Metro passengers prepare for Red Line closures
MONTGOMERY COUNTY, Md. (DC News Now) — Five Red Line stations will go offline for summer renovations starting June 1. Red Line commuters have mixed feelings about the free shuttle service that Metro said will replace the rail service for three months.
The five Red Line stations undergoing construction are Glenmont, Wheaton, Forest Glen, Silver Spring and Takoma. Metro will offer a range of shuttle bus options while those stations are closed.
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Chris Forbes said he often uses the Silver Spring Red Line Station to get to work.
“I knew it was a guaranteed station,” Forbes said. “Red Line, it’s no hold-ups and they’re on time and on point.”
Forbes is optimistic that the shuttle service will work efficiently in the rail service’s absence. He said it will be important for riders to prepare for their commute in advance.
“They are providing shuttles for us, the public, and it’s free, free shuttling. So, you don’t have to worry about it, and it also can save a dollar in your pocket,” Forbes said.
Red Line rider Dana Gassaway was not as optimistic.
“You’re cutting a whole county off of a very vital transportation system,” Gassaway said. “So, I don’t know what you can do to replace that, and I don’t think buses are the answer.”
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Gassaway said he had no idea the five stations were set to close, and he believes the changes should have been better communicated to the public.
“This should have been announced three years down the road,” he said. “‘Hey, we’re going to do this.’ Then, reiterated and restated it over and over again every six months until people got it in their heads. This is so life-changing for a lot of people in terms of their day-to-day transportation.”
Red Line closures begin Saturday, June 1. The Takoma station will reopen on June 30, and the remaining four stations will be closed until Aug. 31.
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