If you rely on Metro's Red Line to get around downtown D.C., we have good news: Major construction that disrupted travel through downtown D.C. is set to end early.
Normal Red Line service is expected to resume at 7 a.m. Saturday. Metro will stay open late on Sunday for revelers and workers out on New Year's Eve.
The partial shutdown that began on Monday, Dec. 18, was initially supposed to continue until Sunday, but work is set to be completed early and $250,000 under budget, Metro announced Thursday. You can see all of Metro's planned service changes for track work here.
Here's the essential info:
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- Red Line train service is suspended between Dupont Circle and Gallery Place until Saturday, Dec. 30 at 7 a.m. Farragut North will be closed, and Red Line trains won't serve Metro Center.
- Shuttles are available to complete your trip through downtown D.C. See shuttle information at the bottom of this article and here.
- Red Line trains will run in two segments: Shady Grove to downtown and Glenmont to downtown.
- All other lines are scheduled to run normally, but some entrances at Metro Center and Gallery Place will be closed.
- On Friday, Dec. 22, the shutdown expanded to the stretch between Dupont and Union Station. Red Line service resumed to Gallery Place and Judiciary Square on Sunday, Dec. 24.
- See Metro's holiday service information online here for Christmas and Dec. 26.
During those shutdowns, shuttle buses will replace trains to complete your trip downtown. Metro has put up signs and decals on sidewalks directing riders to where they can find their shuttle pickup spots. We've shared the shuttle information below, and you can also find it online here.
Metro’s General Manager Randy Clarke said he feels really bad when riders are affected, and there hasn’t been a core Red Line shutdown in 30 years, but this track work is necessary.
Transportation
Reporter Adam Tuss and the News4 team are covering you down on the roads and in transit.
“We have a structural issue in the original tunnel around Farragut North. We have to get in and fix that. If not, we won’t have a Red Line because the tunnel will collapse,” Clarke told News4’s Adam Tuss.
The beginning of the work coincided with the launch of 24/7 Metrobus service on 14 lines.
Shuttle schedule and pickup locations
Here’s a day-by-day look at how the maintenance work might impact your commute:
Monday, Dec. 25 to Saturday, Dec. 30
Red Line service changes:
- Shuttles replace trains between Gallery Place and Dupont Circle.
- Red Line trains run from Shady Grove and Dupont Circle every 8 minutes (every 10 minutes after 9:30 p.m.)
- Red Line trains run between Gallery Place and Glenmont every 10 minutes.
- No Red Line service to Farragut North and Metro Center.
Shuttle info
Here’s what Metro says about your shuttle options from Monday, Dec. 18 to Thursday, Dec. 21 and Monday, Dec. 25 to Saturday, Dec. 30
Shuttle 1: Express service every 6-8 minutes between Dupont Circle and Gallery Place
Shuttle 1 pick-up locations:
- Dupont Circle: Boards at the station’s north entrance at Connecticut Ave and Q St NW
- Gallery Place: Boards at the station’s north entrance at H and Seventh streets NW (by Chinese Friendship Archway)
- Gallery Place: A wheelchair-accessible vehicle will be available at Seventh Street NW between F & G streets
Shuttle 2: Express service every 6-8 minutes between Dupont Circle and Farragut West.
Shuttle 2 pick-up locations:
- Dupont Circle: Boards at the station’s north entrance at Connecticut Ave and Q St NW
- Farragut West: Boards at the station’s west entrance at 18th & I streets NW
Shuttle 3: Local service every 6-8 minutes between Dupont Circle, Farragut North, Metro Center and Gallery Place.
Shuttle 3 pick-up locations:
- Dupont Circle: Boards at the station’s North Entrance at Connecticut Ave and Q St NW
- Farragut North: Northbound to Dupont Circle boards at station’s north entrance (by Mayflower Hotel) at Connecticut & L streets NW; and southbound to Metro Center and Gallery Place boards at station’s west entrance (Washington Square) at Connecticut & L streets NW
- Metro Center: Boards at the station’s north entrance at 12th & G streets NW
- Gallery Place: Boards at the station’s north entrance at H and Seventh streets NW (by Chinese Friendship Archway)
- Gallery Place: Wheelchair-accessible vehicles will be available at Seventh Street NW between F & G streets
These alterations were also in effect Monday, Dec. 18 to Thursday, Dec. 21.
