Administrator
Posted 24 March 2020 - 06:44 PM
The Washington Post 3/24/20
Metro to close 19 stations indefinitely to limit employees’ exposure to coronavirus
Metro is taking the dramatic step of closing 19 stations in an effort to protect its employees from potential exposure to the coronavirus and keep the system running, the agency announced Tuesday night.
Administrator
Posted 24 March 2020 - 06:46 PM
WMATA press release
For immediate release: March 24, 2020
Metro to close additional 17 stations and selected entrances amid low-ridership, need to conserve critical cleaning supplies during COVID-19 response
Metro’s Pandemic Task Force today announced the strategic closing of 17 additional stations, effective Thursday, March 26, 2020, in an effort to conserve critical resources and protect the health and safety of Metro employees and the public. This follows drastic measures already taken to reduce travel on Metro to essential trips only, leading to a Metrorail ridership decline of 90 percent.
These steps will help reduce the risk of exposure to employees and save critical cleaning supplies for the remaining stations. While Metro increased its on-hand warehouse inventory of essential supplies, such as hospital-grade disinfectant, wipes, hand sanitizer, and other items used by Metro’s frontline employees, suppliers are experiencing delivery delays. Metro is taking action to make its current 2-3 week warehouse supply stretch until massive orders placed in late January are received.
Each Metrorail station has multiple escalators, faregates and other high touch surfaces that are being cleaned daily, including some stations with multiple entrances. By reducing the number of entrances, Metro will be able to better protect its workforce and customers and prolong the inventory of these critical supplies needed to keep the system open.
Beginning on Thursday, March 26, Metro will close 17 additional stations following the closures of Smithsonian and Arlington Cemetery stations last week. The 19 stations will remain closed until further notice and trains will pass through without stopping.
The following stations within walking distance or close proximity (less than one mile) to an adjacent station will be closed:
- Federal Center SW - use L’Enfant Plaza or Capitol South
- Federal Triangle – use Metro Center
- Mt Vernon Sq, Judiciary Sq, Archives – use Gallery Place-Chinatown
- Greensboro – use Spring Hill or Tysons Corner
- Eisenhower Ave – use King St-Old Town
- Virginia Square – use Clarendon or Ballston
- Cleveland Park – use Woodley Park or Van Ness
With Metrorail ridership down 90 percent, the following stations with extremely low-ridership will also be closed:
- Grosvenor-Strathmore (230 trips yesterday)
- Cheverly (159 trips yesterday)
- Clarendon (299 trips yesterday)
- East Falls Church (239 trips yesterday)
- College Park (325 trips yesterday)
- McLean (148 trips yesterday)
- Morgan Boulevard (322 trips yesterday)
- Van Dorn St (404 trips yesterday)
Even with the station closures, four out of five Metrorail stations (72 of 91) will remain open for essential travel only.
Metro will also close some station entrances to conserve cleaning supplies and create additional workforce flexibility. The stations will remain open for customers to enter and exit from other available entrances.
- Anacostia – Entrance serving parking garage at Howard Rd north of the Anacostia Freeway closed; bus bay side open
- Farragut North - SW corner of L St & Connecticut Ave closed; 2 other entrances open
- Dupont Circle - South Entrance 19th St & Connecticut Ave closed; Q Street (north) entrance open
- Metro Center - 12th & F sts entrance closed; 3 other entrances open
- Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport - North entrance closed (Terminal C); South station entrance (Terminal B ) open
- U Street – Memorial side U St & Vermont Ave closed; 13th & U sts entrance open
- Gallery Place--Chinatown - 9th St & G St entrance closed; 2 other entrances open
- L'Enfant Plaza - 7th & D sts entrance closed; Maryland Ave & 9th & D sts entrances open
- Friendship Heights – Jennifer St entrance closed; Western Ave entrance open
The combined effect of the station closures and entrance closures reduces by 25% the number of entrances requiring cleaning and staffing, from 118 to 88.
Metrorail, Metrobus and MetroAccess are operating limited service and hours for essential trips only.
