Metro To Close 17 More Stations To Stem Spread Of Coronavirus

WASHINGTON, DC — In an effort to protect the health and safety of Metro employees and riders from the new coronavirus, also known as COVID-19, Metro's Pandemic Task Force is closing 17 additional stations beginning Thursday morning, according to a release.

The additional closures will join the Smithsonian and Arlington Cemetery stations that Metro closed last week, bringing the total number of stations closed to 19. All 19 stations will remain closed until further notice.

Although the following stations will be closed, they are located in close proximity to stations that will remain open:

• Federal Center SW - use L’Enfant Plaza or Capitol South
• Federal Triangle – use Metro Center
• Mt Vernon Square, Judiciary Square, Archives – use Gallery Place-Chinatown
• Greensboro – use Spring Hill or Tysons Corner
• Eisenhower Avenue – use King St-Old Town
• Virginia Square – use Ballston
• Cleveland Park – use Woodley Park or Van Ness

Overall Metrorail ridership has decreased 90 percent, the following stations are being closed due to low ridership:

• 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 Street (404 trips yesterday)

These steps will not only help to reduce travel on Metro, they will also help save critical cleaning supplies for the stations that remain open. While Metro has increased its inventory of supplies like hospital-grade disinfectant, wipes and hand sanitizer, suppliers have been experiencing delivery delays. Closing the additional stations will allow Metro to stretch its 2-3 week warehouse supply until an massive order placed in January is fulfilled.

Some stations will be closed to conserve cleaning supplies as well as to provide workforce flexibility. In addition, Metro will be closing the entrance and exits of some stations. This will help reduce the number of entrances requiring cleaning, thereby allowing Metro to reduce staff from 118 to 88.

• Anacostia – Entrance serving parking garage at Howard Road north of the Anacostia Freeway closed; bus bay side open
• Farragut North - Southwest corner of L Street and Connecticut Avenue closed; two other entrances open
• Dupont Circle - South Entrance 19th Street & Connecticut Avenue closed; Q Street (north) entrance open
• Metro Center - 12th & F streets entrance closed; three other entrances open
• Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport - North entrance closed (Terminal C); South station entrance (Terminal B) open
• U Street – Memorial side U Street and Vermont Avenue closed; 13th & U streets entrance open
• Gallery Place - Chinatown - 9th Street and G Street entrance closed; two other entrances open
• L'Enfant Plaza - 7th & D streets entrance closed; Maryland Avenue and 9th & D streets entrances open
• Friendship Heights – Jennifer Street entrance closed; Western Avenue entrance open

Metrorail, Metrobus and MetroAccess are operating limited service and hours for essential trips only.