Photo by Julian Ortiz Follow

Photo by Julian Ortiz

Metro is expanding a maintenance project that will cause six weeks of disruptions on the Red Line in October and November.

During the water leak mitigation project, riders will have to catch shuttle buses between Medical Center and Grosvenor stations on October 28-29 and November 18-19. There will be single-tracking on weeknights between October 16 and November 24, as well as single-tracking on two weekends.

The pilot to waterproof tunnel walls along the Red Line launched in July, shuttering Medical Center and Bethesda stations for four weekends. Since the project completed, Metro officials say that tracks “have remained relatively dry,” even with excessive rains in late July and August.

According to Metro officials, the deep tunnel segment of the Red Line between Dupont Circle and Grosvenor stations was constructed before the use of current waterproofing techniques. They say that the area is “well below the water table and subject to high hydrostatic pressure that makes it prone to water infiltration that more quickly corrodes track infrastructure.”

Therefore, Metro is expanding the waterproofing project to include a 4,000 foot section of track between Medical Center and Grosvenor stations, tripling the pilot project’s work area.

In order to perform the work, Metro and contractor crews will have to drill hundreds of holes through the tunnel ceiling, which can’t be done while trains are running. Here are the service changes that are planned in order to compete the six-week project.

Weekdays

On weeknights from October 16 through November 24, Red Line trains will single track between Medical Center and Grosvenor starting at 9 p.m. Minor delays are expected.

Weekends

Free shuttle buses will replace Red Line trains between Medical Center and Grosvenor stations on the following two weekends:

  • Saturday and Sunday, October 28, 29

  • Saturday and Sunday, November 18, 19

In addition, Red Line trains will single track between Medical Center and Grosvenor on the following two weekends:

  • Saturday and Sunday, October 21, 22

  • Saturday and Sunday, November 11, 12

Finally, Red Line trains will single track between Medical Center and Twinbrook to accommodate other track work on the following weekend:

  • Saturday and Sunday, November 4, 5
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