Metro's Red Line improvement projects will see multiple closures beginning in July.

If you are a regular commuter on Metro’s red line, there are some major disruptions coming your way soon as two projects are set to begin.

One project starts on July 17, near the Dupont and Van Ness stations. Work on the stations will include reduced service and weekend closures of the Cleveland Park and Woodley Park stations for two weekends in August. Then, a major renovation project on the red line will close the Shady Grove and Rockville stations from September 11 to December 4. Crews will be retrofitting ventilation shafts with new fans and replacing the aging canopy built in the 1980s.

Metro will be providing free shuttle buses to and from the stations. 

The following service information was taken directly from the press release:

  • 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 safety testing.
    • September 11-December 4
      • Red Line trains will operate normal service between Glenmont and Twinbrook only.
      • Free shuttle buses replace trains between Shady Grove and Twinbrook stations.
      • Shady Grove and Rockville stations closed.
      • Park & Ride customers at Shady Grove and Rockville may wish to use Twinbrook or White Flint as an alternative.
      • MARC and Amtrak service will continue to operate at Rockville, with no disruption to service.
      • Due to the staging of heavy equipment and construction materials, Metrobus and other bus services will be rerouted. Additional details will be provided at a later date.

Learn more about the projects and closures on the Metro website.

The red line is the oldest line in the Metro transit system and was built before standards were adopted for transit systems by the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA).

How does this impact your commute? Will the improvements be worth the disruption? Share in the comments.