Dave Dildine, wtop.com
WASHINGTON – Soaring temperatures will coax many people onto the roads this weekend. Luckily, a light work zone docket will keep most weekenders moving speedily on routes around town.
With the reprieve from winter-like temperatures likely bringing some residents out of hibernation, Metro cautions for delays on portions of the Red, Blue and Green lines.
Preparations for the Presidential Inauguration will be underway this weekend near the National Mall. Be prepared for street closures and parking restrictions between the Capitol and Federal Triangle Sunday morning for the Inaugural Parade dress rehearsal.
Metrorail Track Work
Early Sunday afternoon, participants of The No Pants Subway Ride 2013 will be riding the Metrorail system pants free, traveling between Metro Center, Chinatown, and L’Enfant Metro Stations.
Track work will affect riders on the Red, Blue and Green lines this weekend. There is no work scheduled for the Orange and Yellow lines.
Blue Line tracks will be out-of-service between Pentagon and Rosslyn. The Arlington Cemetery station will be closed. A free shuttle bus will ferry customers between Pentagon and Rosslyn, with an intermediate stop at Arlington Cemetery. The detour will require about 20 minutes of additional travel time. Passengers traveling between Virginia and Washington who are not headed to Arlington Cemetery should consider using the Yellow Line between L’Enfant Plaza and the Pentagon.
- Buses replace trains between the Rosslyn and Pentagon stations
- Arlington Cemetary station closed
- Passengers on bus detour should allow 20 minutes of additional travel time
- No delays expected on Blue Line outside the work zone
The Red Line will single track in two segments: between Friendship Heights and Van Ness and between Rhode Island Avenue and Fort Totten. Trains on the Red Line will operate every 24 minutes but Metro will run supplemental trains through the city during the daytime hours, boosting service to an average of 12-minute- intervals between 9 a.m. and 9 p.m.
- Single tracking between Friendship Heights and Van Ness
- Single tracking between Rhode Island Avenue and Fort Totten
- Allow 15 minutes of additional travel time
The train testing continues on the Green Line between College Park and Greenbelt.
- On Sunday, every other train will stop at College Park, rather than Greenbelt from mid-morning until early evening
- Green Line trains will run on a normal schedule between College Park and Branch Avenue
- Allow about 10 minutes of additional travel time
Inaugural Practice Parade
Instead of battling the inaugural crowds next week, some parade-goers will gravitate to the practice run Sunday morning. Do not expect to be able to park in close proximity to the rehearsal. Street closures and parking restrictions will go into effect on and near the parade route as early as 5:00 a.m. The activity is expected to last until 1:00 p.m. Sunday afternoon.
Street Closures
- Constitution Avenue from 1st Street NE to 6th Street NW
- Pennsylvania Avenue from 3rd Street NW to 15th Street NW
- Pennsylvania Avenue from 17th Street NW to 19th Street NW
- 15th Street from I Street NW south to Independence Avenue SW
Parking Restrictions
- Constitution Avenue from 1st Street NE to 6th Street NW
- Pennsylvania Avenue from 3rd Street NW to 15th Street NW
- Pennsylvania Avenue from 17th Street NW to 19th Street NW
- 15th Street from I Street NW south to Independence Avenue SW
Other Events
Howard University will host the centennial celebration of Delta Sigma Theta. An estimated 12,000 Deltas are expected to flock to Howard University. Although there are no street closures associated with the various planned activities, traffic on Georgia and Florida avenues may be heavier than usual at times throughout the weekend.
Road Construction
Late Sunday night, all lanes on the outer loop of the Capital Beltway are scheduled to be blocked in Virginia at Route 50/Arlington Boulevard for repair work. Traffic south of I-66 will be directed onto the Route 50 service road to bypass the work zone.
Follow @WTOPtraffic and @WTOP on Twitter.
(Copyright 2013 by WTOP. All Rights Reserved.)
