The WMATA Summer Platform Improvement Project is set to begin next weekend and that means the Blue and Yellow lines south of Reagan National Airport will be shut down May 25 through Sept. 8 for upgrades.
The platforms impacted include Braddock Road, Van Dorn Street, Franconia-Springfield, Eisenhower Avenue, Huntington and King Street-Old Town stations in Alexandria, Virginia.
Alexandria officials went before the City Council on Saturday to provide a final update on the project before construction and share more details about how commuters are likely to be impacted. Yon Lambert, Alexandria’s Director of Transportation, says with the Braddock Road station needing additional work, WMATA has put a more aggressive plan in place.
“WMATA expects that that’s going to mean that they are going to have to work on a 24-hour schedule,” Lambert said.
There have also been some changes to the alternative travel options for commuters.
There will now also be five free express and local shuttles to meet demand. WMATA has added the Landmark Mall to Pentagon shuttle. The King Street Trolley will also run beginning at 9 a.m. on the weekends and beginning at 6:45 a.m. through the week.
Service has also been added to the DASH bus service with peak service mobile fare at $1 on all DASH routes, including the AT3 and AT4.
Metro plans to run shuttles every five minutes during rush hour and every 10 minutes other times. Those shuttles include:
- Express shuttle buses between Franconia-Springfield and Pentagon (starting 15 minutes before the Metro system usually opens, ending 30 minutes after the system usually closes).
- Express shuttle buses between Huntington and Pentagon (starting 15 minutes before the Metro system usually opens, ending 30 minutes after the system usually closes).
- Local shuttle buses between Franconia-Springfield, Van Dorn Street, King Street and Reagan National Airport (No stop at Braddock Road, starts 30 minutes before Metro usually opens, ends 30 minutes after Metro usually closes).
- Local shuttle buses between Huntington, Eisenhower Avenue, King Street, Braddock Road and Crystal City. (No stop at Reagan National, starts 30 minutes before Metro usually opens, ends 30 minutes after Metro usually closes).
The water taxi will also be providing four round-trips from Alexandria to the Wharf, beginning at 6:40 a.m.
With about 700 Metro workers expected to be working throughout the shutdown, Lambert said in an effort to minimize traffic, they will be required to park at the Eisenhower Avenue station and the Huntington garage and use a shuttle to get to work sites.
“Police and parking enforcement have also been made aware where WMATA workers are intending to be parked; they will be stepping up enforcement,” Lambert said.
Residents who need more information are encouraged to contact the DASH customer call center or the city’s 746-HELP customer service number. For specific trip planning request, commuters can call 3274 and WMATA construction or noise complaints, should be directed to the WMATA customer service number at 202-637-7000. There will also be WMATA employees providing assistance at stations during the shutdown.
