What to Know
- Speed restriction around McPherson Square may result in delays of 15-20 minutes for the rest of the week.
- The FTA has also put speed and acceleration restrictions on 3 large sections of Metrorail until further notice.
- Trains will leave stations more slowly and will travel no more than 45 mph in 3 areas.
Speed restrictions are in place along four segments of Metrorail -- and the restrictions in three of those areas will continue indefinitely, a WMATA spokesman said Monday.
FTA Restrictions in 3 Large Stretches of Track
First, the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) has put speed and acceleration restrictions on three large sections of Metrorail until further notice.
Trains will leave stations more slowly and will travel no more than 45 mph in the following areas:
- Red Line between Grosvenor and Dupont Circle
- Orange Line between Rosslyn and Minnesota Avenue
- Silver and Blue lines between Rosslyn and Benning Road
Metro said the restrictions will be done for safety reasons "to reduce the electrical power draw by trains," according to a press release.
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Metro spokesman Dan Stessel said the restrictions will be in place until the FTA feels comfortable that the rail system can handle its previous level of power.
Stessel said he doesn't expect those restrictions to have much of an effect on travel.
Speed Restriction Also in Place at McPherson Square Through Friday
In addition, a speed restriction is in effect for the inbound Orange, Silver and Blue lines around the McPherson Square station -- and it may result in delays of 15-20 minutes for the rest of the week.
Crews are working to repair a rail in a tight curve there, but Stessel said the repairs are being performed as maintenance by Metro and were not mandated by the FTA.
The speed restriction in this area will mainly affect riders on the inbound track, in the direction of New Carrollton and Largo. The work is expected to be completed Friday.
The outbound track is not affected by this work.
More Changes Coming to Metrorail
The service chance is just one of many coming to Metrorail. Starting June 3, Metrorail service will end every day at midnight. Trains currently run until 3 a.m. Friday and Saturday nights.
And Metro has had to push back the rollout of its SafeTrack repair plan after the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) demanded other immediate fixes first. The FTA said Metro must make immediate repairs to certain sections of track on the Red, Blue, Orange and Silver lines before beginning the SafeTrack plan.
When it does launch, Metro's SafeTrack plan will focus on repairing certain parts of its system, which will lead to single-tracking and shutdowns in some areas over the next year.
