Water main break suspends service on Metro's Blue, Orange, Silver lines
UPDATE 12/16/14, 8:40 a.m.: Silver, Orange and Blue line service is restored between McPherson Square and L'Enfant Plaza. Expect residual delays in both directions.
EARLIER: WASHINGTON -- A water main break is causing major delays on Metro's Blue, Orange and Silver lines Tuesday morning, and service suspension is expected to last until about 9:30 a.m.
Service is suspended on Metro's Blue, Orange and Silver lines between McPherson Square and L'Enfant Plaza because of the break at 12th and F streets near Metro Center. Service suspension on the three lines affects tens of thousands of commuters.
Metro advises customers to consider alternate travel options.
'There is going to be no way to sugar coat this -- you're going to want to seek alternate travel options if your travel takes you anywhere on the Blue, Orange or Silver lines [Tuesday] morning,' Metro Spokesman Dan Stessel says.
Earlier Tuesday, Stessel said the rail suspension could last through the day, but updated the estimate at about 8:30 a.m., saying rail service could be restored 'in the next hour.'
The rails are submerged at the stations, Stessel says. When the main broke, water entered from the 12th and F streets' entrance and flowed through the station, causing the rails to be underwater.
Metro says there could be delays and crowding through the entire Metro system. Service on the Yellow, Green and Red lines is operating normally, Stessel says.
Also, road closures because of the water main break are causing delays above ground. In Northwest D.C., 12th Street is closed between E and F streets.
D.C. Water says the 12th Street closure will last until about 6 p.m. while repairs are being made.
Metro says it will attempt to provide bus service, 'but it will take hundreds of buses in the height of rush hour to replicate that level of service that would normally be operating on Metro rail,' Stessel says.
Some Metro passengers at FarragutW happy w quick shuttle service #WTOP http://ift.tt/1A46IYf
- Kristi King (@kingWTOP) December 16, 2014
Crews are working to pump the water out of the stations. The 12-inch water main that broke was installed in 1953. Two buildings in downtown D.C. are without water Tuesday morning.
The damage caused by the water main break has not yet been determined, Stessel adds.
Earlier, Metro suspended service between Farragut West and Metro Center, but extended the suspension at about 8 a.m.
@WTOP @WTOPtraffic Many exit/entrances are also closed to the public in metro center#NightmareCommute #WMATA http://ift.tt/1wFfzNt
- Chang (@Changize) December 16, 2014
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