DO NOT TRAVEL UNLESS ABSOLUTELY NECESSARY.
Administrator
Posted 26 March 2020 - 09:50 PM
WMATA news release
For immediate release: March 26, 2020Weekend: Metro service limited to 26 bus routes, reduced rail service; expect wait times of 30 minutes; customers urged to travel only if essential
Due to the ongoing COVID-19 public health emergency, Metro will operate significantly reduced rail and bus service this weekend, maintaining a core network of 26 “lifeline” bus routes and providing twice-hourly rail service for our region’s essential travel needs. Essential travel includes medical providers and hospital staff, first responders, critical government functions, individuals involved in helping the community respond to COVID-19, grocery and pharmacy trips, among others.
• Please follow urgent guidance from state and local officials: Stay at home.
• Metro is intended for essential trips only. Do not take Metro to view cherry blossoms or other non-essential trips.
• If you are not feeling well, do not take public transportation. Call your healthcare provider before you leave your home and follow their guidance.
Metro has closed 19 of the system’s 91 rail stations until further notice. The closure list includes stations near the Tidal Basin to discourage anyone from using Metro to visit the cherry blossoms this year.
On Saturday, March 28, and Sunday, March 29, Metro will provide lifeline service between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 11 p.m. as follows:
Metrorail: Trains will operate on all lines, serving all open stations. Take note of 19 stations that are closed (no alternate transportation provided). Customers should expect wait times of up to 30 minutes between trains.
Metrobus: Service will operate on a limited schedule only on the 26 routes listed below. Routes that are not listed will not operate. Customers should expect wait times of up to 30 minutes between buses. The hours that buses operate will vary by route but will generally align with the start and end of service on a Sunday schedule. Please be aware that bus operators may bypass stops if necessary to maintain proper social distancing aboard the vehicle. Please use the rear door of the bus only.
• 54 – 14th Street Line
• S4 – 16th Street Line
• 70 – Georgia Avenue – 7th Street Line
• 83 – College Park Line
• 90 – U Street – Garfield Line
• C4 – Greenbelt – Twinbrook Line
• X2 – Benning Road – H Street Line
• 16C – Columbia Pike Line
• 28A – Leesburg Pike Line
• 29K – Alexandria – Fairfax Line
• 29N – Alexandria – Fairfax Line
• 30N – Friendship Heights – Southeast Line
• 30S – Friendship Heights – Southeast Line
• A6 – Anacostia – Congress Heights Line
• B2 – Bladensburg Road – Anacostia Line
• D12 - Oxon Hill-Suitland Line
• F4 - New Carrollton-Silver Spring Line
• H4 – Crosstown Line
• J2 – Bethesda – Silver Spring Line
• K6 – New Hampshire Avenue – Maryland Line
• P12 – Eastover – Addison Road Line
• REX – Richmond Highway Express
• V4 - Capitol Heights-Minnesota Avenue Line
• W4 – Deanwood – Alabama Avenue Line
• Y2 – Georgia Avenue – Maryland Line
• Z8 – Fairland
New shuttles available to all customers but using MetroAccess vans will connect three rail stations with hospitals from 8am through 11pm to match the rail schedule.
Sibley Hospital
Shuttle from: Friendship Heights Station
Transfer location: Bus Bay G, Stop #2001506
Georgetown University Hospital
Shuttle from: Dupont Metro (Q Street)
Transfer location: Bus Stop #1003746
Prince George’s Hospital
New Carrollton (South Side)
Bus Bay A, Stop #3003032
MetroAccess: Service will continue to operate during the same hours as rail and bus services. Metro continues to emphasize that customers must not use MetroAccess to travel to healthcare appointments if they are showing signs of illness for the safety of our employees and other passengers. If you are ill, call your healthcare provider and make transportation arrangements that do not involve public transportation. In addition, the MetroAccess Eligibility Center is closed until further notice.
