Bad News, Metro Riders: The Biggest Ever Weekend Shutdown is Coming

If you think things are bad on weekends on the Metro system now, get ready, because WMATA has a very unpleasant Super Bowl surprise for you.

Metro is shutting down the entire Blue, Orange and Silver lines through downtown D.C. on the weekend of the Super Bowl, with absolutely no trains at all between Foggy Bottom and Eastern Market on Feb. 4 and Feb. 5, according to a WMATA statement.

Instead, buses will provide service in D.C as Metro workers focus on a major weekend project that involves installing cell phone and radio infrastructure to improve communication in the tunnels, fix displaced ceiling tiles and make more improvements to the tracks, including to rails, fasteners and insulators.

"In order to accommodate maintenance work, free shuttle buses will replace all trains between Foggy Bottom and Eastern Market stations on both days," the statement reads. "Six stations will be closed: Farragut West, McPherson Square, Federal Triangle, Smithsonian, Federal Center SW and Capitol South. In addition, the lower level platforms will be closed at Metro Center and L'Enfant Plaza. Customers traveling through the affected area should allow up to 45 minutes of additional travel time."

Metro will be providing additional details by Jan. 21.

Image via WMATA