‘Just so happy it’s open again’: Metro Red Line commuters welcome end of partial shutdown – WTOP News
Metro Red Line commuters celebrate end of partial shutdown
Commuters on Metro’s Red Line welcomed the reopening of three stations Monday after a nine-week partial summer shutdown for major construction on the system’s busiest rail line.
Grosvenor-Strathmore, Medical Center and Bethesda stations reopened for the first time since work began July 6.
During the shutdown, Metro said it moved more than 1.2 million riders on free shuttle buses operating along Maryland Route 355, also known as Rockville Pike and Wisconsin Avenue, between North Bethesda and Friendship Heights.
“I’m just so happy it’s open again,” one rider told WTOP while waiting for an early-morning train at Grosvenor-Strathmore. “It just makes life easier.”
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She said her commute to Farragut North took about 45 minutes during the shutdown, while the trip home stretched to about an hour with a shuttle bus transfer.
A commuter who works at Walter Reed Army Medical Center told WTOP the free shuttle service was crucial and that his early work hours helped limit the inconvenience.
“It’s really been a lifesaver, having that,” he said. “It’s actually been pretty convenient, how well it’s been organized.”
After nine weeks on buses, he said it felt strange returning to the Metro platform.
“Oh yeah, seeing the new signs they have showing when trains are coming, and the new flooring — it’s just awesome,” he said.
Another commuter who rides between Grosvenor-Strathmore and Medical Center said the shuttle bus added only a few minutes to his trip.
“What is it, a 10 minute drive, versus three or four minutes on the train? So it only added about five minutes to commute,” he told WTOP as he boarded his train. “It looks like they upgraded everything, like the [train arrival] boards, so I think they did a good job.”
Also, Monday, the Maryland State Highway Administration began removing temporary bus lanes used along MD 355 during the shutdown. The agency said the work is expected to continue through Sept. 11, with overnight crews removing lane markings and restoring striping for on-street parking.
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