Metro Shut Down Starts This Weekend

Closure will last for weeks

WASHINGTON (AP) – Officials of the Washington, D.C., Metropolitan Area Transit Authority say part of the transit train system is set to shut down for 15 weeks, affecting an estimated 17,000 riders per day.

News outlets report the six-station shutdown is set to start Saturday and will be the longest in Metro history. Metro General Manager Paul J. Wiedefeld urged affected riders on Wednesday to explore other commuting options, such as working from home or carpooling. Officials say more buses will be available.

This shutdown is part of a three-year platform reconstruction project and will affect Braddock Road, King Street-Old Town, Eisenhower Avenue, Huntington, Van Dorn and Franconia-Springfield stations. This project portion is expected to cost about $200 million. The transit agency hopes to rebuild 20 station platforms by the end of 2021.