Free Metroway, Parking To Be Offered Amid Alexandria Metro Shutdown

ALEXANDRIA, VA — Metro is offering additional options to help commuters during the Blue and Yellow line projects impacting Alexandria riders in the fall.

Blue and Yellow Line shutdowns will happen two phases: the first for the new Potomac Yard Metro cutover and the second for Yellow Line bridge and tunnel work. The Potomac Yard cutover to existing train tracks will prompt Metro to shut down all Blue and Yellow rail service south of Ronald Reagan National Airport station from Sept. 10 to Oct. 22. That includes the Braddock Road, King Street-Old Town, Van Dorn Street, Franconia-Springfield, Eisenhower Avenue and Huntington stations.

In the second phase from Oct. 23 to May 2023, the stations reopen, but Yellow Line service will not run in the Yellow Line tunnel and bridge between Pentagon and L'Enfant Plaza stations. Instead, the Blue and Green Line will serve Yellow Line stations.

According to Metro, the Metroway bus service between the Braddock Road Metro and Pentagon City station will be free from Sept. 10 to Oct. 22. This joins other bus alternatives during the first phase, including several free shuttle bus routes.

In addition to free Metroway, parking will be free from Sept. 10 to Oct. 22 at the Franconia-Springfield, Van Dorn Street and Huntington stations.

During the second phase through summer 2023, the non-rider parking fee will be waived at the Franconia-Springfield Metro. That means riders will pay the $4.95 price, typically offered to riders who pay with their SmarTrip card after using Metrorail. The non-rider parking fee is $8.95 for those who pay another way.

During the first phase of the shutdown when six stations are closed, commuters can use travel alternatives to get to other Metro stations, downtown DC or other destinations. Metro will offer additional Blue Line service with trains every seven to nine minutes between Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport and New Carrollton stations and every 15 minutes after 9:30 p.m. Green Line trains will run every eight minutes, or every 10 minutes after 9:30 p.m.

Train service levels during the shutdown will be dependent on Metro's return of the 7000-series railcars. In mid-June, Metro brought back the first eight 7000-series trains amid the investigation into the Oct. 12, 2021 Blue Line train derailment between the Rosslyn and Arlington National Cemetery stations in Virginia. Any return of 7000-series trains must be approved by the Washington Metrorail Safety Commission.

SEE ALSO: Wait Times Reduced To 15 Minutes Between Metro Trains Starting Aug. 1

More Travel Options

Various shuttle options are planned for this first phase of shutdowns during Metrorail. The Blue Line Local will run every 10 to 20 minutes between Franconia-Springfield, Van Dorn Street, King Street-Old Town, Braddock Road and Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport stations. The Yellow Line Local will run every 10 to 15 minutes between Huntington, Eisenhower Avenue, King Street-Old Town, Braddock Road and Crystal City. Yellow Line shuttles will not stop at Reagan National Airport station.

Express shuttles are expected to be available most of the day, from 4:30 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. on weekdays and 6:30 am to 9 p.m on weekends. These routes include Franconia-Pentagon Express service between Franconia-Springfield and Pentagon stations every six minutes and Yellow Line Express between Huntington and Pentagon stations every six minutes.

Limited shuttles will be available during weekday rush hours. These include VA-DC Shuttle 1 between Crystal City, Pentagon City, Smithsonian and L'Enfant Plaza stations every 12 minutes; VA-DC Shuttle 2 between Pentagon, Smithsonian and Archives stations every 12 minutes; and VA-DC Shuttle 3 (11Y route) between Mount Vernon, Alexandria and Potomac Park every 20 minutes in the peak direction only.

Metro riders also have the option of traveling fare on Virginia Railway Express. Fares will be free for all Virginia Railway Express riders throughout September as well as in October for riders traveling between zones 1, 2 and 3, which includes Backlick Road, Franconia-Springfield, Alexandria, Crystal City, L'Enfant Plaza and Union Station.

Additional bus alternatives include Alexandria DASH Bus routes (fare-free), Fairfax Connector routes, and OmniRide in Prince William County.

On Oct. 23, the Braddock Road, King Street-Old Town, Van Dorn Street, Franconia-Springfield, Eisenhower Avenue and Huntington stations will reopen. However, Yellow Line service will not run, and trains will not run between Pentagon and L'Enfant Plaza. Instead, Blue and Green Line trains will serve Yellow Line stations. Blue Line trains will run every 12 minutes between Largo Town Center and Franconia-Springfield and every 12 minutes between Huntington and New Carrollton stations (every 15 minutes after 9:30 p.m.). Green Line trains will run every eight minutes (every 10 minutes after 9:30 p.m.). Like the last phase, train frequency will depend on the return of the 7000-series trains.

Metro has more information about the Yellow and Blue Line shutdowns and travel alternatives.