Those who run theaters, restaurants and retail stores in D.C. are concerned about Metro partially closing the Red Line downtown during the height of the holiday season, but Metro said it’s the best time to get the important work done.
To repair tracks and tunnels, Red Line service will be halted between Dupont Circle and Gallery Place from Monday, Dec. 18, to Saturday, Dec. 30. Metro will provide riders with free shuttle bus service from those stations to Metro Center.
The Farragut North station will be closed during the 13 days and there’ll be no Red Line trains running into Metro Center, while Gallery Place will continue to have Yellow and Green Line service, and Orange, Blue and Silver Line trains will continue to carry riders into Metro Center.
“We hate that we have to get this work done at such an important period of time. But this is critical structural work that we have to get done and we have to get done quickly,” said Sarah Meyer, chief customer experience and engagement officer at Metro.
Downtown businesses have raised concerns that Red Line changes could scare away customers during the busy holiday shopping season.
“This partial closure is definitely not ideal. And, we are in constant contact with our stakeholders … theaters and restaurants and retails and there is definitely … concern about what the impact will be on sales during this critical time of year,” said Ebony Walton, acting director of marketing and communications for the DowntownDC Business Improvement District.
Businesses had asked Metro to delay the partial closure of the Red Line until January, after the holiday season.
“This is an increased period for people to come downtown, to do leisure shopping and to see a show and to go to the Downtown Holiday Market,” Walton said.
Metro chose the final two weeks of the year for the partial Red Line closure because the transit agency said it’s the lowest point in the year in terms of ridership.
From Dec. 22 to Dec. 24, there’ll be no Red Line service into Gallery Place, and Judiciary Square will be closed those two days.
“Our data shows that during these two weeks, our ridership is 40% lower than it is during other parts of the year. So, even if we move the dates into January, we still will be impacting a lot more people and will [be] impacting students that need to get to school,” Meyer said.
WTOP’s Mike Murillo contributed to this report.
