Red Line tunnel work to disrupt night, weekend service through February

WASHINGTON — Red Line trains will share a single track most nights and weekends through mid February as part of the next round of work aimed at reducing the flow of water into the tunnels, Metro said Friday.

The single-tracking will occur in stretches between the Friendship Heights and Grosvenor-Strahthmore stations beginning Dec. 22. But the disruption will likely reduce service along the entire length of the Red Line.

The work involves boring holes in the tunnels to pump a sealant around the tunnel.

General Manager Paul Wiedefeld said last month that additional service disruptions were coming to the Red Line. So far, the sealant has been applied to 2,000 feet of tunnel near the Bethesda and the Medical Center interlocking.

This work is separate from the emergency Red Line shutdown this weekend between the Silver Spring and Rhode Island Avenue stations, which is aimed at fixing cable problems that posed a crash risk.

Here is the Red Line tunnel work and related single-tracking schedule:

Medical Center to Grosvenor
Weeknights (Monday through Thursday)
9 p.m. through closing Dec. 26 to 28, Jan. 2 to 4 and 8 to 11

Weekends
6 p.m. Friday through closing Sunday Dec. 22 to 24
9 p.m. Friday through 6 p.m. Sunday Dec. 29 to 31

Friendship Heights to Grosvenor
Weeknights (Monday through Thursday)
9 p.m. through closing Jan. 16 to 18 and 22 to 25

Weekends
7 a.m. Saturday through closing Monday Jan. 13 to 15
7 a.m. Saturday through closing Sunday Jan. 20 to 21

Friendship Heights to Medical Center
Weeknights (Monday through Thursday)
9 p.m. through closing nightly Jan. 29 to Feb. 1 and Feb 5 to 8 and 12 to 15

Weekends:
7 a.m. Saturday through closing Sunday Jan. 27 to 28, Feb. 3 to 4 and 10 to 11