Columbia Heights east side escalator replacement to begin April 18

Columbia Heights Pylon

On April 18, Metro will begin installing two new entrance escalators on the east side of Columbia Heights Station, marking the final phase of a major capital project to replace all seven of the station’s escalators. To date, five of the station’s escalators have been replaced with safer, more reliable units. The project will replace the current escalators, which were installed in 1999 and have exceeded their useful life, with brand new escalators that are more durable and reliable. Metro's contractor, KONE, will install the new escalators as part of our ongoing project to replace 128 escalators across the Metrorail system.

How will this work affect my trip?
The east side entrance has two escalators providing access to Columbia Heights station. While the escalators are replaced, customers may use the three available escalators, stairs or elevator, all of which are located on the southwest corner of the 14th/Irving intersection.

How long will the project take?
This escalator replacement is expected to take about 9 months for site preparation, demolition, construction, installation and testing. Temporarily closing the east side entrance allows Metro’s contractor, KONE, to replace two adjacent escalators at the same time, effectively cutting the duration of the project in half.

Columbia Heights Entrance Escalator

How can I stay informed about the project?
We encourage you to sign up for MetroAlerts to receive project updates by email. You can also receive messages alerting you whenever there is a delay or service change. Sign up for free at wmata.com/metroalerts.

Columbia Heights Entrance

Stay informed by visiting this page or calling Customer Service at (202) 637-7000