WASHINGTON – Metro’s Silver Line is on target to open July 26 and while some riders will see the benefits of an extra line, others will see fewer trains.
Next Sunday, Metro will start simulated testing the Silver Line on its soon to be regular commuting schedule. As part of that, two trains will be transferred from the Blue Line to the Yellow Line.
So when the Silver line is officially up and running on July 26, some riders will see more trains, some fewer.
“If you’re a Blue Line rider traveling from Pentagon or south to Franconia- Springfield and heading to Rosslyn, you’ll actually see a service reduction because of those two trains that are Blue line that’ll be switched over to Yellow line,” says Dan Stessel, spokesman for the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority.
For most riders, the expansion will make for a faster commute.
“Anywhere in center core of system, you’ll see more frequent service even during off peak times,” Stessel says.
Five new stations will be part of the Silver Line starting July 26, but once the entire line is up and running it will be a 20 percent expansion of Metro’s system, Stessel says.
Riders can plan their commutes on any line, but specifically given the updates to the Silver and Blue lines on Metr o’s Trip Planner if they enter a travel date on or after July 26.
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