The Maryland Transit Administration (MTA) is preparing for critical maintenance work that will partially shut down the Metro Subway system for 24 days this summer, with officials urging riders to plan ahead and use free shuttle bus service to help get them where they need to go.

From July 22 to August 14, the Reisterstown Plaza, Rogers Avenue and West Cold Spring Metro Subway stations will be completely closed for maintenance of critical components of the rail system. Full service will resume on August 15. Maintenance work will largely include reconstructing three interlockings. During the partial shutdown, the MTA also will perform additional rail replacement, track maintenance, station improvements and cleaning.

“MTA is doing everything it can to minimize the inconvenience our customers will experience during these necessary repairs,” said MTA Deputy Administrator Suhair Al Khatib. “Nothing is more important than our customers’ safety, so we ask our riders to plan ahead while we complete this critical rail work that will enhance the safety, efficiency and reliability of our service.”

From 8 p.m. Friday, July 22, to midnight Sunday, August 14, MTA will provide local and express shuttle buses linking the Metro Subway service from Milford Mill Station south to Mondawmin Station.

Local shuttle buses will stop at each of the affected stations in both directions from Milford Mill station to Mondawmin. Express shuttle service will run directly from Milford Mill to Mondawmin without making any other station stops.

MTA asks customers to plan for up to an additional hour of travel time in both directions. The free shuttle bus service will run at 10-, 20- and 30-minute intervals based on the time of day.