Union Station Metrorail station elevators to undergo rehabilitation work

Written by jrood

Washington, D.C., Metro will modernize both the platform to mezzanine and the mezzanine to the Union Station level elevators inside the Union Station Metrorail station beginning Tuesday, Aug. 31, to return the units to a state of good repair and to ensure service reliability and safety. 



During the 12-week elevator
modernization project, Metro will operate shuttle buses upon request between
the Judiciary Square and New York Ave-Florida Ave-Gallaudet U Metrorail
stations with a stop at the Union Station Metrorail station.

An elevator modernization
of this magnitude includes replacing a majority of the mechanical parts and the
elevator cab equipment to ensure the elevator operates safely and reliably for
customers. The modernization project will extend the life cycle of the
elevator. The rebuilding process typically takes 12 weeks. Metro has 271
elevators system-wide, more than any other transit system in North America. 

Signs
indicating the specific type of mechanical work and the estimated date of the
unit’s return to service in November will be displayed in the platform level of
the station. Customers may also view the status of all elevators and escalators
on Metro’s website.



Modernizing the elevators
at Union Station is one of several Red Line rehabilitation projects designed at
maintaining a state of good repair between the Judiciary Square and Rhode
Island Avenue Metrorail stations. Work to be performed in these locations
throughout the summer and fall will focus on improved reliability and safety,
such as traction power upgrades, installation of new enlarged kiosks, automatic
train control and communications upgrades, station sign upgrades, public
address system upgrades, installation of new suspended ceilings for underground
stations, air conditioning and ventilation equipment rehabilitation and
replacement, new skylight systems for above ground stations and elevator and
escalator rehabilitation. 



The Red Line rehabilitation
program is the first in a series of contracts for all five Metrorail lines as
part of an overall system infrastructure renewal program designed to keep the
rail system safe and reliable by keeping it in a state of good repair. 

The
$177-million Red Line rehabilitation program is expected to be completed by the
summer of 2013.

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