For immediate release: May 22, 2024
Free shuttle buses and parking at closed stations, bus-only lanes, and priority signal timing to help mitigate customer impacts
*Updated 6/12/24 to include MTA Commuter Bus Information
After months of preparation and planning, summer construction will begin on the Red Line June 1. Five stations - Glenmont, Wheaton, Forest Glen, Silver Spring, and Takoma - will be closed and with less than two weeks to go customers are encouraged to plan their travel alternatives.
Metro will provide free local and limited-stop shuttle buses to the closed stations, with express service also available between Silver Spring and downtown DC. The Maryland Department of Transportation State Highways Administration, Montgomery County, and the District Department of Transportation are coordinating with Metro to provide bus-only lanes, parking restrictions, and traffic signal priority to help mitigate traffic congestion for shuttle buses.
Along Georgia Avenue, seven miles of bus lanes were created, and on 16th Street NW rush hour bus lanes and parking restrictions will provide additional capacity. Drivers are prohibited from using bus only lanes and are subject to ticketing and fines.
The summer construction will continue through August 31, with the Takoma Station reopening on June 30. After the station reopens, limited-stop shuttles will continue to operate to/from Fort Totten for the duration of construction. Due to space constraints, only local shuttle buses will serve Takoma. For most customers, the best and fastest option will still be using the limited-stop shuttle via Fort Totten to access the Red Line.
The three-month closure will allow the Maryland Transit Administration Purple Line project to build a new mezzanine at Silver Spring which will improve the connectivity between the Paul S. Sarbanes Transit Center and the future Purple Line Station with Metro.
The outage will also provide Metro with an opportunity to complete maintenance, repairs, and customer experience improvements on the Red Line, condensing eight months of weekend closures and disruptions into the summer months.
Metro staff will be out at stations over the coming days to provide additional information to customers and additional staff will be on hand during the closure to assist customers with shuttle buses and other travel options. Customers may use Metro’s trip planner tool to explore their options and are encouraged to sign up for the project newsletter to get the latest updates. See below for shuttle bus information and additional travel alternatives.
SERVICE INFORMATION
June 1 – June 29, 2024
- Free shuttle buses replace trains between Glenmont and Fort Totten
- Stations closed: Glenmont, Wheaton, Forest Glen, Silver Spring, and Takoma
- Green Line service and Red Line service to/from Shady Grove available at Fort Totten
June 30 – Aug. 31, 2024
- Free shuttle buses replace trains between Glenmont and Takoma
- Stations closed: Glenmont, Wheaton, Forest Glen, and Silver Spring
- Green and Red Line service available at Fort Totten
- Takoma Station reopened. Customers traveling between the closed stations and Takoma should use the local shuttle bus, or limited stop shuttle bus to the Red Line via Fort Totten
Parking will be free at all five stations for the summer closure.
TRAVEL ALTERNATIVES
Free Shuttle Service
Free local, limited-stop, and express shuttles available during Metrorail operating hours. Shuttles will be available at all closed stations for customers with accessibility needs. To request an accessible shuttle, please ask a Metro team member onsite.
Saturday, June 1 to Saturday, Aug. 31, 2024
- Local:Local service stopping at all stations between Glenmont, Wheaton, Forest Glen, Silver Spring, Takoma, and Fort Totten
- AM/PM Peak - approximately every 4 minutes
- All other times, weekends, and holidays - approximately every 8 minutes
- Estimated travel time: 61 minutes between Glenmont and Fort Totten during peak traffic
- Limited 1:Limited-stop service between Glenmont, Wheaton, and Fort Totten
- AM/PM Peak - approximately every 4 minutes
- All other times, weekends, and holidays - approximately every 8 minutes
- Estimated travel time: 37 minutes between Glenmont and Fort Totten during peak traffic
- Limited 2:Limited-stop service between Forest Glen, Silver Spring, and Fort Totten
- AM/PM Peak - approximately every 4 minutes
- All other times, weekends, and holidays - approximately every 8 minutes
- Estimated travel time: 25 minutes between Glenmont and Fort Totten during peak traffic
- Express: Express service between Silver Spring and Metro Center (pick up location 12th & G streets NW)
- Weekday only – approximately 4-8 minutes all day
- Estimated travel time: 39 minutes between Silver Spring and Metro Center during peak traffic
Shuttle bus locations: Glenmont
,Wheaton, Forest Glen, Silver Spring, Takoma,Fort Totten, Metro Center
Additional travel alternatives are available via Metrorail, Metrobus, Montgomery County Ride On, and MTA Commuter Bus. For a list of all bus options view our bus cheat sheet.
MARC Train
MARC train is also offering promotional $3.00 one-way fare from Garrett Park, Kensington, and Silver Spring to Union Station on the Brunswick Line, with weekly and monthly tickets discounted to $22.50 and $81 respectively. Please note, the project does not impact to the MARC Brunswick Line and regular service will continue. More information is available on theMTA's Red Line construction page.
*MTA Commuter Bus
MTA commuter bus is offering discounted $3 one-way fares on routes 305, 315, and 325 that stop at Silver Spring and downtown Washington, DC. Visit theMTA websitefor more information.
For a full list of travel alternatives and project information go to wmata.com/majorconstruction.
