WMATA completes Red Line maintenance work early and under budget
Construction on the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority's (WMATA) Red Line between the Dupont Circle and Gallery Place stations was completed early and $250,000 under budget. Normal Red Line service resumed one day earlier than planned on Dec. 30, 2023.
Service on the Red Line was suspended since Dec. 18, 2023, to repair the deteriorating concrete beams and ceiling that date to the system’s original construction. Additionally, the work zone was extended Dec. 22 to Dec. 24, with no Red Line service between Gallery Place and Union Station. Free shuttle buses replaced trains during construction, providing more than 172,000 passenger trips between the affected stations.
"We appreciate all of our customers, businesses, the district and the effort our WMATA staff who worked through the holidays to get this critical work done," said WMATA General Manager and CEO Randy Clarke. "Maintaining the safety and reliability of the system is vital. Thanks to Mayor [Muriel] Bowser and the District Department of Transportation, we were able to use special dedicated bus lanes created for this project to minimize the impact to customers."
Construction highlights:
- WMATA's construction team used more than eight tons of concrete and 466 pounds of rebar to rebuild the Red Line tunnel ceiling to prevent concrete from falling onto trains.
- The team replaced 3,159 linear feet of running rail between Farragut North and WMATA Center.
- Workers installed 1,152 lights for the new platform edge lighting between Farragut North and Judiciary Sq with brighter, more sustainable LED lights.
- Added extra insulation to the third rail power cables between Gallery Place and Judiciary Square to provide a moisture barrier of the electrified third rail, which powers the trains.
- To prepare for its next generation train signaling system, WMATA installed 15,914 linear feet of fiber optic cables between Farragut North and Judiciary Square.
The Red Line construction was a part of the WMATA's 10-year, $15 billion Capital Improvement Program, investing in system safety, reliability and the region's economy. The capital program will help to improve customer experience and keep the region's infrastructure in a state of good repair.
