Repairs to cracks in the ceiling of the Farragut North Metrorail station were slated to begin early Wednesday, after work was postponed for a week until Metro could track down equipment to shore up the structure.
Yet the train platform has remained accessible — and will continue to be — for riders entering the Red Line station from L Street Northwest in downtown Washington, according to Metro.
Spokesman Steven Taubenkibel said the agency has no plans to close the station entrance or platform during the repairs, saying it is safe for riders. The repairs are not expected to disrupt train service. He said work was slated to begin overnight before train service resumed at 5 a.m. Wednesday, then continue during weeknights.
Metro had found the ceiling cracks last Tuesday after one worker noticed a dislodged ceiling tile during an inspection. When workers removed the tile, they found a series of major cracks in the ceiling above the train platform, including one that stretches 15 feet by 4 feet. A smaller crack also extends over the train tracks.
It was not clear what caused the cracks. But the station was among the first opened back in 1976, and officials believe the concrete may be part of the original construction.
Initially, Metro officials had said they would begin work immediately, with crews working through the long Thanksgiving weekend. They immediately blocked off the area directly beneath the cracks with about 20 feet of plywood along the platform and a barricade around the wood.
But Taubenkibel said they soon realized they needed extra equipment to support the ceiling before work could begin. It was difficult to obtain the equipment from contractors over the holiday, he said.
Metro initially estimated it could take two weeks to fix, but officials still need to assess the total damage to the ceiling and what has caused it. “They’ll need to get in and take a look,” Taubenkibel said.
It is the latest unexpected problem — and expense — for the transit agency. It is still not clear how much the ceiling will cost to repair.
