Transit
Metro work to close Orange, Blue lines this weekend
This weekend, several major rehabilitation projects on the eastern side of the Metro system will close segments of the Blue and Orange Lines.
Starting at 10p on this Friday, November 5, all Orange Line service east of Stadium-Armory will be suspended and Blue Line trains will not run between Stadium-Armory and Benning Road.
Metro service for this weekend. Graphic by author.
The closure will remain in effect for the entire weekend, and normal train service will resume for the Monday morning commute on November 8.
During this time, Orange Line trains will run from Vienna to Stadium-Armory only. Blue Line trains will run in two segments, from Franconia-Springfield to Stadium-Armory and from Benning Road to Largo Town Center.
Due to additional trackwork between Pentagon City and Braddock Road on the Blue and Yellow Lines in Virginia, Yellow Line trains will not go north of Mount Vernon Square from 7a to 6p on Saturday and Sunday. After 6p on Saturday and Sunday, Yellow Line trains will travel between Huntington and Fort Totten, as usual.
Shuttle bus service:
Three free shuttle bus routes will operate to get riders around the closure. These routes are shown with dashed lines on the above map.
For Blue Line riders, one shuttle route will connect the two segments of the Blue Line, operating between Stadium-Armory and Benning Road.
For Orange Line riders, a local shuttle route will operate between Stadium-Armory and New Carrollton, stopping at all of the closed Orange Line stations. There will also be an express route operating solely between Stadium-Armory and New Carrollton with no intermediate stops.
The work:
Metro will be undertaking several track projects along the closed sections of the systems.
Near Cheverly, WMATA will be working to stabilize the elevated structure, which shifted due to work on adjacent property. Metro will also install new track circuits near Stadium-Armory, which is work recommended by the NTSB.
Additionally, two new switches will be installed at New Carrollton. And platform repairs at Minnesota Avenue will be undertaken. Other projects include new track, ties, and insulators in the closed areas.
 | Matt Johnson has lived in the Washington region since mid-2007. He has a Master's degree in Community Planning from the University of Maryland and a BS in Public Policy from Georgia Tech. He has worked in the planning field since 2006 and lives in Greenbelt, where he serves on the city's Advisory Planning Board.    |
Comments
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by andrew on Nov 3, 2010 1:22 pm
Thanks for the compliments.
Metro has no incentive to hire me, because I do the maps for free. Also [hint, hint] the maps are Creative Commons licensed, so as long as attribution is given, Metro (or anyone else) is free to use them.
by Matt Johnson on Nov 3, 2010 1:31 pm
by Org_Line on Nov 3, 2010 2:23 pm
Has WMATA ever thought about redirecting bus lines to nearby stations when a station is closed and if the rail fare is more just give anyone who enters/exits that station a discount.
It would stop a lot of the crowds that take buses to these stations and allow people who live in the surrounding area to take less crowded shuttles.
by kk on Nov 3, 2010 4:31 pm
No. There is not a crossover at Benning Road. Trains can use both tracks in the typical right-running fashion between Largo and Addison Road, but once a train leaves Addison Road traveling toward Benning Road, it will return on the same track.
Since the Blue Line is running only 30 minute headways this weekend, it won't be a problem. But even if the line was running more frequently, Metro could still use both tracks, especially since both Capitol Heights and Benning Road have island (center) platforms.
by Matt Johnson on Nov 3, 2010 4:52 pm
They will like do the same thing between Eastern Market and Stadium-Armory, crossover at Eastern Market and return on the same track. Memory of Blue line service between 07 01 1977 and 11 20 1978.
by Sand Box John on Nov 3, 2010 10:50 pm
Excellent point. Thanks for bringing it up.
by Matt Johnson on Nov 4, 2010 9:58 am
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