Rachel Sadon
(Photo by Eric P.)
There was no gently easing Red Line riders into Monday morning.
Today marked the first weekday of a 45-day closure of the Rhode Island Avenue and Brookland Stations, and it was a rough ride for many commuters.
Riders reported overcrowded stations, travel times that took more than double the normal length of time, and other issues related to the shutdown.
@wmata crazy busy at Gallery Place this morning. Need more Red Line trains! pic.twitter.com/7hTJ3QsmtA
— Katelyn Walker (@Kate_Walker10) July 23, 2018
day 1 of Red Line shutdown: my normal 25 minute commute now clocks in at just over an hour. send help.
— Brandon Carter (@brandonetc) July 23, 2018
The Metro Red Line closure from Fort Totten to NOMA is a disaster. If you live in DC and ride that route, be warned and give yourself plenty of time. What is normally a 40 min commute for me was 80 mins today. A hot, humid, rainy, non-working escalator mess.
— Kiana Cox (@kaymariephd) July 23, 2018
Metro is working to fix the platform at the Rhode Island Avenue station so it is accessible for riders with disabilities, along with a host of other structural issues at both stations.
On an average weekday in 2016, the most recent data available, the closed stations saw 11,000 boardings. The five stations north of Brookland, which are also affected, have an average of about 30,000 riders on a weekday.
Many of this morning’s riders tried to transfer to the Green line at the Fort Totten station, which saw severe crowding.
Very crowded conditions at Ft. Totten this morning. What good are transfers if you can’t even get downstairs? @unsuckdcmetro @postmetrogirl #wmata pic.twitter.com/h6jytwIzE1
— Danny Rubenstein (@rubyboy02) July 23, 2018
@unsuckdcmetro Ft. Totten a mess. Huge crowd trying to go down broken escalator. Transfer to grn/ylw just as bad pic.twitter.com/1P5VDqcMaN
— Christie (@christinaelise) July 23, 2018
WMATA did make several modifications to help ease the burden of the closure, among them shuttles that took riders along the route and directly downtown, along with a temporary bus lane on Rhode Island Avenue NE from North Capitol St. to 12th St. NE. Riders tweeted issues with both.
@unsuckdcmetro 40 minutes on a shuttle bus with broken A/C to get from Fort Totten to NoMa. Shout out to @wmata this is garbage
— Christie (@christinaelise) July 23, 2018
@unsuckdcmetro shuttle bus from Fort Totten is a joke. It took 15 minutes for a bus to arrive and I’ve been on this bus for 30 minutes. Still not a NoMa. I figure that I’ll be 30 minutes late for work. Thanks #WMATA
— It’sMic (@whiskeybuddha) July 23, 2018
Few signs, and no enforcement of the temporary dedicated bus lanes #WMATA promised on RI Ave during the Red Line shutdown. Some shots from Lincoln Rd and Summit NE in #EckingtonDC. https://t.co/YOM9QOPMWf @amaxsmith pic.twitter.com/h9BqUdEKyr
— Edward Russell (@e_russell) July 23, 2018
For now, the Blue, Orange, and Silver lines have been largely unaffected by the closure. But major work, with corresponding disruptions, are headed their way soon. From August 11-26, when Metro plans to rebuild a sharp curve, the Blue Line will only run between Franconia-Springfield and Arlington Cemetery, and the Orange and Silver lines will see single tracking.
Previously:
How Metro Is Planning To Handle A 45-Day Partial Red Line Shutdown This Summer
Why Metro Is Shutting Down Those Two Red Line Stations
