Metro to Begin Tunnel Ventilation Project on the Red Line

From the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA):

Starting Saturday, July 17, Metro is launching a Tunnel Ventilation Pilot Project to improve safety on the Red Line near the Cleveland Park and Woodley Park Metrorail stations. This pilot project is part of a larger program to improve station and tunnel safety by upgrading the ventilation system in the event of a smoke or fire emergency.

To learn more about the Tunnel Ventilation Pilot Project, please visit the project website.

Project Impacts:

Because the project will require construction crews to work 24/7, there will be Red Line single tracking from mid-July through the end of August.

This is what Red Line customers can expect during July and August:

Sunday, July 17 to Sunday, August 29, 2021

• Red Line trains will operate every 18 minutes between Shady Grove and Glenmont.
• Trains will operate every 9 minutes between Farragut North and Glenmont until 7 p.m. (weekdays only).

 

Weekends of August 7-8 and August 28-29, 2021

• There will be no Red Line service between Van Ness-UDC and Dupont Circle.
• Cleveland Park and Woodley Park stations will be closed.
• Free shuttle buses will be available during the closures.
• Customers may also wish to use Metrobus Route L2 that runs along Connecticut Ave between Chevy Chase Circle and Farragut Square as an alternative.

 

While most of the work will happen in the tunnel, construction crews will need to access the tunnel from the street level. Periodic curb lane and sidewalk closures may be necessary on Connecticut Avenue by the Cleveland Park and Woodley Park station entrances. Business access will be maintained during construction.

Project construction is scheduled to last for about one year, and additional single tracking may be required in spring 2022.