Maria Leaf
WMAL.com

Metro’s pandemic task force has announced it’s going to close 17 additional stations and selected entrances due to a 90 percent drop in riders.

17 more stations will close starting on Thursday. Smithsonian and Arlington Cemetery closed last week. The 19 stations will remain closed until further notice.

Here’s the complete statement from Metro:

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.

Copyright 2020 by WMAL.com. All Rights Reserved. PHOTO: Pixabay