WMATA Reopens Four Red Line Stations
Written by Jennifer McLawhorn, Managing Editor
WMATA will reopen four stations on its Red Line after work took place over the summer.
Courtesy of WMATA
WASHINGTON, D.C. – On September 1, 2024, four stations will reopen on WMATA’s Red Line. Construction continues at Silver Spring for the MTA Purple Line.
The four stations that will reopen are the Glenmont, Wheaton, Forest Glen and Silver Spring stations. WMATA says this marks the end of the rehabilitation work that took place while the Maryland Transit Administration built part of a mezzanine on the Purple Line at Silver Spring. That construction will continue “with scaffolding covering about one-third of the platform.” Previously, crews built columns to support the walkway from the Purple Line station over tracks to the Metro Red Line platform. Silver Springs is still an active construction site for the Purple Line with scaffolding remaining until 2027. The MTA Purple Line is set to begin operations in December 2027.
Over the period of construction, WMATA states the Metro crews replaced 6,500 feet of rail, 6,000 feet of grout pads, 183 track signs, 2,500 crossties to support the rails, 1,000 fasteners, six switch machines, 12 train control processors, 650 insulators to insulate electricity around the third rail, and 354 signs on mezzanines, platforms, and entrances. Additionally, crews installed 102,000 feet of fiber optic cable for communications, repaired 72,000 square feet of tile joints, and repaired sidewalks. 40,000 feet of track bed and 8,500 feet of drains were cleaned, and 12,700 square-feet of interior and exterior surfaces were painted.
Its crews replaced automatic train control systems, installed traction power cables, replaced drain pumping stations and the tunnel standpipe as well as worked on elevator and escalator maintenance needs. In the area between Fort Totten and Takoma, crews rebuilt an interlocking switch area.
As for what’s next, Metro says it will “install new digital Passenger Information Displays on platforms and station entrance digital screens at all five stations.” This has been held up due to supply chain issues, the agency said.
