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Yellow Line to shut down in Alexandria this fall, WMATA details plan for helping commuters over 8 months

The city is preparing for the shutdown due to bridge and tunnel rehabilitation as the Potomac Yard Metro station gets folded into the station.

ALEXANDRIA, Va. — Those who use Metro to commute between Virginia and D.C. are likely not looking forward to this fall. That's because, on Sept. 10, repairs will spur closures on the Yellow Line between Pentagon and L'Enfant Plaza for about eight months. 

WMATA says the Yellow Line crossing of the Potomac River will be closed to undergo rehabilitation. According to the city, between Sept. 10 and Oct. 22, there will be no Metro service south of the National Airport station.

However, some solutions are in the works.

Seven free shuttles will replace Metro service south of the National Airport. The city said that those shuttles will include local and express shuttles replacing Blue and Yellow line service in Virginia, and three limited-stop shuttles crossing the Potomac River.

The city will also offer free parking at the Van Dorn Street, Franconia-Springfield, and Huntington Metrorail station garages and lots during the rail service suspension. 

There will also be alternate transit services, including free DASH bus service, the Metroway-Potomac Yard Bus Rapid Transit Line (offering free service between Braddock Road, Crystal City, and Pentagon City stations through October), and Virginia Railway Express (VRE), which is offering free rides in September. The city is also highlighting travel alternatives, including free Capital Bikeshare.

In addition, from October to spring, the Yellow Line portion in Alexandria will be operating as a branch of the Blue Line. The city also shares that, throughout both shutdowns, they plan for more shuttles to cross the Potomac to get Blue Line riders into D.C.   

As far as the repairs go, fixing up the steel-lined tunnel near L'Enfant Plaza, according to a chief engineer for Metro, is necessary for strengthening the lining of the tunnel and preventing water intrusion. 

"Metro will also remove and rewire miles of critical communications cabling used by multiple jurisdictions and make repairs to the Yellow Line bridge," WMATA has said.

The repairs are supposed to be completed by spring 2023, the transit agency said.

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