Metro To End Grosvenor Turnback, Make Other Changes To Red Line

ROCKVILLE, MD — Several Montgomery County Metro stations are getting an upgrade. On Tuesday, WMATA announced two improvements to four Red Line stations, which include the addition of a new stairway at Shady Grove in Metro's FY20 capital program and a date to end the "Grosvenor Turnback" service pattern. Getting rid of the "Grosvenor Turnback" will double rush-hour service at four stations, according to Metro officials.

Paul J. Wiedefeld, general manager and CEO of WMATA, said the current service pattern will end on Dec. 17, 2018. The new service pattern will increase the number of Red Line trains running to and from Shady Grove for riders at Rockville, Shady Grove, White Flint, and Twinbrook. Trains will operate every 4 minutes during rush-hour service.

In addition to the new service pattern, Metro explained that the new stairs at Shady Grove will reduce platform congestion.

"The new stairway is needed to ease platform congestion as trains arrive at Shady Grove, primarily during the evening rush hour," Wiedefeld said. "The new stairs will improve platform egress by creating an additional way for customers to exit the station. Today, all customers arriving at Shady Grove by train must make their way to a single descending escalator or use the adjacent existing staircase. It can take several minutes for all passengers of an arriving train to clear the platform."

More information to follow.

Photo by Mark Wilson/Getty Images

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