Metro is operating at the highest response level of its Pandemic Response Plan (Phase 3), and the transit authority’s Pandemic Task Force is actively monitoring developments and acting when necessary to protect employees, customers, and the community. During Phase 3, the public is reminded emergency service changes may be necessary. While Metro will always make every effort to give its customers as much notice as possible, please understand emergency adjustments during Phase 3 may occur at any time, with little or no advance notice.
Administrator
Posted 29 March 2020 - 10:41 AM
WMATA news release
For immediate release: March 29, 2020Week ahead: Sharply reduced Metro service for essential travel only; trains, buses will operate on same schedule as last week
For the upcoming week (Monday-Friday), Metro will use the same service plan as last week, which provides connectivity throughout the region for essential trips, but with sharply reduced train and bus frequencies. Metrorail ridership is now less than a tenth of its normal level, and bus ridership has been reduced by up to 75 percent.
Metro continues to urge the public to travel if absolutely necessary during the COVID-19 public health emergency to ensure that limited transit capacity is available for those who need it most and to allow for safe social distancing.
Monday, March 30 – Friday, April 3, 2020
Metrorail
- Open from 5 a.m. to 11 p.m.
- Trains every 15 minutes on Red Line, every 20 minutes on all others
- 19 stations are closed until further notice. Trains will pass these stations without stopping; no alternate service.
SNIP
Metrorail ridership on Friday was less than 50,000 for the day, plunging 92 percent versus last year. Ridership information is available at wmata.com/covidstats.
Metro’s Pandemic Response remains at Phase 3, the highest response level, and will remain there until the COVID-19 public health emergency subsides. Metro may make emergency service reductions at any time if necessary to protect employees and riders. Because emergency changes may occur with little or no advance notice, customers are encouraged to sign up for MetroAlerts email and text messages at wmata.com/metroalerts.
IF YOU FEEL ILL, DO NOT USE PUBLIC TRANSIT. Instead, call your healthcare provider and tell them about your travel needs. Follow their guidance.
Administrator
Posted 29 March 2020 - 01:40 PM
WMATA press release
For immediate release: March 29, 2020Metro implements additional protection for frontline employees: Will close first and last cars of all trains starting tomorrow
As frontline transit employees work to keep trains and buses running for essential trips, additional protections are being implemented to keep Metro’s workforce safe during the COVID-19 public health emergency. Starting tomorrow, Monday, March 30, Metrorail customers will no longer be able to board the front or rear cars of the train to create an additional buffer between the train operator’s compartment and the general public.
When a train arrives at the station, the doors of the first and last railcars will remain closed when the doors on the remaining six cars open. Metrorail customers will only be permitted to occupy the train’s “middle” (second through seventh) cars.
Despite the fact that rail ridership is down about 93 percent, Metro will continue to operate all 8-car trains—the longest possible length—to allow plenty of room for safe social distancing in the remaining six cars.
Since activating Metro’s Pandemic Task Force in late January, Metro has ramped up its response to the growing pandemic. Now in Phase 3, the highest level of response, Metro is operating at reduced capacity to provide essential trips only, a position that helps reduce the risk of exposure to employees on the job.
Buses, trains and MetroAccess vehicles are cleaned and disinfected daily and last week an additional 17 stations were closed, bringing the total to 19 stations, in an effort to conserve critical cleaning supplies and reduce the number of employees needed on any given shift.
Metro has also implemented mandatory telework for administrative employees, allowed station managers to forgo certain duties outside the kiosk to avoid close contact with others, and strengthened protection for Metrobus operators by implementing rear-door boarding systemwide and temporarily suspending bus fares.
Metro is making every effort to keep buses and trains running as a lifeline for many health care workers, first responders and workers in other essential businesses who must get to and from work.
Administrator
Posted 29 March 2020 - 01:42 PM
WMATA press release
For immediate release: March 29, 2020Metro GM, pandemic task force, and union leader host online employee town hall; thank them for ‘making the essential possible’
Metro invited its 12,000 employees – including thousands of frontline transit workers, police officers, and other mission-critical personnel – to have their COVID-19 questions and concerns addressed at an online town hall this afternoon on Facebook Live. The event offered an opportunity for Metro employees to get answers from the General Manager and subject matter experts on Metro’s Pandemic Task Force, including Chief Safety Officer Theresa Impastato, Chief Medical Officer Dr. Amy Espy-Smith, and Chief Operating Officer Joe Leader.
