The Shady Grove and Rockville Metro stations, at the west end of the Red Line, will reopen again on January 16, but work will continue, Metro announced today.

Both stations have been closed for four months to allow for the replacement of the canopy at Rockville Station.

But the project will not be quite completed even after customers return next month: Metro will still need to install reinforced concrete panels on the new steel structure, but the announcement promises the existing structure will nevertheless “provide cover for customers.”

“Our project team continues working to ensure the completed canopy meets Metro’s quality standard and provides customers with a safe and comfortable place to wait for the train,” said Metro General Manager and CEO Paul Wiedefeld in the announcement.

Beyond the Rockville canopy replacement, Metro also used the four-month closure to take care of a number of maintenance tasks, including repairing the signal system and the tracks between the two stations, inspecting and fixing the cables that carry power to the third rail, and replacing switch machines. Workers also laid more than 7.3 miles of fiber optic cables to improve radio communications. At Rockville Station, the agency put in brighter LED lighting, new display screens, better loudspeakers, and new CCTV cameras. Metro also repaved the station’s Park & Ride area, put in new faregates, and fixed a pedestrian bridge leading to the station. At Shady Grove, Metro repaired the station canopy, roof, and escalators, and put in new faregates.

In all, the agency estimates the work would have taken 9 months without the closure of the two stations.

The project was also delayed a few months after the 7000-series trains were sidelined because of wheel issues. Metro had stored older trains that weren’t needed for service at the Shady Grove train yard, but then needed to put those trains back in service as the bulk of the newer fleet was sidelined. Crews had to dismantle platforms constructed over the tracks and then reconstruct them after the trains were moved, delaying the projects a few weeks.

Work on stations will move to the Orange Line this summer when Metro closes Cheverly, Landover, and New Carrollton for rehabilitation. Deanwood and Minnesota Avenue stations will also be closed, but won’t be getting reconstructed.