Metro Extends Surge 7 Work; Total Weekend Shutdown Set for Four MoCo Train Stations

ROCKVILLE, MD — Just when you thought you'd survived the hassle of the repairs under way by the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority during SafeTrack Surge #7, they pull a fast one.

Sorry, but Metro General Manager/CEO Paul J. Wiedefeld on Tuesday announced that more time is needed for crews to make repairs on the Red Line tracks. So, single tracking will continue on Friday, Aug. 19, and there will be an unplanned-for complete shutdown of the tracked between the Shady Grove and Grosvenor-Strathmore stations over the weekend.

Wiedefeld says the changes will allow for the completion of additional work on crossover tracks, address new safety recommendations and account for the impact of extreme heat and humidity.

The changes will affect the dates and sequence of the remaining SafeTrack surges. In mid-September, Wiedefeld will announce additional changes to surge projects that were originally scheduled for October and later.

The following SafeTrack surge changes were announced Tuesday:
Surge #7 Twinbrook – Shady Grove

• Date change: This surge, which is currently under way, will be extended through the end of Sunday, August 21. On weekdays, Red Line trains will single track at all times between Shady Grove and Twinbrook.
• New weekend shutdown: On Saturday, August 20, and Sunday, August 21, free shuttle buses will replace Red Line trains between Grosvenor and Shady Grove to complete necessary switch rehabilitation work. As a result, White Flint, Twinbrook, Rockville and Shady Grove stations will be closed.

Montgomery County DOT will continue providing the following assistance to travelers on Friday, August 19:

• A free, non-stop Ride On “Red Line Shuttle” between the Grosvenor-Strathmore (Bus Bay D) and Shady Grove (Bus Bay E) stations via I-270 weekdays every 10 minutes from5:30 a.m. to 10 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. MCDOT has extended peak-hour service to 4 ½ hours in both the morning and afternoon.
• Enhanced Ride On Route 46 bus service. Ride On has increased bus frequency to every 10 minutes during peak travel times between Grosvenor-Strathmore (Bus Bay E) and Rockville (Bus Bay A) via White Flint and Twinbrook stations. Regular fares apply.

Over the weekend, MCDOT will once again provide 10 additional, free buses to supplement WMATA’s bus bridge on Saturday andSunday, August 20-21 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. The buses will provide service to every Metrorail station from Shady Grove to Grosvenor-Strathmore. Ride On buses provided the same service during WMATA’s complete shutdown of the same track segment last weekend as well.

Learn more about other travel options on the County’s website or read more about WMATA’s SafeTrack schedule changes.