General Manager and CEO Paul J. Wiedefeld opened the event with a personal message of gratitude for the more than 4,000 Metro employees in frontline positions, without whom trains and buses would not run. “When our region’s leaders talk about essential travel only, you make the essential possible,” he said.
Wiedefeld shared that similar sentiment had been expressed by the region’s elected and transportation leaders, Governor Ralph Northam, Mayor Muriel Bowser, and Maryland Transportation Secretary Greg Slater, who have praised the dedication and commitment to duty of the region’s transit employees.
“This public health emergency has shown us the importance of public transit. The dedication of our Metro employees, staying on the job so that our regional transit system can remain functional for those who need it, is to be commended. I thank them for their public service,” Governor Northam said.
“I want to commend the entire workforce at WMATA for their outstanding public service during this unprecedented public health emergency,” said Mayor Bowser. “I know that we will get through this together as a city and as a region, and on behalf of the residents of the District of Columbia, I offer sincere gratitude for the work that you do each and every day.”
“As we’ve seen in times of prosperity and in times of crisis, the transit workforce serves as the lifeline for the region. We are grateful for their service-oriented leadership in this emergency and thank them for ensuring people have access to the essentials through this pandemic,” said Maryland Transportation Secretary Slater. “Without transit employees, the region would be at a severe disadvantage in the fight against COVID-19.”
Metro’s partnership with the leaders of its largest union, Amalgamated Transit Union Local 689, has been one of respect, cooperation, and shared concern for the health and welfare of Metro’s frontline employees. Local 689 President Raymond Jackson participated in the event and answered several questions for employees.
“We have worked hard with management to protect our members through team staffing, rear-door boarding, and extra cleaning that are critical to operating safe service during this public health emergency,” said Jackson. "We could not be more proud of how our members have stepped up during this critical time. It’s their work that keeps this region functioning.”
Employee questions, solicited via all-employee emails and submitted in advance, focused heavily on PPE (personal protective equipment), and other protection for employees, cleaning protocols, leave provisions for employees who come in close contact with an individual who tests positive, and what Metro’s financial future looks like.
Following the town hall, all employees received an email message from the Metro Board of Directors thanking them for their service.
“Metro’s workforce of 12,000 talented individuals not only keeps the region moving, they are also our neighbors and friends, with the same concerns and family pressures we all have right now,” Metro Board Chair Paul Smedberg said. “Yet you have worked around the clock to deliver medical professionals, first responders, food service workers, and people who need rides to the supermarket, to their destinations. Metro employees are fulfilling our important public mission, and we salute and appreciate you.”
Despite concerns about childcare, pre-existing health conditions, and other family and economic pressures created by the virus, Metro employees have continued to provide essential bus, rail, and paratransit service for the national capital region.
Administrator
Posted 02 April 2020 - 08:24 PM
WMATA news release
For immediate release: April 2, 2020Weekend: Metro to again run limited bus, rail service for essential travel only
As it has the past two weekends, Metro will operate significantly reduced rail and bus service on Saturday, April 4 and Sunday, April 5, maintaining a core network of 27 “lifeline” bus routes and providing twice-hourly rail service on all lines for the region’s essential travel need.
STAY-AT-HOME ORDERS IN EFFECT: Anyone using Metro should travel only if absolutely necessary for essential purposes as stipulated under stay-at-home Executive Orders in effect throughout the Metro service area. Essential travel includes first responders, hospital staff, critical government employees, grocery and pharmacy workers, and others who must work during the public health emergency. Unless traveling for an essential purpose, you are urged to stay at home.
If you are feeling sick, do not use Metro or any other form of public transportation. Instead, call your doctor before leaving your home to discuss appropriate transportation.
