Metro is recommending to its customers to plan ahead of the major construction on the Blue and Yellow lines on Sept. 10 that will lead to rail service changes in Northern Virginia.
On that day, it will begin work of fixing the aging Yellow Line tunnel and bridge, which would help to open the new Potomac Yard Station.
As a result, six Blue and Yellow line stations south of Ronald Reagan National Airport Station will be closed from Sept. 10 to Oct. 22, and the Yellow Line tunnel and bridge will remain closed for more repairs through May 2023.
That means that Yellow Line service won’t be operating, and that trains will be rerouted through Rosslyn.
Metro said that it will “provide free bus shuttles, free parking, and other convenient travel alternatives, including additional Blue and Green line service to keep customers moving.”
There will be free Metroway bus service and parking at the Franconia-Springfield, Huntington and Van Dorn Street through Oct. 22. The non-rider parking fee will be waived at the Franconia-Springfield station from Sept. 10 until summer 2023. And Virginia Railway Express will over free service in the affected area in September and October.
Here’s more of what you need to know:
How to get around during Phase One (Sept. 10 to Oct. 22)
- Rail service
- No rail service south of Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport Station.
- No Yellow Line service, but Yellow Line stations north of Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport Station will be served by the Blue or Green lines.
- Additional Blue Line service, with trains departing every seven to nine minutes from Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport and New Carrollton stations (every 15 minutes after 9:30 p.m.).
- Blue Line customers traveling between Pentagon and L’Enfant Plaza stations should plan on approximately 15 minutes of extra travel time.
- Green Line trains will operate every eight minutes (every 10 minutes after 9:30 p.m.).
Note: If 7000-series trains remain out of service, trains will operate less frequently
- Free shuttle service
- Seven free shuttles will be offered during Phase One, including local and express shuttles in Virginia and three limited-stop shuttles crossing the Potomac River.
- Local shuttles will be available during all Metrorail operating hours.
- Blue Line local: Local service between Franconia-Springfield, Van Dorn St, King St-Old Town, Braddock Rd, and Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport stations every 10 to 20 minutes.
- Yellow Line local: Local service between Huntington, Eisenhower Avenue, King Street-Old Town, Braddock Road and Crystal City stations every 10 to 15 minutes. Yellow Line shuttles do not stop at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport Station.
- Express shuttles will be available most of the day (from 4:30 a.m. to 9 p.m., 6:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. weekends).
- Blue Line express: Franconia-Pentagon Express service between Franconia-Springfield and Pentagon stations every 6 minutes.
- Yellow Line express: Huntington-Pentagon Express service between Huntington and Pentagon stations every 6 minutes.
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- Limited shuttles will be available during weekday rush hours only.
- VA-DC Shuttle 1: Crystal City-L’Enfant Service between Crystal City, Pentagon City, Smithsonian, and L’Enfant Plaza stations every 12 minutes. Shuttle does not stop at Pentagon Station.
- VA-DC Shuttle 2: Pentagon-Archives Service between Pentagon, Smithsonian, and Archives stations every 12 minutes.
- VA-DC Shuttle 3: Mt. Vernon-Potomac Park (11Y Route) Service between Mt. Vernon, Alexandria, and Potomac Park every 20 minutes. Peak direction service only.
- Limited shuttles will be available during weekday rush hours only.
How to get around during Phase Two (Oct. 23 to May 2023)
- Rail service
- All stations will reopen, and service will resume south of Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport Station.
- All Yellow Line stations will be served by the Blue or Green lines.
- Blue Line trains will operate every 12 minutes between Largo Town Center and Franconia-Springfield stations and every 12 minutes between Huntington and New Carrollton stations (every 15 minutes after 9:30 p.m.).
- Green Line trains will operate every eight minutes (every 10 minutes after 9:30 p.m.).
Note: If 7000-series trains remain out of service, trains will operate less frequently
- Free shuttle service
- Metro will continue to provide three limited-stop shuttles crossing the Potomac River during weekday rush hours only.
- VA-DC Shuttle 1: Crystal City-L’Enfant: Service between Crystal City, Pentagon City, Smithsonian, and L’Enfant Plaza stations every 12 minutes. Shuttle does not stop at Pentagon Station.
- VA-DC Shuttle 2: Pentagon-Archives: Service between Pentagon, Smithsonian, and Archives stations every 12 minutes.
- VA-DC Shuttle 3: Mt. Vernon-Potomac Park (11Y Route): Service between Mt. Vernon, Alexandria, and Potomac Park every 20 minutes. Peak direction service only.
- Metro will continue to provide three limited-stop shuttles crossing the Potomac River during weekday rush hours only.
- Other travel options
- Metroway.
- Virginia Railway Express: Service is available at Franconia-Springfield, King Street-Old Town (VRE Station Alexandria), Crystal City, and L’Enfant Plaza stations.
WTOP’s Matt Small contributed to this story.
