ALEXANDRIA, Va. — The next several weeks will be a big adjustment for people in northern Virginia who rely on services from the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA).
Major construction started on Saturday, Sept 10, that shuts down six Metro stops south of Reagan National Airport for six weeks. The closures are a part of a roughly nine-month project to fix the Yellow Line tunnel and bridge and connect the new Potomac Yard station to the main railway system.
The Yellow Line will stop operating, so Blue or Green lines will serve stations north of the airport.
There will also be an additional Blue Line service.
Metro officials are asking folks who ride the Blue Line between the Pentagon and L'Enfant Plaza stations to expect an additional 15 minutes to their travel time.
WMATA is also offering customers free shuttle services in between stations.
The second phase of the project is scheduled to start by October 23 when stations should reopen.
For more details:
Phase One: Sept. 10 - Oct. 22
- 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 10-20 minutes - Yellow Line Local
Local service between Huntington, Eisenhower Ave, King St-Old Town, Braddock Rd, and Crystal City stations every 10-15 minutes. Yellow Line shuttles do not stop at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport Station
- Blue Line Local
- Express shuttles will be available most of the day (from 4:30 a.m. to 9:00 p.m., 6:30 a.m. to 9:00 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
- Blue Line Express: Franconia-Pentagon
- Limited shuttles will be available during weekday rush hours only.
- VA-DC Shuttle 1: Crystal City-L'Enfant (6:20 a.m. - 9:25 a.m. and 3:20 p.m. - 8:10 p.m.)
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 (6:20 a.m. - 9:30 a.m. and 3:20 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.)
Service between Pentagon, Smithsonian, Archives, & 11th & F Streets NW (near Metro Center) every 12 minutes. - VA-DC Shuttle 3: Mt. Vernon-Potomac Park (former 11Y Route) (5 a.m. - 9:15 a.m. and 3:10 p.m. - 7:30 p.m.)
Service between Mt. Vernon, Alexandria, and Potomac Park every 20 minutes. Peak direction service only.- Peak direction is toward Washington, DC in the morning and toward Virginia in the afternoon
- The shuttle stops at several locations in Alexandria along the George Washington Parkway, including Huntington Point, Franklin Street, King Street, and Pendleton Street. In Washington, D.C., stops are near the McPherson Square Station at 14th and I Streets, NW, and near the Farragut West Station at 19th and I Streets
- VA-DC Shuttle 1: Crystal City-L'Enfant (6:20 a.m. - 9:25 a.m. and 3:20 p.m. - 8:10 p.m.)
Click here for the full list of travel alternatives.