Customers traveling this weekend should allow wait times of up to 30 minutes between buses and trains on the same line. With weekend ridership down more than 90 percent on rail and more than 70 percent on bus since Metro first began urging the public to limit travel to essential trips, this level of service provides adequate space for proper social distancing, while also reducing the public exposure of Metro’s frontline employees.
On Saturday, April 4, and Sunday, April 5, service will operate as follows:
Metrorail:
• Hours: 8 a.m. – 11 p.m.
• Service: Trains run every 20 minutes on Red Line, every 30 minutes on all other lines. Stations served by multiple lines have more frequent service.
• Stations: 19 of Metro’s 91 rail stations are closed until further notice.
• Boarding Change: First and last cars of all trains are closed to the public for the protection of train operators and other essential Metro staff. All trains are 8 cars in length. Use cars 2-7 and maintain social distancing while aboard the train.
Metrobus:
Snipped for brevity; see release.
Hospital Shuttles: New shuttles using MetroAccess vans will be available to all customers connecting three rail stations with hospitals from 8 a.m. through 11 p.m. to match the rail schedule.
Sibley Hospital
Shuttle from: Friendship Heights Station
Transfer location: Bus Bay G, Stop #2001506
Georgetown University Hospital
Shuttle from: Dupont Metro (Q Street)
Transfer location: Bus Stop #1003746
Prince George’s Hospital
New Carrollton (South Side)
Bus Bay A, Stop #3003032
MetroAccess: All subscription trips remain canceled. Please limit travel to only the most essential trips.
About Metro’s Response
Metro’s Pandemic Task force continues to monitor the COVID-19 health emergency around the clock and will take any necessary action to protect the health and safety of Metro’s employees, customers and the community. Metro is currently operating at Phase 3 of its Pandemic Flu Plan, the highest level of response. While Metro makes every effort to provide the public with as much notice as possible, due to the ongoing emergency, it may be necessary to modify or suspend service with little or no advance notice to protect the health and safety of employees, customers and the public. All essential travelers are advised to sign up for MetroAlerts at wmata.com/alerts or follow us on Twitter @Metrorailinfo @Metrobusinfo for notification of service changes.
Learn more at wmata.com/covid-19
Administrator
Posted 03 April 2020 - 05:48 PM
WMATA press release
For immediate release: April 3, 2020Metro to further reduce service hours starting Monday: Rail to close at 9 p.m. nightly, Bus service ends at 11 p.m.
As part of its ongoing efforts to limit frontline transit workers’ exposure to the public during the ongoing COVID-19 emergency, Metro’s Pandemic Task Force will further reduce rail and bus hours, starting Monday, April 6, 2020.
Metrorail will close at 9 p.m. every day:
Mon-Fri: Open 5AM Close 9PM
Sat-Sun: Open 8AM Close 9PM
Metrobus service also will end earlier each day, with the last trips departing at or before 11 p.m. Buses that enter service at or before 11 p.m. will continue to the end of the route before going out of service.
The decision to end service earlier reflects a significant drop-off in ridership since Metro began asking riders to limit use of the system to “essential trips only” to enhance safety for employees and individuals who must travel during the COVID-19 public health emergency. Earlier this week, the Mayor of Washington, D.C., Muriel Bowser, joined Maryland Governor Larry Hogan and Virginia Governor Ralph Northam in signing Executive Orders directing their residents to stay at home, except for essential travel.
Metro’s ridership drop-off has been particularly acute after 9 p.m. The shorter service hours will allow frontline transit workers—who have been serving the public without interruption— to spend more time with their families, all while reducing their exposure to the public.
As a reminder, the health and safety of our community depends on everyone doing their part by staying at home, limiting close contact and maintaining social distancing practices. Metro is encouraging anyone using the system to closely follow CDC guidance. Riders may use face masks, scarves, bandannas, or other material to cover their mouth and nose.
STAY-AT-HOME ORDERS IN EFFECT: Anyone using Metro should travel only if absolutely necessary for essential purposes as stipulated under stay-at-home Executive Orders in effect throughout the Metro service area. Essential travel includes first responders, hospital staff, critical government employees, grocery and pharmacy workers, and others who must work during the public health emergency. Unless traveling for an essential purpose, you are urged to stay at home.