Friday, Dec. 22 to Sunday, Dec. 24
Red Line service changes:
- Shuttles replace trains between Dupont Circle and Union Station
- No Red Line train service to Farragut North, Metro Center, Gallery Place and Judiciary Square
- Red Line trains will run between Shady Grove and Dupont Circle every 8 minutes (every 10 minutes after 9:30 p.m.)
- Red Line trains will run from Union Station to Glenmont every 8 minutes (every 10 minutes after 9:30 p.m.)
Shuttle schedule and pickup locations:
Here’s what Metro says about your shuttle options from Friday, Dec. 22 to Sunday, Dec. 24:
Shuttle 1: Express service every 6-8 minutes between Dupont Circle and Union Station. Pickup locations:
- Dupont Circle: board at the station’s north entrance at Connecticut Avenue NW and Q Street NW
- Union Station: boards at Massachusetts Avenue NE and E Street NE
- Union Station: wheelchair-accessible vehicle available at First and G streets NE entrance
Shuttle 2: Express service every 6-8 minutes between Dupont Circle and Farragut West. Pickup locations:
- Dupont Circle: boards at the station’s north entrance at Connecticut Avenue NW and Q Street NW
- Farragut West: boards at the station’s west entrance at 18th & I streets NW
Shuttle 3: Local service every 8-10 minutes between Dupont Circle, Farragut North, Metro Center, Gallery Place, Judiciary Square and Union Station. Pickup locations:
- Union Station: boards at Massachusetts Avenue NE & E Street NE
- Union Station: wheelchair-accessible vehicle available at First & G streets NE entrance
- Judiciary Square: boards at E and Fourth streets NW
- Gallery Place: Westbound shuttles toward Dupont Circle board on westbound H and 7th streets NW (across from station entrance) and eastbound shuttles toward Union Station board on eastbound H and 7th streets NW (next to station entrance)
- Gallery Place: wheelchair-accessible vehicle available at 7th Street NW between F & G streets NW
- Metro Center: boards at the station's north entrance at 12th & G streets NW
- Farragut North: northbound shuttles to Dupont Circle board at station’s north entrance (by Mayflower Hotel) at Connecticut & L streets NW and southbound/southeast shuttles toward Union Station board at west entrance (Washington Square) at Connecticut & L streets NW
- Dupont Circle: Boards at the station’s north entrance at Connecticut Avenue NW and Q Street NW
What about the Blue, Orange, Silver, Green and Yellow lines?
All other lines at Metro Center and Gallery Place are set to operate normally.
However, some entrances will be closed. Here's what Metro says:
- Metro Center: Entrances at G Street NW at 11th and 13th streets NW will be closed. Use entrances on 12th Street NW to access station
- Gallery Place: Entrance at Ninth & G streets NW will be closed
Why has Metro curtailed Red Line service?
Metro says the closure of Red Line tunnels between Dupont Circle and Gallery Place will allow crews to repair and improve tracks and tunnels. The work is happening at a time of year when "ridership is historically 40% lower" to minimize inconvenience for riders, Metro said.
"Completing the same work on weekends only would take at least three months," Metro said on their website.
According to the Metro, the work includes "repairing a deteriorated concrete ceiling above both tracks which dates back to the earliest days of the Metro system."
Workers will also install fiberoptic cables to improve signals for trains, repair leaks in the tunnel, add extra insulation to the third rail to make Metro safer in the winter, and install new, brighter lighting at platform edges, Metro said.
CORRECTION (Monday, Dec. 4, 10 a.m.): This article has been updated to correct which stations are closed. From Dec. 18-21 and Dec. 25-30, trains will drop off and pick up customers at Dupont Circle and Gallery Place. Train service will not run between the two stations. Free shuttles will be available.
