By Cody Mello-Klein | cmelloklein@alextimes.com
With four weeks left in the city’s summer-long, $200 million Metro platform reconstruction project, the Washington Metropolitan Transit Authority has provided an update on the project that closed the six Metro stations south of Reagan National Airport.
According to the Aug. 8 update, the project is on schedule for the planned Sept. 9 reopening of the Metro stations – if a major storm or heat wave doesn’t cause any delays.
“We’re 30 days out [and] our contractor is doing a fantastic job,” Metro General Manager Paul Wiedefeld told the Washington Post. “If anything happens — we get a major storm or some- thing — that could obviously knock this off.”
Construction crews have already finished demolishing old tile, pouring concrete for platform edges and waterproofing and putting in granite edges at all six platforms south of Reagan National Airport, according to the announcement on WMATA’s website.
There is still plenty of work to do in the remaining four weeks of the shutdown. Workers are still installing conduits and wiring for electricity and communication networks and finishing fire standpipes on the platforms, according to the up- date.
Crews will also continue to test additions to the stations including new LED lighting, passenger information displays, PA systems, cameras and fire alarms over the next four weeks. Each station is undergoing its own level of work, according to the announcement.
At the Eisenhower Avenue Station, work on the station’s canopy has been completed, while crews continue to install slip-resistant tile, renovate elevators and repair track beds.
Crews are installing platform shelters, pylons and lighted handrails at the Franconia-Springfield Station, as work on the pedestrian bridge, elevators and restrooms nears completion.
Skylight frames and glass panels are complete at the Huntington Station, and construction crews are now installing slip-resistant tile and shelters on the platform.
At the King Street-Old Town Station, frames and skylights across the station’s canopies, as well as slip-resistant tiles, have been installed. Work continues on new lighting and new tiling in the mezzanine area.
Work crews have installed platform canopy framing, skylights, bathroom fixtures and intercom system boxes at the Van Dorn Street Station. Over the next four weeks, crews will continue constructing platform shelters, installing mezzanine ceiling panels and renovating the elevators.