The Montgomery County Department of Transportation (MCDOT) is offering travel alternatives for the upcoming summer Metro Red Line closures starting Monday, July 6, through Sunday, Sept. 6. During this time, Metro trains will not operate between the North Bethesda and Friendship Heights stations and will be replaced with free shuttle service.
The Red Line closure will allow Metro to complete improvement projects, including the construction of a new mezzanine at the Bethesda station to connect Metro Rail with the Purple Line Light Rail. Metro will also perform necessary state-of-good-repair maintenance at the Medical Center and Grosvenor-Strathmore stations to prevent additional future shutdowns. Riders can find more project details and updates on the Metro Summer 2026 Construction web page.
The Maryland Department of Transportation State Highway Administration (MDOT SHA) is installing 7.5 miles of bus-only lanes along portions of Rockville Pike/MD 355 to prioritize buses and reduce shuttle travel times, so riders can continue relying on transit during the Red Line closures.
The bus lanes will go into effect on Monday, July 6 for the duration of the Red Line station closures. During this period, commuters in cars will not be able to use the bus lanes from 6:30 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. Monday through Saturday.
No parking will be allowed at any time in the bus lanes during the closure. MCDOT will begin bagging parking meters along the bus lanes starting on or after July 2 and parking restrictions will go into effect on July 6.
The northern bus lane segment (north of I-495 to Marinelli Road) will be evaluated to determine if sections should be considered for permanent dedicated bus lanes. Data will be published, and input from residents, businesses and others will inform future decisions. The southern bus lane segment (Woodmont Avenue to Western Avenue) will not be considered for long-term use because the level of bus service is insufficient to warrant consideration of permanent bus lanes.
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Riders can plan their trips using the free Ride On Trip Planner app. Details on Metro’s shuttles and travel alternatives during the Red Line closures are listed below. Ride On bus routes connecting riders to the east arm of the Red Line, which is operating on a normal schedule throughout the summer, can also be found on the Ride On Glenmont Express web page.
Red Line Free Shuttles
- Metro Local Shuttle – All Stops (Free/ADA Accessible): Service to stops at North Bethesda, Grosvenor-Strathmore, Medical Center, Bethesda, and Friendship Heights.
- Operating Schedule: Daily during regular Metro Rail operating hours.
- Frequency: Every 5 to 8 minutes.
- Service Details: Operates along MD 355 between the North Bethesda and Friendship Heights Metro Rail stations, using the 7.5 miles of dedicated bus lanes, where available. The average travel time between stops is approximately 10 minutes.
- Metro Express Shuttle (Free/ADA Accessible): Direct, non-stop service running between North Bethesda and Friendship Heights.
- Operating Schedule: Daily during regular Metro Rail operating hours.
- Frequency: Every 5 to 8 minutes.
- Service Details: Operates along MD 355 between the North Bethesda and Friendship Heights Metro Rail stations, using the 7.5 miles of dedicated bus lanes, where available. Average travel time is approximately 26 minutes.
Free parking will be available at the North Bethesda and Grosvenor-Strathmore Metro stations.
Red Line Travel Alternatives
For some passengers traveling into Washington, D.C., connecting to the Red Line Metro stations on the east arm of the Red Line, where Metro Rail will be running regular hours, may be a better alternative.
Ride On will operate a shuttle to the east arm of the Metro Rail Red Line:
- Ride On Glenmont Express Shuttle (Free/ADA Accessible): Service to Milestone Park-and-Ride Lot, Shady Grove Metro Station, and Glenmont Metro Station.
- Operating Schedule: Weekdays, peak hours. Monday through Friday from 6-9 a.m. and from 3-7 p.m.
- Frequency: Every 40 minutes.
- Service Details: Average travel time is approximately 20 minutes between stops.
Additional Ride On and Metro Bus routes connecting to the east arm of the Red Line:
From Shady Grove Metro Station:
- To: Glenmont Metro Station
- Routes: Ride On (Glenmont Express, Route 53)
From Rockville Metro Station:
- To: Wheaton Metro Station
- To: Glenmont Metro Station
From Twinbrook Metro Station:
- To: Silver Spring Metro Station (Metro and MARC)
- Routes: Ride On (Route 5)
From North Bethesda Metro Station:
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- To: Silver Spring Metro Station (Metro and MARC)
- Routes: Ride On (Route 5)
- To: Glenmont Metro Station
- Routes: Ride On (Route 26)
- To: Wheaton Metro Station
- Routes: Ride On (Route 38)
From Grosvenor-Strathmore Metro Station:
- To: Wheaton Metro Station
- Routes: Ride On (Route 37)
From Medical Center Metro Station:
- To: Glenmont Metro Station
- Routes: Ride On (Route 33)
- To: Wheaton Metro Station
- Routes: Ride On (Route 34)
From Bethesda Metro Station:
- To: Wheaton Metro Station
- Routes: Ride On (Route 34)
- Routes: Metrobus (Route M22)
- To: Silver Spring Metro Station (Metro and MARC)
- Routes: Metrobus (Route M70)
From Friendship Heights Metro Station:
- To: Silver Spring Metro Station (Metro and MARC)
Visit the Glenmont Express Shuttle website with the listing of additional Ride On routes. A reminder that all Ride On buses are zero fare for all riders.
MARC has additional resources and information, including discounted fares from Rockville and Garrett Park to Silver Spring and Union Station during the Red Line closure, available online.
MCDOT is offering a limited number of free 30‑day Capital Bikeshare memberships for eligible residents within three miles of the impacted stations. Qualifying residents can apply online for the free membership.
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Read the original article at mcdot