How to get around during the Metro Blue and Yellow Line Shutdown

By Matt Cheng, Northern Virginia Transportation Commission
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From May 25 to September 8, 2019, the WMATA (Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority commonly referred to as Metro) is closing six Metrorail stations south of National Airport to reconstruct outdoor platforms and conduct necessary maintenance.  For the past year, NVTC (Northern Virginia Transit Commission) has been working with WMATA and local jurisdictions to provide additional convenient options for riders to get around this summer, including free shuttles, enhanced Metrobus service, and enhanced local service.
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​Free Shuttles

For riders heading into D.C. or connecting up to Rosslyn, WMATA will run three express shuttles bringing riders directly to the Pentagon. These shuttles will run every 5-10 minutes during commuting hours but less frequently during the midday and evenings.

• Franconia-Pentagon Express Shuttle (Mon-Sun)
• Huntington-Pentagon Express Shuttle (Mon-Sun)
• Landmark-Pentagon Express: (Mon-Fri, 4:45 AM – 8:15 PM)

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Two local shuttles will also help connect riders to destinations in Alexandria and Old Town to the Airport and Crystal City.

• Blue Line Local Shuttle (skips Braddock Road)
• Yellow Line Local Shuttle (skips National Airport)

More information on specific shuttle schedules can be found on WMATA’ webpage and will be available at the affected Metrorail stations.
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Enhanced Metrobus Service

There are also several local services that can connect you to your destinations in Alexandria. Consider taking Metrobus routes such as Metroway or the 10A or 10E that connect you directly to the Crystal City, Pentagon, and Pentagon City area. If you are traveling further from south Alexandria or Mt Vernon on weekdays, you can catch the 11Y directly to L’Enfant Plaza.
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Enhanced Local Service

• Alexandria/DASH bus are offering more service on their AT3, AT4 routes from Old Town to the Pentagon as well as expanded King Street Trolley service to connect travelers to the water taxi service to the D.C. waterfront/wharf.
• Fairfax Connector is offering more trips on its 393/394 express bus services from the Springfield area, specifically Saratoga and Backlick Road Park & Ride lots to the Pentagon.
• OmniRide is offering free shuttles from Prince William County commuter lots to VRE stations as well as its existing commuter services direct trips to D.C., the Pentagon and the Rosslyn-Ballston Corridor.
• The Virginia Railway Express (VRE) stops at Franconia-Springfield, King Street and Crystal City and connects riders directly to L’Enfant Plaza and Union Station. Consider taking a VRE train if you are traveling from Alexandria or Fairfax to Crystal City or D.C. VRE also offers a ‘step-up’ fare that allows you to ride Amtrak trains that also stop at these stations.

Arlington Transit or ART also has convenient routes that connect you to and from destinations in Arlington County.

• ART 43 connects Crystal City directly with Rosslyn and Ballston saving you a transfer.
• ART 74, ART 84 and ART 87 connect the Pentagon/Pentagon City area with Shirlington and Columbia Pike areas.

​Additional Tools and Tips for Traveling
To plan for the upcoming platform work, WMATA has provided a trip planner to help people plan in advance. You can also find more information on shuttles, construction, and alternatives on their dedicated Platform Improvement Project page. (www.wmata.com/platforms)

For employers and businesses, consider granting employees affected by the Platform Improvement Project additional telework flexibility or encourage the use of work carpooling to help with the commute. Arlington Transportation Partners has a dedicated webpage to help set up teleworking policy and assist Arlington businesses directly with setting up alternatives for their employees and informing customers.

Carpooling and biking are also great alternatives to driving alone during the summer platform work. Carpooling will allow you to use the HOV lanes along the I-95, I-395 corridor and bypass congestion in during the AM rush hour. Biking along the parallel Mount Vernon trail or along bike lanes in Arlington County can also ease the strain of a vehicle commute.

For airport travelers going to Reagan National Airport, the Blue and Yellow Metro lines will still run from points north in Arlington and D.C to National Airport Station but not run south of the airport station. Allow additional travel time to the airport as there is also roadway construction projects that restrict vehicle traffic on the airport loop.

Additional traffic congestion is expected during the summer, so take advantage of free bus shuttles, park & ride commuter buses, biking, telecommuting, and other services to save money and time sitting in traffic. Be sure to plan early, allow for additional travel time and stay up to date on the Platform Improvement Project and service conditions at
www.WMATA.com/platforms.