WMATA plans improvements March 4-6

The Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority will conduct safety and reliability work on the Blue, Orange and Red lines to comply with National Transportation Safety Board recommendations during the weekend of March 4 to 6. During the weekend, Metro will continue repairs on the aerial structure outside the Cheverly Metrorail station, make track circuit upgrades near the Deanwood Metrorail station, install 6,000 feet of cellular communication cables to ultimately improve cell phone coverage, replace 2,000 feet of old track, install 380 insulators, 1,400 new rail ties, 400 new track fasteners, make repairs to 19 escalators and 14 elevators and fix the platform at the Minnesota Avenue Metrorail station. On the Orange Line, there will be no train service between the Stadium-Armory and New Carrollton Metrorail stations and the five stations in between - Minnesota Ave, Deanwood, Cheverly, Landover and New Carrollton Metrorail stations -- will be closed. Also, there will be no Blue Line service between the Stadium-Armory and Benning Road Metrorail stations. The Benning Road Metrorail station will remain open. Normal service will resume on Monday, March 7. From 10 p.m., Friday, March 4 to closing on Sunday, March 6, Red Line trains will share one track between the Friendship Heights and Medical Center as personnel replace fasteners that support the tracks. Red Line trains will also share one track between the Takoma and Forest Glen Metrorail stations as personnel make upgrades to the train control rooms.