Extended Metro Line closures expected this summer

Makea Luzader
·2 min read
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WASHINGTON (DC News Now) — The Washington Metropolitan Transit Authority (WMATA) is planning on presenting upcoming potential Metro closures to board members on Thursday.

The presentation will include Rail Service Adjustment (RSA) outages scheduled for summer and winter 2024, summer and winter 2025 and summer 2026, according to an Information Summary by WMATA.

These closures are part of WMATA’s Capital Improvement Program and Infrastructure Department, which improves the rail system’s safety and reliability and keeps the region’s rail infrastructure in good condition.

The current planned major outages for summer 2024 to summer 2026 are as follows:

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Summer 2024:

From June 2024 to September 2024, there will be an extended outage on the Red Line from Fort Totten to Glenmont. During that time, WMATA plans on building a Purple Line mezzanine at Silver Spring, fixing the track at Takoma interlocking, upgrading the signaling system and installing SCADA and train control cable.

There will be bus shuttles from Fort Totten to Glenmont – WMATA noted that a detailed service plan is still under development.

The Maryland Transit Administration will pay for all support costs.

Winter 2024:

Parts of the Blue, Orange and Silver Lines will be closed from Foggy Bottom-GWU to L’Enfant Plaza for Metro State of Good Repair, which is intended to maintain infrastructure. Planned work includes grout pad and track renewal as well as installing SCADA and train control cable.

This will not be a complete closure and WMATA noted that it will “analyze segments of closure and/or single track to optimize service.”

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In the meeting on Thursday, the Infrastructure Department also plans on presenting planned closures for 2025 and 2026.

A two-phase plan is anticipated for summer 2025. The first phase will have extended outages in Virginia from King Street to Franconia-Springfield; the second phase will have extended outages in D.C. and Maryland from Congress Heights to Branch Avenue Yard.

It is anticipated that both phases will be finished before Labor Day.

In winter 2025, L’Enfant Plaza to Fort Totten will be under construction to replace grout pads and fasteners, among other adjustments to maintain a state of good repair. WMATA plans on analyzing work in smaller segments for closures or single-track events to optimize service.

In the summer of 2026, Purple Line construction will cause extended outages from Friendship Heights to Grosvenor-Strathmore.

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