Dave Dildine, wtop.com
WASHINGTON – Presidents Day brings a long holiday weekend, ushered in by the first unofficial getaway of 2013. And so, traffic along the Interstate 95 corridor may seem busier than usual through Monday – with perhaps just as many out-of-state license plates as local plates.
Many people will be traveling home after venturing west to the mountain ski resorts in search of champagne and fresh powder. Couples looking to celebrate a late Valentine’s Day may head inbound for an evening on the town.
Delays may congest the region at strange times through the long weekend. These delays are difficult to predict in advance so tune into WTOP on the 8s for up-to- the-minute traffic coverage before you hit the road. The good news is this weekend’s road work docket is light.
Metro
On Metro, however, riders should expect delays on parts of the Red, Orange, Blue and Green lines. WMATA plans to take advantage of lower ridership during the holiday, extending the hours of track work through late Monday. Most of the work will last through closing on Monday night.
Orange Line
- Free shuttle buses replace trains between Stadium-Armory and Cheverly.
- Minnesota Avenue and Deanwood stations will be closed.
- Buses will make stops at all stations.
- Customers who travel through the work zone should add about 30 minutes to their total travel time.
- Trains will run at 15 minute intervals outside the work area.
Blue Line
- Free shuttle buses replace trains between Stadium-Armory and Largo Town Center.
- Benning Road, Capitol Heights, Addison Road, Morgan Boulevard and Largo Town Center stations will be closed.
- Express buses will operate between Stadium-Armory, Addison Road and Largo Town Center.
- Local buses will make stops at all closed stations.
- Delays up to 35 minutes are possible for riders on express buses and up to 50 minutes on local buses.
Red Line
- Trains will single track between Rhode Island Avenue and Takoma Park.
- Delays up to 15 minutes are possible.
Green Line
- Free shuttle buses replace trains between Greenbelt and College Park.
- Customers who travel through the work zone should add up to 15 minutes to their total travel time.
- Work occurs only on Saturday.
Holiday road changes
In Virginia, HOV restrictions will be lifted on I-95, I-395, I-66 and Route 267. Maryland HOV restrictions will be lifted on I-270 but will remain in effect for the fast lane on U.S. 50 this holiday weekend.
In Washington, the reversible roads including Rock Creek Parkway, Canal Road and Clara Barton Parkway will remain two-way all day long. Center lane reversals will not occur on 16th Street NW and Connecticut Avenue. Refer to the curbside illuminated signs for guidance. Rush hour parking rules will not be enforced. Parking restrictions in residential zones and in metered spots will not be enforced.
Mass transit changes on Presidents Day
- Metrorail will operate on a Saturday schedule. Trains will run between 5 a.m. and midnight, however, work zones are scheduled along the Red, Orange and Blue lines.
- Metro buses will operate on a Saturday supplemental schedule. More information about route changes can be found here.
- MetroAccess service will follow a normal scheduled but subscription trips will be canceled.
- MARC and VRE trains will not operate on Presidents Day.
Downtown holiday events may cause brief delays
In Old Town Alexandria, the George Washington Birthday Parade will kick off at Wilkes Street and march up Fairfax Street around 1 p.m. The parade will then about-face and head south on Royal Street. Look for crowds, police direction and delays near the parade route. The parade’s companion 1-mile race was canceled this year but the 10K and 2K Fun Run will still take place.
Ford’s Theatre will host a variety of events including a short play about the life and assassination of President Lincoln.
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