WASHINGTON — Metro round-the-clock track work affects the Red Line this week, but there is a brief respite on Friday.
1. Red Line single tracking north of Twinbrook
After a weekend shutdown, last week’s track work returns Monday through Thursday, leading to single tracking between Twinbrook and Shady Grove.
The work means trains are scheduled only every 18 minutes at rush hour at Shady Grove and Rockville stations. Service on the rest of the Red Line is not supposed to see significant impacts from the track work. However, as with other lines, that does not prevent delays from cropping up due to other issues.
2. Riders who normally use Shady Grove or Rockville should consider other stations
Riders who typically use Shady Grove or Rockville stations can avoid the delays and additional crowding by using other stations. Twinbrook, White Flint and Glenmont typically have parking spaces available for commuters who drive to Metro.
Montgomery County’s RideOn bus service is offering free rush-hour shuttles between Shady Grove and Grosvenor-Strathmore during the track work, and there are also other bus options to get riders between other Red Line stations.
See more in the full WTOP track work guide for this surge.
3. MARC Provides rush-hour alternative
The MARC Brunswick Line runs across Montgomery County before turning down to serve Union Station.
Trains run toward D.C. in the morning, and from D.C. through Silver Spring and Rockville in the afternoon. Fares for Montgomery and Frederick County riders range from $5 to $9.
4. Watch for rush-hour parking changes
D.C. has expanded rush-hour parking rules along Wisconsin Avenue, Connecticut Avenue and Massachusetts Avenue Northwest, in addition to all of the corridors covered during earlier work zones.
The 30-minute extension of rush hour rules in both the morning and afternoon could snare drivers who follow a routine. Check signs carefully since affected areas will be marked “no parking 7 a.m. to 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. to 7 p.m.”
The changes, which are expected to last through at least March, do not affect reversible lanes.
5. Friday free of rush-hour work
There is no scheduled rush-hour track work on Friday.
On Saturday, the next 24/7 work zone begins between Franconia-Springfield and Van Dorn Street stations. Blue Line trains are scheduled to run to and from Franconia-Springfield only every 24 minutes at rush hour, half as often as usual. There will be no Yellow Line “rush-plus” trains either.
Blue Line trains are scheduled to run to and from Van Dorn Street every 12 minutes.
Additional rush-hour trains are scheduled to run on the Yellow Line to replace the trains that would normally go to and from Franconia-Springfield.
Metro plans express rush-hour shuttle buses to the Pentagon from Franconia-Springfield as an alternative for riders. Other riders may choose Virginia Railway Express trains or drive to Huntington.
The Blue Line work zone is scheduled to run 17 days, ending after the system closes on Labor Day.