If you are feeling sick, do not use Metro or any other form of public transportation. Instead, call your doctor before leaving your home to discuss appropriate transportation.
SPECIAL SCHEDULES (starting April 6)
Metrorail
Mon-Fri 5 a.m. – 9 p.m. Trains every 20 min/line (15 min on Red Line)
Sat-Sun 8 a.m. – 9 p.m. Trains every 30 min/line (20 min on Red Line)
• 19 rail stations are closed (no alternate transportation provided)
• Each train’s first and last cars are out of service to protect train operators
Metrobus
Mon-Fri Buses operate using a Modified Sunday Schedule. Please consult wmata.com to check weekday bus routes to make sure your bus is running. Buses will run at Sunday service levels. No service after 11 p.m.
Sat-Sun Buses service on 27 routes only. Check weekend bus routes before traveling. No service on other routes. Buses will run every 30 minutes. No service after 11 p.m.
MetroAccess: All subscription trips remain canceled. Please limit travel to only the most essential trips.
About Metro’s Response
Metro’s Pandemic Task force continues to monitor the COVID-19 health emergency around the clock and will take any necessary action to protect the health and safety of Metro’s employees, customers and the community. Metro is currently operating at Phase 3 of its Pandemic Flu Plan, the highest level of response. While Metro makes every effort to provide the public with as much notice as possible, due to the ongoing emergency, it may be necessary to modify or suspend service with little or no advance notice to protect the health and safety of employees, customers and the public. All essential travelers are advised to sign up for MetroAlerts at wmata.com/alerts or follow us on Twitter @Metrorailinfo @Metrobusinfo for notification of service changes.
Learn more at wmata.com/covid-19
Administrator
Posted 15 April 2020 - 07:12 AM
WMATA web page, posted 4/14/20
Customers should wear cloth face coverings on Metro
Your safety and well-being, and the safety and well-being of our frontline employees, is our top priority. With that in mind, Metro is requesting that all customers follow recently updated CDC guidance by wearing a cloth face covering while traveling on Metro. Specifically, the use of cloth face coverings is strongly encouraged aboard all buses, trains, and MetroAccess vehicles, as well as in rail stations, bus terminals and other transit facilities.
The use of simple, homemade cloth face coverings can help slow the spread of the virus and help people who have the virus but don’t know it avoid transmitting it to others. Cloth face coverings can be made from everyday household items at low cost.
How to make a homemade cloth face covering
The CDC now recommends wearing cloth face coverings in public settings where other social distancing measures are difficult to maintain (e.g. grocery stores and pharmacies), especially in areas of significant community-based transmission. Some jurisdictions served by Metro require the use of face coverings in public settings.
While the use of cloth face coverings is strongly encouraged on Metro, you will not be denied transportation if you refuse to wear one. The same guidance applies to Metro employees, who are encouraged to wear face coverings, but are not required to do so. Also, face coverings are not provided by Metro, so please plan ahead. Keep in mind that many essential businesses, such as grocery stores, already require the use of face coverings in order to enter their business.
Administrator
Posted 17 April 2020 - 08:12 AM
WTOP radio 4/15/20
Pandemic rider drop creates path to speed Silver Line extension work
Stay-home orders, and progress on software safety concerns, could help speed up work on the Silver Line extension to Dulles International Airport, since Metro now appears to be open to a complete multiweek shutdown of the Wiehle-Reston East station.
Metro, which will run the extension, and the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority, which is responsible for building it, now have documentation in hand and plan to have joint meetings next week to resolve any remaining issues so that testing can move forward, Airports Authority Vice President Charles Stark said Wednesday.
“The best part of that situation is that due to the extreme lack of ridership at Wiehle Ave., the ridership is down to approximately 350 people a day. WMATA is favorably looking at doing a complete shutdown for two to three weeks instead of 15 to 16 weekend shutdowns. . . .
Cross-posted: MWAA-WMATA: Silver Line Phase 2 likely opening 2nd Qtr 2021
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