Via Metro.

In order to prevent the inevitable pitchfork wielding that will occur if weekend track work continues as is, Metro will move to a slightly less onerous schedule this July.

According to a May planning document [PDF], “Metro has made significant progress on reducing backlog of deferred work and developing” a system to prevent employee fatigue, which will allow the system to begin scheduled shutdowns at midnight (instead of 10 p.m. Friday) after July. Shutdowns on consecutive weekends will also be nearly eliminated.

Weekday track work could also come back in targeted areas. The document cites the area between Greenbelt and College Park, saying that, even with single-tracking between 10:30 a.m. and 2:30 p.m., 12-minute headways could be maintained.

Only 11 total shutdowns, meaning buses replace service, are planned for between July and December.