Metro Closes 3 Red Line Stations for 2 Months, Adding 20-25 Minutes to Commutes

Q: Are the new bus lanes on Route 355 a temporary solution or the first step in permanently reclaiming road space from cars?

Mostly temporary, with a limited test for possible permanence. The Route 355 bus lanes were installed to move Red Line replacement shuttles during the two-month shutdown between North Bethesda, Grosvenor-Strathmore, Medical Center and Bethesda. For now, they are clearly tied to that emergency transit need: the lanes operate during the closure period, and the southern segment through downtown Bethesda is expected to end when rail service returns on Sept. 6. What makes this more than a purely short-term traffic measure is that officials plan to study part of it. The northern segment, generally north of the Beltway toward Marinelli Road, will be evaluated for whether dedicated bus lanes should remain in some form. State and local transportation agencies have said they will review data such as bus speed, reliability, safety, and impacts on general traffic, and they expect community and business input before any longer-term decision. That means this is not yet a firm move to permanently take road space from cars across Route 355. It is better understood as a temporary shutdown response that also doubles as a pilot on one section. The southern lanes are not being considered for long-term use because officials say bus volumes there do not justify permanent dedication. So the answer is mixed: the current lanes are mainly temporary, but the northern stretch could become an early test case for a more lasting bus-priority approach if the data supports it.

3 articles · Updated · WJLA · Jul 6

Three Red Line stations—Grosvenor-Strathmore, Medical Center and Bethesda—closed July 6 and will stay shut until Sept. 6, with Metro warning riders to expect 20 to 25 extra minutes.
Multiple construction projects drove the shutdown: crews are building a Bethesda mezzanine for Purple Line access, rebuilding the Grosvenor platform and repairing a rail bridge over Route 355.
Shuttle buses are replacing trains every five to eight minutes, with express service from North Bethesda to Friendship Heights and local buses serving all three closed stations.
Route 355 is also affected, with 7.5 miles of bus-only lanes enforced Monday through Saturday from 6:30 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. to speed the shuttles.
Metro is offering free parking at North Bethesda and Grosvenor-Strathmore during the closure, while MARC is providing discounts to ease the broader commuting disruption.