Commuter Alert: Metro Surge Shuts Down 2 Rockville Stations

ROCKVILLE, MD — Rockville commuters will head to work Monday with two Red Line stations closed while Metro crews replace tracks in the 16th and final Surge. The work wraps up the year-long emergency maintenance program. A five-mile stretch of the line between the Shady Grove and Twinbrook stations is closed through Sunday, June 25.

WMATA officials said free shuttle buses will run at all times of the day from the stations. Commuters who use Shady Grove or Rockville should consider starting their trip at Twinbrook, White Flint, or Grosvenor during the surge, officials said.

Officials urge commuters to avoid the stations if possible, particularly during weekday, peak travel hours and consider telecommuting or ride sharing. Travelers can also use the Brunswick Line MARC Train from Metropolitan Grove or start their Metrorail trip at Twinbrook, White Flint, Glenmont or Wheaton stations.

Metro crews worked on the stations during SafeTrack 7 in August 2016, but Metro General Manager Paul Wiedefeld said the crews needed to return to the section of track because the rail system has learned it needs to repair ties and fasteners that hold the system together, reports Montgomery Community Media.

Elsewhere on the Red Line, trains will run at near-normal intervals:

• Red Line trains will operate near normal service between Twinbrook and Glenmont every 8 minutes (normally 6 minutes).
• Additional Red Line trains will operate between Grosvenor and Silver Spring every 4 minutes (normally 3 minutes).

Service on Metro's Orange, Silver, Blue, Yellow, and Green lines will not be affected.

At the end of Surge 16, Metro will have completed three years of track work in a single year, including the replacement of more than 50,000 crossties compared to about 15,000 in a typical year.

Price Increases, Hour Changes

Fare increases and changes to Metro hours will take effect Sunday, June 25, as part of a plan to shore up the agency's budget. Most fares on Metrobus and Metrorail will increase between 10 and 25 cents; some low-ridership bus routes will end; trains will arrive less frequently during rush hour; and Metrorail system hours will shrink to give workers more time each week for maintenance, WMATA says.

New Metrorail Hours of Operation

• Monday - Thursday: 5:00 a.m. - 11:30 p.m.
• Friday: 5:00 a.m. - 1:00 a.m.
• Saturday: 7:00 a.m. - 1:00 a.m.
• Sunday: 8:00 a.m. - 11:00 p.m.

Some Metrobus routes will add trips to provide service in key corridors that no longer have late night or early weekend rail service.

Fare Changes

For Metrorail customers, most fares will increase by 10 to 25 cents. A new one-day unlimited rail/bus pass will be available for $14.75, while the monthly SelectPass will continue to be the best value option for regular rail customers.
Regular Metrobus fares will increase 25 cents to $2. The unlimited, seven-day bus pass will remain at $17.50.

Express bus fares will increase from $4 to $4.25, and Airport buses (Routes 5A and B30) will increase from $7 to $7.50.
MetroAccess fares will continue to be calculated at two times the fastest comparable fixed-route rate, with the maximum charge of $6.50 remaining the same. Daily parking rates will change at all Metro-operated facilities.

Rail Service Changes

During weekday rush periods, rail service will operate as follows:

• Trains will depart endpoints every 8 minutes on each line.
• At stations served by more than one line, trains will arrive every 3-4 minutes.
• Additional Red Line service will run between Grosvenor and Silver Spring, resulting in trains arriving every 4 minutes between those stations.
• Service will become more frequent for Blue Line riders, where trains are now scheduled every 12 minutes.

In addition, Yellow Rush+ will be eliminated. All Yellow Line trains will run between Huntington and Mt Vernon Sq during weekday rush periods, and between Huntington and Fort Totten at other times.
No changes are being made to off-peak service.

Bus Service Changes

The following routes will have new timetables that reflect schedule changes, added or discontinued trips, or trip time adjustments.
District of Columbia: 30N, 30S, 42, 43, 52, 54, 64, 70, 80, 90, 92, 96, A2, A6, A8, D8, E4, E6, G2, G8, H4, H8, L2, N2, N4, N6, S1, S2, S4, S9, W4, X2
Maryland: 89, B30, C4, C11, C13, C21, C22, C26, F4, F13, H11, H12, H13, J2, J5, K6, P12, P17, P18, P19, Q1, Q4, T2, W13, W14, W19, Y2, Y7, Y8, Z7
Virginia: 1A, 1C, 2A, 2B, 2T, 5A, 7W, 7X, 10A, 10N, 13Y, 15K, 15L, 16B, 16E, 16J, 16P, 16Y, 17A, 17B, 17F, 17M, 18P, 18R, 18S, 23B, 28A, 28X, 38B, REX

For more information about the changes to fares, service and hours of operation that take effect on June 25, visit wmata.com/changes.

»Patch file photo