Metro To Close Bethesda Stations To Fix Leaks

WASHINGTON (AP) -- Metro officials plan to close three red line stations in Bethesda for 14 weekends in 2016 to repair persistent leaks in the tunnels and to avoid a long-term shutdown of the red line that had been feared.

On Thursday, transit officials proposed shutting down the Grosvenor-Strathmore, Medical Center and Bethesda stations for 14 weekends starting in the summer or fall of 2016 in order to repair near-constant leaking issues.

The transit agency plans to install a precast concrete archway in the tunnel outside the Medical Center station to stop the water leaks.

Metro estimates the project will cost about $12.2 million. Most of the work will happen underground. It will involve installing the concrete archway, power washing the tunnel, sealing minor cracks, replacing rusted equipment and installing a drain pipe.

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