June 3, 2024
Navigating This Summer’s Red Line Shutdown
by Cate Longino
Starting on June 1, 2024, WMATA will begin construction on a new mezzanine at Silver Spring Station to connect Metro with the future Purple Line, which will be owned and operated by the Maryland Transit Administration (MTA). This new mezzanine is an exciting advancement in the DMV’s transit infrastructure, connecting the Metro station platform with the Paul S. Sarbanes Transit Center and the future Purple Line Station while also enhancing connections for Metro, MARC Train, and bus customers.
Evidently, with rail advancements come construction shutdowns. The Red Line will be closed between Glenmont and Takoma from Saturday, June 1, through Saturday, August 31. This closure will extend to Fort Totten through Saturday, June 29, 2024. To ease your Red Line commute throughout the summer months, we’ve compiled a comprehensive overview of alternative routes.
Table of Contents
Free Shuttle Service
Over the course of the shutdown, WMATA will be running several free shuttles during Metrorail operating hours. From Saturday, June 1 to Saturday, August 31, the following shuttles will be available:
- Local: Local service approximately every 4-8 minutes between Glenmont, Wheaton, Forest Glen, Takoma, and Fort Totten
- Limited 1: Limited-stop service approximately every 4-8 minutes between Glenmont, Wheaton, and Fort Totten
- Limited 2: Limited-stop service approximately every 4-8 minutes between Forest Glen, Silver Spring, and Fort Totten
- Express (weekdays only): Express service approximately every 4-8 minutes between Silver Spring and Metro Center (12th & G St NW entrance)
Check out WMATA’s boarding maps for each station (Glenmont, Wheaton, Forest Glen, Silver Spring, Takoma, Fort Totten, Metro Center), or the Bus Cheat Sheet for detailed overviews of each shuttle stop and route.
Rail Alternatives
If you use a Park & Ride facility at one of the closed stations, consider parking at another Red Line or Green Line station on your commute. Available stations include:
- Red Line: Shady Grove, Rockville, Twinbrook, North Bethesda, and Grosvenor-Strathmore
- Green Line: Greenbelt, College Park – U of Md, Hyattsville Crossing
Additionally, Maryland commuters may be interested in a temporary switch to the MARC train. The Brunswick Line provides connections from Greenbelt, College Park-U of Md, and Silver Spring to Union Station. Learn more.
NOTE: The shutdown does not impact the MARC Brunswick Line – service will continue as usual.
Bus Options
There are several bus lines that run at closed stations. Check out an overview of bus alternatives below:
Glenmont
- Metrobus Y2, Y7, Y8 – Weekday service between Medstar Montgomery Medical Center and Silver Spring Station.
Wheaton
- Metrobus Q2, Q4 – Weekday service between Rockville/Shady Grove and Silver Spring stations.
- Metrobus Y2, Y7, Y8 – Weekday service between Medstar Montgomery Medical Center and Silver Spring Station.
Forest Glen
- Metrobus Q2, Q4 – Weekday service between Shady Grove and Silver Spring stations. Stops on Georgia Ave at Forest Glen Rd.
- Metrobus Y2, Y7, Y8 – Weekday service between Medstar Montgomery Medical Center and Silver Spring Station. Stops on Georgia Ave at Forest Glen Rd.
Silver Spring
- Ride On 18 – Saturday service between Silver Spring Station and Takoma Langley Crossroads Transit Center. Sunday service between Takoma Station and Takoma Langley Crossroads Transit Center.
Takoma
- Ride On 18 – Saturday service between Silver Spring Station and Takoma Langley Crossroads Transit Center. Sunday service between Takoma Station and Takoma Langley Crossroads Transit Center.
Before the closure begins, Metro will have teams on-site at all affected stations to provide information and assist customers. Visit WMATA’s website or sign up for the project newsletter for updates and more information.
In addition to WMATA’s resources, goDCgo created a Red Line Shutdown Toolkit with extensive details on the shutdown, alternative routes, and additional transportation resources. Download the toolkit to get started and reach out to [email protected] if you have any questions.
