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Track work to disrupt Metrorail line
(Published April 19, 2004)

Getting around in part of Northeast Washington is likely to be a little more difficult than usual April 30-May 2, as a partial shutdown of Metro’s Red Line will coincide with detoured traffic patterns due to closure of the Ninth Street/Brentwood Road bridge.

The transit authority plans to discontinue rail service at 9 p.m. April 30 between Union Station and Fort Totten to continue realigning track in preparation for the planned opening later this year of the New York Avenue Metro station. Free shuttle buses will be provided for passengers to reach the closed Brookland and Rhode Island Avenue stations until midnight May 2. Normal rail traffic is expected to resume on May 3.

The New York Avenue station is the first station in Metro’s 28-year history being built between two existing rail stations – Brookland and Rhode Island Avenue. When completed, the new station will have entrances on M Street NE and Florida Avenue NE, near the intersection of New York and Florida avenues.

Completing the $103.7 million project will require several suspensions of weekend rail service between Union Station and Fort Totten during the spring and summer months to allow track construction. Metro officials said maintenance also will be performed on existing track during the closures.