Photo by Victoria Pickering

As warned, WMATA has modified its yearlong maintenance plan to include even more major service disruptions. Metro General Manager Paul Wiedefeld announced that the adjustments will allow “for the completion of additional work on crossover tracks, address new safety recommendations, and account for the impact of extreme heat, humidity and other weather impacts,” according to a Metro release.

The changes will be announced in two parts. Today, Metro is making riders privy to modifications that will take place through mid-October. These include consecutive weekend shutdowns at several stations and extensions of three surges, pushing back the timeline for the entire project. Next month, Wiedefeld will announce more disruptions for SafeTrack projects that are slated for later this year and next year.

Last week, Wiedefeld said that he was considering making such modifications and started by adding more weekend shutdowns to SafeTrack’s seventh surge. This came in the wake of a derailment that sent two railcars off the tracks, likely due to deteriorated rail infrastructure.

The changes are below.

Surge #7 Twinbrook – Shady Grove

• Date change: This surge, which is currently underway, 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.

Surge #8 Franconia-Springfield – Van Dorn Street

• Date change: This surge will now begin on Saturday, August 27 (a week after it was originally scheduled) and continue through the end of the day, Sunday, September 11. On weekdays, Blue Line trains will single track at all times between Franconia-Springfield and Van Dorn Street stations.
• New weekend shutdowns: Surge #8 will now include three consecutive weekend shutdowns where free shuttle buses replace trains along segments of the Blue Line to complete necessary switch rehabilitation work:

  August 27-28 – Buses replace trains between Franconia-Springfield and Van Dorn Street. Franconia-Springfield Station will be closed.

  September 3-5 (including Labor Day) – Buses replace trains between Franconia-Springfield and King Street. Franconia-Springfield and Van Dorn Street stations will be closed.

  September 10-11 – Buses replace trains between Franconia-Springfield and Van Dorn Street. Franconia-Springfield Station will be closed.

Surge #9 Vienna – West Falls Church

• Date change: This surge will now begin on Thursday, September 15 (six days after it was originally scheduled), and continue through the end of the day Wednesday, October 26. On weekdays, Orange Line trains will single track at all times between Vienna and West Falls Church.
• New weekend shutdowns: Surge #9 will now include four consecutive weekend shutdowns where free shuttle buses replace trains along segments of the Orange Line to complete necessary switch rehabilitation work:

  September 24-25 – Buses replace trains between Vienna and East Falls Church. Vienna, Dunn Loring and West Falls Church stations will be closed.

  October 1-2 – Buses replace trains between Vienna and East Falls Church. Vienna, Dunn Loring and West Falls Church stations will be closed.

  October 8-9 – Buses replace trains between Vienna and West Falls Church. Vienna and Dunn Loring stations will be closed.

  October 15-16 – Buses replace trains between Vienna and West Falls Church. Vienna and Dunn Loring stations will be closed.