Baltimore’s entire Metro SubwayLink system will remain closed for a month, the Maryland Transit Administration announced Sunday, after safety inspections showed sections of track needed emergency repairs that couldn’t wait until this summer.
Gov. Larry Hogan has set aside $2.2 million in emergency funding to run free coach buses for passengers along the subway’s route in addition to the normal MTA bus routes, the MTA said Sunday.
The MTA shut the system down on Friday for a safety evaluation after discovering an urgent need for repairs on sections of the aboveground northwest leg of the systembetween the Owings Mills and West Cold Spring stations. Sunday’s decision expanded the closing to the entire system, which has 14 stations and more than 40,000 riders on a typical weekday.
“While I understand the inconvenience, safety will always be our top priority,” MTA CEO Kevin Quinn said Sunday. “We don’t take any risks with our riders.”