Tim Bracken, wtop.com
WASHINGTON – The good news about this Labor Day weekend is that major construction zones will be lifted in Virginia and Maryland. Metro travelers won’t get a break, though. Expect delays on the Red, Orange, and Blue lines.
The Metro track work could cause delays for those headed to the Nationals baseball games, so be sure to check WMATA.com for service delay updates before you head out.
If you’re traveling over the holiday weekend, give yourself plenty of extra time, monitor traffic reports and plan an alternate route ahead of time.
Keep in mind that the Grand Prix is under way in Baltimore, and could cause delays on Interstate 95 near the city due to downtown street closures.
Another hotspot for traffic headaches is the I-95 corridor in Virginia. Unfortunately, the only real alternative for delays south of the Capital Beltway is Route 1, which stacks up quickly whenever a new incident occurs.
On Monday, HOV restrictions will be lifted in Virginia.
If you’re staying home for the weekend, there are lots of cool events, including Abbey Road on the River, a new exhibit opening at the National Zoo and the D.C. Blues Festival.
Other transit
MARC and VRE trains will not run Sunday.
Other area transit systems will follow their regular Sunday schedules.
Parking
Montgomery County, Alexandria, Arlington and the District are offering free parking at metered spaces.
However DC Parking Enforcement will be ticketing in the area around Nationals Park.
Metro track work
Previously scheduled closures on the Green and Yellow lines may have been cancelled, but the rest of the Metro rail system will be in for big delays this weekend. Here’s the update from Metro:
Red Line
- Trains will single-track between Rhode Island Avenue and Fort Totten.
- Throughout the weekend, Red Line trains will operate between Shady Grove and Glenmont every 15 minutes in each direction.
- On Saturday and Sunday between 9:30 a.m. and 9 p.m., additional trains will operate between Shady Grove and NoMa-Gallaudet U stations, providing service an average of every seven to eight minutes between these stations.
Orange Line
- Trains will single-track between between Stadium-Armory and Cheverly.
- Throughout the weekend, Orange Line trains will operate every 20 minutes in each direction.
Blue Line
- Trains will single-track between Arlington Cemetery and Foggy Bottom.
- Throughout the weekend, Blue Line trains will operate every 20 minutes in each direction.
Metro hours for the holiday weekend
- Friday, Aug. 31 – 5 a.m. until 3 a.m.
- Saturday, Sept. 1 – 7 a.m. until 3 a.m.
- Sunday, Sept. 2 – 7 a.m. until midnight
- Monday, Sept. 3 (Labor Day) – 7 a.m. until midnight
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