Metro Shutdown: Station, Line Closings Could Add 2 Hours to Monday's Commute

Washington, D.C. — Monday's commute will prove whether area transportation officials were right to beg area residents to find another route to work for the next two weeks as the second phase of Metro's year-long SafeTrack repair program begins.

The second phase of the SafeTrack program got under way Saturday and is scheduled to run through July 3.

"Unlike the first surge, this is a complete rail shutdown," notes Metro General Manager Paul Wiedefeld.

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Two stations — Stadium Armory and Potomac Avenue — will be closed and Blue Line trains will not be running at all in D.C. and Maryland. There will also be fewer trains on the Orange and Silver lines

Trains may be extremely crowded, especially during rush hour, according to a Metro statement.

Shuttle buses will be used to get around the closed stations, but they will be crowded and additional delays are possible due to lines.

"This is going to be a tremendous stress on residents coming into the district," said Prince George's County Executive Rushern Baker.

Second Shuttle Route Added

Prince George’s County has added a second bus shuttle that will run between the Largo Metro Station and the Suitland Metro Station during the Metrorail shutdown. The additional shuttle will give commuters a southern option to reach the Green Line similar to the New Carrolton to Greenbelt shuttle the county will be running in the north. The details are:

• The county will provide bus service on weekdays from Monday, June 20, through Friday, July 1.
• The service will be fare-free and express, with no other passenger stops other than the two Metro stations.
• From 6 a.m. to 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. the county will operate ten buses on the service.
• Between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m., five buses will run on the service.

During peak hours, operations will be load and go. During non-peak hours, buses will run every 15 minutes. The county will have street team members at the Largo Metro Station and the Suitland Metro Station on Monday morning, and signs will direct riders to the shuttles.

Even with the addition of the second shuttle, if they must enter the system during peak hours, commuters should be prepared to add an additional 1-2 hours to their commute.

Riders are encouraged to make a plan and Metro stresses that commuters should telework or carpool.
Orange and Silver line trains will run every 10 minutes, according to Metro.

See Prince George's County Transit Alternatives.
More info from Metro.

Station-Specific Impacts, according to Metro:
Benning Road - Silver Line shuttle buses will replace trains and operate every 5-10 minutes between Benning Road, Stadium-Armory, Potomac Ave, and Eastern Market. Buses stop ONLY at the affected Metrorail stations, not at stops along the way. No express buses will operate. Consider using Metrobus Route 96 or 97 to Union Station or DC Streetcar H/Benning Line as an alternate.

Stadium-Armory, Potomac Ave, Eastern Market -Orange and Silver line shuttle buses will replace trains and operate every 5-10 minutes. Orange shuttle buses will service Eastern Market, Potomac Ave, Stadium-Armory, and Minnesota Avenue. Silver shuttle buses will service Eastern market, Potomac Avenue, Stadium-Armory, and Benning Road. Buses stop ONLY at the affected Metrorail stations, not at stops along the way. No express buses will operate. Consider using Metrobus as an alternate.

Largo Town Center/Morgan Blvd - Silver Line service ONLY will operate every 10 minutes outside the shutdown zone. Free shuttle buses will operate for customers traveling between Benning Road and Eastern Market. Consider taking the train to Capitol Heights Station and transfer to Metrobus 96, 97 to Union Station or transfer to enhanced MetroExtra X9 to Metro Center as alternates.

Addison Road - Silver Line service ONLY will operate every 10 minutes outside the shutdown zone. Free shuttle buses will operate for customers traveling between Benning Road and Eastern Market. Customers should consider Metrobus P12 to the Suitland Station or F14 to Naylor Rd Station to transfer to the Green Line; or take the train to Capitol Heights and transfer to Metrobus 96,97 to Union Station or to the enhanced MetroExtra X9 to Metro Center as alternates.

Capitol Heights - Silver Line service ONLY will operate every 10 minutes outside the shutdown zone. Free shuttle buses will operate for customers traveling between Benning Road and Eastern Market. Consider using Metrobus 96, 97 to Union Station or enhanced MetroExtraX9 to Metro Center.

Minnesota Ave - Orange Line shuttle buses will replace trains and operate every 5-10 minutes between Minnesota Ave, Stadium-Armory, Potomac Ave and Eastern Market. Buses stop ONLY at the affected Metrorail stations, not at stops along the way. No express buses will operate. Consider using Metrobus Route X2 or MetroExtra X9 to Metro Center or nearby DC Streetcar H/Benning Line as an alternate.

New Carrollton - Orange Line trains will run every 10 minutes outside shutdown zone. Free shuttle buses will operate for customers traveling between Minnesota Ave and Eastern Market. TheBus Route 15X will operate a FREE shuttle departing every 20 minutes to Greenbelt and transfer to the Green Line. Customers should consider MARC Penn Line to Union Station or using Metrobus F6to College Park Station/MARC Camden Line and Metrobus G12, G14 to Greenbelt Station/MARC Camden Line. Customers may also use enhanced T18 Metrobus service or the T14 Metrobus to Rhode Island Avenue Station to transfer to the Red Line as an alternate.

Landover- Orange Line trains will run every 10 minutes outside shutdown zone. Free shuttle buses will operate for customers traveling between Minnesota Ave and Eastern Market. Customers should consider Metrobus A12 to Capitol Plaza and transfer to Metrobus T18 to Rhode Island Ave on the Red Line as an alternate; or MetrobusA12 to Capitol Heights and transfer to MetrobusX9 to Metro Center to Metrobus 96, 97 to Union Station as alternates.

Cheverly - Orange Line trains will run every 10 minutes outside shutdown zone. Free shuttle buses will operate for customers traveling between Minnesota Ave and Eastern Market. Customers should consider TheBus Route 18 to Langley Park and transfer to enhanced Metrobus T18service on Bladensburg Road or transfer at Prince George's Plaza Station on the Green Line as an alternate. MetrobusF1, F2 and F8 are also options to transfer to the Green Line at West Hyattsville Station.

Deanwood - Orange Line trains will run every 10 minutes outside shutdown zone. Free shuttle buses will operate for customers traveling between Minnesota Ave and Eastern Market. Consider other Metrobus service as an alternate.