SILVER SPRING, Md. — Metro transit leaders detailed their plans for an upcoming long-term Red Line closure in a press conference Tuesday. At the press conference, officials discussed a pilot program that would bring more than seven miles of pop-up, dedicated bus lanes to Montgomery County.
Planned construction along the Red Line this summer will impact commuters in Maryland. The Glenmont, Wheaton, Forest Glen, Silver Spring and Takoma stations will all be closed over the summer, according to the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority. Closures are expected to run from Jun. 1- Aug. 31.
The shut down will allow the Maryland Transit Authority (MTA) access to construct the Purple Line mezzanine at the Silver Spring station. Additional work is scheduled during these closures, including leak mitigation, automatic train control system replacements, traction power cables installation, drain pumping station replacement, tunnel standpipe replacement and elevator/escalator maintenance. As the closures loom, Montgomery County leaders raised the alarm about their impact last month.
During the shutdown, WMATA says they will be offering free shuttles that are expected to run every 4-8 minutes, providing frequent connections to the closed stations.
Maryland state officials have announced they will also designate more than seven miles of bus-only lanes along sections of Georgia Avenue between Glenmont and Silver Spring so that the shuttles can bypass congestion.
"These temporary curbside bus lanes will help provide priority access to shuttle buses near the Glenmont, Wheaton, and Silver Spring stations," Assistant Secretary Maryland Dept. of Transportation Joe McAndrew told reporters. "The SHA will also make signal timing improvements to support shuttle buses and keep traffic flowing along the congested areas."
The designated areas are:
- Northbound MD 97 (Georgia Avenue) from Wayne Avenue to MD 390 (16th Street);
- Southbound MD 97 from Urbana Drive/Glenmont Metro to Randolph Road, as well as MD 586 (Veirs Mill Road) to Bonnywood Lane/Tilton Drive and MD 390 to Fidler Lane;
- Northbound MD 586 from the Wheaton Metro to MD 193 (University Boulevard);
- Southbound MD 586 from the Wheaton Metro to MD 97;
- Northbound MD 384 (Colesville Road) from 16th Street Circle to Wayne Avenue/2nd Avenue;
- Southbound MD 384 from MD 97/US 29 to the 16th Street Circle; and
- Eastbound and westbound MD 410 (East-West Highway) between MD 384 and Blair Mill Road/Newell Street.
The temporary lanes will be in effect 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily and will provide priority access for shuttle buses near the Glenmont, Wheaton and Silver Spring Metro stations.
Montgomery County Councilmember Natali Fani-Gonzalez said she hopes the temporary bus-only lanes become a permanent solution to connect communities in the county.
Riders WUSA9 spoke to at the Silver Spring station said they were not even aware of the upcoming closures. Anna told us that the train is reliable for her commute, but closures will make things tougher.
"It's going to be very, very hard," Anna said. "We don't know if the bus is coming on time. Also it's going to take time, it's going to take longer to travel."
For riders like Jared, who take the train twice a day, the temporary alternative doesn't cut it.
"It would mean I couldn't get to work, or go all the way around to the other side of Maryland to get here," he said.
Transit officials acknowledged that the closure will be frustrating, but said the bus lane pilot program is a big step forward for public transportation.
"This is laying the groundwork for future transportation improvements," said Councilmember Evan Glass.
In a letter to Metro General Manager Randy Clarke and Maryland Department of Transportation Secretary Paul Wiedefeld, leaders including County Executive Marc Elrich and Council President Andrew Friedson offered several options for minimizing impact to commuters during the construction planned from June to September 2024.
Those same leaders celebrated the collaboration between all the involved parties on Tuesday.
"You're seeing teamwork, collaboration and regionalism in action," said Montgomery County Council Vice President Kate Stewart.
The Maryland Transit Administration said it will offer reduced pricing on the MARC train service. Fares on the MARC Brunswick Line and Commuter Bus service from stops near the impacted metro stations will be reduced to $3 one-way.
MARC Train also will offer a discounted weekly pass for $22.50 and a discounted monthly pass for $81.
The work will be done in two phases. June 1 through June 29 Glenmont, Wheaton, Forest Glen, Silver Spring, and Takoma stations will be closed. Then June 30 through Aug. 31, the construction area will shrink with the Takoma Station reopening, while the four other stations remain closed. Free, limited-stop shuttle buses will be provided between Glenmont and Fort Totten, and free express shuttle buses will run directly between Silver Spring and downtown D.C.
Clarke said the WMATA Board will consider offering free parking at the impacted metro stations during Thursday's meeting.
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