Five Metro Red Line stations closing in June for upgrades, renovations
MONTGOMERY COUNTY, Md. (DC News Now) – There are five stations on Metro’s Red Line that will be closed this summer while improvements are made.
This has some Montgomery County officials and commuters worried about how this will impact commute times.
“It’ll be a pretty major inconvenience,” Metro rider Lawrence Turner said. “A lot of people use it. It’s a major conduit.”
Washington Commanders host 300 students for ‘Commanders Read’
Red Line stations at Glenmont, Wheaton, Forest Glen, Silver Spring and Takoma will go offline starting in June.
“I guess I have to look into it because if there are accommodations for people who take the Red Line,” Turner said, “then it shouldn’t be a problem.”
WMATA will provide accommodations and shuttle buses for Red Line passengers to ride.
Montgomery County leaders recently penned a letter to WMATA and the Maryland Department of Transportation (MDOT) trying to ensure these shuttles cause minimal disruptions for people’s commutes.
“We want to see expanded MARC service,” Montgomery County Council President Andrew Friedson said. “We want to see expanded opportunities for transit. We want to reduce the fees and the transit fares to zero.”
County officials say it’s imperative that they work with transportation officials to make sure the word gets out about these closures as soon as possible.
Metro unveils new trains, buses at ‘Fleet of the Future’ Expo at National Mall
“We’ve been talking with WMATA about how to get the word out and planning those activities for late this spring,” Christopher Conklin, the director of Montgomery County’s Department of Transportation, said, “and then the first few weeks of the summer before the shutdowns occur.”
Passengers say this will be a drastic change, but they’ll simply have to make adjustments.
“It’s a temporary inconvenience,” Turner said. “I mean, you just have to be patient and as long as it’s for the better, it’s an upgrade.”
WMATA says they will release detailed shuttle plans for the impacted area on Monday, April 1st.
For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to DC News Now | Washington, DC.
