Metro officials are asking for the patience of Blue Line riders in Virginia and Washington as weekend delays and interruptions are expected to continue through October, officials said Thursday.

Weekend customers along the three-station corridor between the Franconia-Springfield and King Street stations have been shifted, rerouted and single tracked for the past two months to make room for a major track rehabilitation project.

Charles Dziduch, Metro’s Blue and Orange Line Service Director, said the project is nearly half-way complete and is on schedule.

“We recognize this maintenance work may be an inconvenience, especially on the weekends,” Dziduch said. “As this work continues, we want our passengers to know how much we appreciate their cooperation and patience while this work continues.”

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Metro spokesman Steven Taubenkibel said while inconvenient, the weekend hours are the best time because ridership is lighter, compared to a typical weekday when ridership is nearly three times higher.

Metro is replacing 13,700 fasteners, rectangular shaped metal plates that help hold the rail in place and 6,600 railroad ties, which support the train’s load, as well as anchor the track system. Dziduch said once the project is completed, tentatively scheduled for mid-October, riders will notice a much smoother ride.

Ridership along the nearly eight-mile stretch has dipped an estimated 20 percent since construction began in mid-July, according to Metro statistics. Ridership at the Franconia Station alone has dipped nearly 11 percent from the same period last year. Passengers using the Blue Line on the Virginia side of the rail system this weekend should plan to add 35 minutes to trip

mrupert@dcexaminer.com