WASHINGTON — The Veterans Day holiday means changes on the roads and rails across the Washington area.
And with many workers in the private sector still heading to the office, it will be important to pay attention to avoid a serious crash on the roads or to plan ahead for a long wait for a train or bus.
Roads
Because it is a federal holiday, roads that typically reverse at rush hour or shift to add extra lanes will remain in their normal, off-peak configurations.
Michelle Phipps-Evans with the District Department of Transportation says that means that roads like Connecticut Avenue, Canal Road and the Chain Bridge will operate like it is a weekend. Drivers need to be aware that lanes that are normally open during the morning or afternoon rush will not be available.
U.S. Park Police Sgt. Anna Rose says the Rock Creek Parkway will also operate on a weekend traffic pattern all day due to the federal holiday. That means there will be two-way traffic on Rock Creek Parkway, and all entrances and exits will be open all day.
HOV restrictions are lifted for all normal HOV lanes across the region except for in Maryland.
The express lanes on Interstates 95, 395 and 495 also always maintain their requirement that drivers have three or more people in the car and an E-ZPass Flex switched to HOV mode in order to ride free. Drivers willing to pay the toll can use the lanes as usual.
When pointed northbound, the express lanes on I-395 become regular HOV lanes just north of Edsall Road. So all drivers will be able to use the lanes Wednesday between there and the D.C. line whether or not there are three people in the car. Also, all drivers can use the lanes for the trip between the D.C. line to just before Edsall Road when the lanes are pointed south in the afternoon.
Transurban’s Mike McGurk says the company plans to flip the lanes on a usual weekday schedule. The lanes point northbound until about 11 a.m. then southbound from about 1 p.m. to midnight.
Parking
Parking at meters is free on Wednesday, and residential parking restrictions are lifted in D.C. and Alexandria. Two-hour limits in residential zones will not be enforced.
However, the Alexandria Police Department will still enforce no parking zones, loading zones or handicap parking restrictions.
The District Department of Public Works says streetcar parking restrictions along H Street and Benning Road NE will also be enforced.
Parking at public garages, lots and curbside meters is also free Wednesday in Montgomery County, and parking at meters in Arlington is free too.
Parking is free at all Metro-owned lots and garages.
Rush-hour parking restrictions will not be enforced.
Transit
Metrobus is operating on a Saturday supplemental schedule Wednesday.
Metrorail will run on a modified Saturday schedule. Service begins at 5 a.m. and ends at midnight. Metro says riders should expect trains every 6 to 12 minutes during “daytime hours.” Trackwork is scheduled in the middle of the day on the Red Line. Metro will charge off-peak fares all day.
There is no VRE service on Wednesday. Normal service will resume Thursday.
MARC trains on all three lines are running on an “S” schedule Wednesday. MARC had initially planned a weekend schedule on the Penn Line, but added the extra trains of the “S” schedule to provide additional trips between Washington and Baltimore and north to Perryville.
The last train that will leave Union Station for Baltimore departs at 7:40 p.m. The last train from Baltimore to Washington is at 6:25 p.m. Riders from D.C. heading to points north of Baltimore have to catch Train 544 at 6:23 p.m. On the Brunswick Line, the last train leaves Union Station at 6:20 p.m.
MTA Commuter Bus service in Maryland is not operating Wednesday, except for Route 201. The Gaithersburg to BWI Marshall Airport route is running on a weekend/holiday schedule.
Loudoun County commuter bus services and Metro-Connection will run on reduced, special schedules. Loudoun County Transit has no service Wednesday from the St. Andrew, Dulles South, Telos, Ashburn North, CFC or Brambleton park and ride lots. The Ashburn LINK Shuttle will not operate, and there is no midday service from Rosslyn, Crystal City or D.C. to Loudoun County.
PRTC Omniride Commuter Bus and Metro Direct service is running on a modified holiday schedule Wednesday. Omnilink Local Bus and Cross County Connector service are running on regular weekday schedules.
Fairfax Connector will run on a holiday weekday schedule and most routes will operate on a regular weekday schedule. However routes 335, 393, 394, 432, 494, 495, 585, 599, 724, 734 and 985 will not run. Route 980 will run only every 12 to 15 minutes rather than every 6 to 8 minutes.
DASH buses in Alexandria, including the King Street Trolley, will operate on a regular weekday schedule.
CUE Bus in the City of Fairfax will run on a modified weekday schedule.
RideOn in Montgomery County will operate on a holiday schedule. All routes except Route 94 will operate Wednesday, but most lines have less frequent service than a typical weekday and some trips that usually serve federal facilities or schools will skip those stops.
TheBus in Prince George’s County will run on all routes except Route 51, which serves the courthouse, County Administration Building and equestrian center in Upper Marlboro.
The Regional Transportation Agency (RTA) in Prince George’s, Howard and Anne Arundel counties will run on a regular weekday schedule.
TransIT in Frederick County, Maryland, is offering free rides on Veterans Day for riders with a valid military ID. There is no peak-hour Connector service, but all other Connector and Shuttle Bus service will operate on regular schedules. TransIT-plus service is not operating, but Meet-the-MARC shuttle service will meet morning trains 874 and 878 in Point of Rocks. The Walkersville Meet-the-MARC trip scheduled to arrive at the Transit Center at 4:55 a.m. is canceled. In the evening, Meet-the-MARC service will meet trains 871, 873, 877 and 881.
Annapolis Transit is running on a Sunday schedule.
MetroAccess subscription trips are canceled Wednesday. Any riders of the paratransit service who want to make their regular trips must call to make a reservation.
MTA Maryland’s mobility services are honoring subscription trips Wednesday.
