Bus-only lanes to speed up shuttles during Red Line summer construction in Montgomery County

Officials from Metro and the state of Maryland came together today to highlight how temporary, dedicated bus-only lanes along MD 355 (Rockville Pike/Wisconsin Ave) will help customers get to their destinations faster during upcoming summer construction on the Red Line in Montgomery County.

The construction work is scheduled from July 6 – Sept. 6 in support of the Purple Line station integration into Metro’s Bethesda station. The Purple Line is owned by the Maryland Department of Transportation’s Maryland Transit Administration.

Mezzanine construction and other essential track work will require the closure of Grosvenor-Strathmore, Medical Center, and Bethesda stations.

Trains will not run between North Bethesda and Friendship Heights, but free Express and Local shuttle buses using the temporary dedicated lanes will replace train service during that time. Shuttles will run every 5-8 minutes during Metro Rail operating hours.

The Express shuttle will run directly from North Bethesda to Friendship Heights and take an estimated 26 minutes. 

The Local shuttle will make stops at North Bethesda, Grosvenor-Strathmore, Medical Center, Bethesda, and Friendship Heights. Travel time between each station is estimated to take 10 minutes.

The Maryland Department of Transportation State Highway Administration (SHA) is installing nearly 7.5 lane-miles of temporary dedicated bus lanes using lane striping and signs. Eight digital message signs will inform commuters of the bus lane operating hours, which begin July 6. 

Vehicles may not use the bus lanes Mondays through Saturdays from 6:30 a.m. to 9:30 p.m.

“We want to thank the Maryland State Highway Administration, Montgomery County Department of Transportation, and our law enforcement partners for their help in creating and enforcing these bus lanes,” said Metro General Manager and Chief Executive Officer Randy Clarke. “We know construction impacts customer travel, but these temporary dedicated lanes will make sure summer travel on Metro is as easy as possible.”

 “The Maryland Department of Transportation is working to keep people moving along this busy corridor and ease congestion,” said Joe McAndrew, Assistant Secretary at the Maryland Department of Transportation and WMATA Board Member. “With the temporary bus lanes and a MARC Train discount, MDOT is proud to work alongside our partners at Metro and the Montgomery County Department of Transportation to keep our transportation system running safely and reliably.”

More information about the 2026 summer construction can be found on Metro’s project page.

About Metro 

The Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA), known as Metro, is the region’s leading public transportation provider, serving a population of approximately four million people across Washington, D.C., Maryland, and Virginia within a 2,054-square-mile jurisdiction. With a network of six rail lines, 98 stations, 126 bus routes, and a door-to-door paratransit service, Metro is the second busiest transit system in the United States serving 268.9 million trips in 2025 with a $5 billion operating and capital budget. Since 2022, Metro has completed multiple transit-oriented development projects that have brought $15 million in tax revenue to the region from housing, office, and retail space in our community.  Safety and security are core values at Metro. Over 30,000 cameras monitor the system, and Metro currently has the lowest crime rate in history with fare evasion on rail and bus declining. In 2025, the American Public Transportation Association (APTA) named Metro the Transit Agency of the Year in recognition of industry-leading ridership growth, record high customer satisfaction, a newly redesigned Bus network, expanded rail service, and improved customer experience.