WASHINGTON — Metro riders in Prince George’s County facing significant impacts from the new round-the-clock work zone that starts Monday are not getting the same backup options that riders are being provided with in Fairfax County, Falls Church and Arlington.
“We try and strategically place the bus service where we feel that we have the most impact,” Metro Chief Operating Officer Joe Leader said.
In this case, that means adding additional service on a number of bus routes serving Virginia and offering limited shuttle bus service from Ballston, Virginia Square and Clarendon to Courthouse and Rosslyn on one route and to the Pentagon on another.
Fairfax Connector is also adding additional express service to the Pentagon, including the return of a special Vienna to Pentagon rush hour route that Fairfax County Transportation Director Tom Besiadny said was successful in past surges. He said about 300 people rode the buses each way during previous work zones.
The Prince George’s County Department of Public Works and Transportation said it had no plans to add additional service on TheBus routes.
With no special additions, Maryland commuters who typically use stations serving Orange or Silver lines can consider MARC trains, the Green Line, commuter buses or carpooling. Regional leaders are urging drivers to avoid driving alone since that could lead to even more traffic on major arteries such as Route 50 and the Capital Beltway.
No extra Blue Line service either
With trains for Orange and Silver lines only scheduled every 20 minutes, even during rush hour, several Blue Line riders have asked why Blue Line service will not be increased to deal with expected major crowding downtown.
Leader cited the other area where Blue Line trains share tracks: the segment including the Yellow Line south of Pentagon. “To try and squeeze more trains in there is just very difficult,” he said.
Trains are scheduled approximately every three minutes in that area, which could leave room for a few extra trains if everything is running perfectly smoothly.
Metro has chosen not to disrupt “rush-plus” Yellow Line service between Franconia-Springfield and Greenbelt. Those trains used to be Blue Line trains through Rosslyn until changes that were made as part of preparations to open the Silver Line.
Leader also said Metro will have extra so-called “gap trains” on standby during this track work to help address major crowding on platforms downtown, but said Metro needs half of all regular riders of Orange and Silver lines to find a different way around during this work zone.
