Huntington south entrance escalator replacement project to begin August 19, 2020

Advisory Effective: 8/6/20 - 1/4/21

*Updated 01/04/2021

The Huntington Station south entrance escalator replacement project is completed and the entrance reopened. 

*Updated 10/5/2020

The south bus loop reopened on schedule Monday, October 5, 2020. The Huntington Station south entrance (upper level) remains closed due to the escalator replacement project construction. ADA shuttle buses are being provided between the south and north entrances for affected customers. Parking is available in the north garage and is encouraged. 

*Updated 9/4/2020 

Metro will take advantage of the current period of extremely low ridership to replace three escalators at the Huntington Station south entrance, moving up the project’s start date by one year to reduce customer impact. Construction will begin on Wednesday, August 19, 2020, including the demolition of the existing escalators and will require closure of the south entrance.

How will this work affect my trip?

During construction, the south (upper level) entrance will be closed. Customers will be able to access Huntington Station using the north entrance escalators and elevator and are encouraged to park in the north garage. Metrobus will provide free ADA-accessible shuttles between the north and south entrance, every 10-15 minutes during Metrorail operating hours with the ability to adjust service to meet increased ridership demand if necessary.

Customers parking in the middle garage or transferring to/from buses on the south side of the station should allow extra time to accommodate travel between the north and south entrances, approximately 8-10 minutes. 

The south entrance currently averages about 400 entries on weekdays, a fraction of a typical weekday pre-Covid. Based on the reduced ridership, the north garage can easily accommodate all parking customers. 

As part of the construction, it will be necessary to temporarily close the south bus loop for approximately two weeks beginning September 21.* Buses will be relocated to temporary stops nearby.

How long will the project take?

The escalator replacement is expected to take five months, including site preparation, demolition, construction, installation and testing. The south entrance has three escalators, one standard-width and two narrower single-width, that are more than 37 years old and beyond their useful life. During construction, the escalator trusses will need to be carefully hoisted out and replaced in sections due to the canopy. The existing escalator configuration will also be demolished and reconfigured to install two full-width escalators instead. This will alleviate crowding on the platform when exiting the station caused by the narrower single-width escalators currently operating.

Metro overhauled the south entrance escalators last year to extend their life pending a full replacement during future construction. Due to continued reliability issues, in addition to the age of the units and obsolete parts, Metro accelerated their replacement while ridership is low. 

How can I stay informed on the project?

Customers are encouraged to sign up for MetroAlerts text or email messages for project and service updates at wmata.com/metroalerts.

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