WASHINGTON — The longest scheduled round-the-clock Metro track work zone runs six weeks, from Sept. 15 to Oct. 26, and will force many Orange Line riders to change their commutes or face significantly more crowding and waiting than usual.
The work
Metro is working to repair badly deteriorated tracks between West Falls Church and Vienna, which will lead to scheduled service at Vienna and Dunn Loring only every 24 minutes in either direction.
Riders who still use one of the two stations will need to transfer to and from a shuttle train at West Falls Church to connect to regularly scheduled Orange Line trains between West Falls Church and New Carrollton.
Some trains will run back and forth to Vienna very late at night.
Metro riders who typically use Orange Line stations between West Falls Church and New Carrollton can expect the same service as a typical weekday, but the rush-hour schedule is less than one quarter of the usual service at Vienna and Dunn Loring, where trains can be crowded even on a typical day.
On several weekends during the six-week work zone, there will be additional shutdowns so crews can replace crumbling crossovers, where trains switch from one track to another. In July a train derailed near East Falls Church at a track crossover.
These stations will be closed during specific weekends:
- Sept. 24-25 and Oct. 1-2 — Vienna, Dunn Loring and West Falls Church
- Oct. 8-9 and Oct. 15-16 — Vienna and Dunn Loring
During all weekend shutdowns, shuttle buses will be available. Separate weekend work will impact other lines each weekend as well.
The workarounds
The most straightforward workaround is for riders who typically get dropped off at Vienna or Dunn Loring. They should get dropped off at a different station that is scheduled to have normal rush-hour service, which will be all other Metro stations.
Riders who drive to Vienna or Dunn Loring have several options besides battling traffic and paying for parking downtown for six weeks.
In addition to the shuttle train between Vienna, Dunn Loring and West Falls Church, Metro plans to run shuttle buses between Vienna and West Falls Church. Those buses will run only during rush hour (5-9 a.m. and 3-8 p.m) and will not stop at Dunn Loring.
On a typical day, there are about 800 open parking spaces at West Falls Church. Others may choose to drive to Franconia-Springfield; one of the Manassas line Virginia Railway Express commuter rail stations, such as Burke Centre; or a park-and-ride to catch a regular or commuter bus.
In addition to regularly scheduled Loudoun County Transit, Potomac and Rappahanock Transportation Commission and Fairfax Connector routes, there are additional rush-hour buses between Vienna and the Pentagon during this work zone.
Special Fairfax Connector routes run to the Pentagon from 5:40 a.m. to 8:12 a.m. and from the Pentagon from 3:20 p.m. to 6:20 p.m. This costs $4.
Other alternatives include the Metrobus 1A between Vienna and Ballston, the 1B or 2A between Dunn Loring, East Falls Church and Ballston, and the 2B between Dunn Loring and Vienna. Regular bus routes cost $1.75.
Metrobus also plans extra 5A buses between the Herndon-Monroe Park and Ride and L’Enfant Plaza during the work. Those additional buses, like the full 5A route that connects to Dulles International Airport, charge the $7 airport express fare.
Metro riders who live close to Vienna or Dunn Loring could also consider biking along the Washington & Old Dominion trail to West Falls Church, Arlington or D.C.
Other riders could carpool and take advantage of HOV lanes, such as those on Interstate 66 or the toll lanes on the Capital Beltway.
