WMATA improvements planned for Presidents Day weekend

The Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority will conduct significant safety and reliability work on the Blue, Orange and Red lines to comply with National Transportation Safety Board recommendations during the holiday weekend, causing some temporary service changes for customers that will mean a safer, smoother ride once the work is complete. On the Blue and Orange Lines, there will be no train service between the Metro Center and L'Enfant Plaza Metrorail stations, and the two stations between -- Federal Triangle and Smithsonian Metrorail stations -- will be closed during the Presidents Day Holiday Weekend from 10 p.m., Friday, Feb. 18, to closing on Monday, Feb. 21. During that time, the agency will undertake work to replace four track switches at the Smithsonian Metrorail station, repair tunnel leaks, and make repairs to escalators and elevators. Weekend Blue and Orange Line Service From 10 p.m., Friday, Feb 18 to closing on Monday, Feb. 21, the Blue and Orange lines will be split in two sections. The Blue Line will operate between the Franconia-Springfield and Metro Center Metrorail stations and between the Largo Town Center and L'Enfant Plaza Metrorail stations. The Orange Line will operate between the Vienna-Fairfax/GMU and Metro Center Metrorail stations and between the New Carrollton and L'Enfant Plaza Metrorail stations. All Blue and Orange Line trains will operate every 12 to 15 minutes during the daytime, and every 20 minutes at night. The last Blue and Orange Line trains between the Metro Center and L'Enfant Plaza Metrorail stations will operate through the work zone prior to 10 p.m. because personnel need time to remove power from both tracks and to assemble maintenance crews safely in the designated work zones. Weekend Red Line Service During the holiday weekend, Red Line trains will share one track in two locations from 10 p.m., Feb. 18 to closing on Feb. 21. Trains will share one track between the Shady Grove and Twinbrook Metrorail stations as construction workers make repairs to the Rockville Metrorail station platform, and trains will share one track between the Rhode Island Ave-Brentwood and New York Avenue-Florida Avenue-Gallaudet U Metrorail stations as the agency makes repairs to the aerial structure near the Rhode Island Ave-Brentwood Metrorail station.