WASHINGTON — Amid the construction that will be taking place on the Blue and Yellow Lines, Metro announced some travel alternatives in order to prepare for the fall. This will impact the two lines for eight months, Metro said in a press release. Riders can expect free shuttle buses to be available during that time.
Construction on the Blue and Yellow lines begins on Sept. 10 to start connecting the future Potomac Yard station to the main rail system. Additionally, the construction will work to bring back the Yellow Line tunnel and bridge L'Enfant Plaza and the Pentagon stations.
"The project teams understand that station closures and service changes can be very disruptive to our customers, and we are working hard to use the closure time efficiently,” said Metro Interim General Manager and CEO Andrew Off.
The impacts of service are divided into two phases and the first one begins on Sept. 10 and ends on Oct. 22.
Phase 1 of Service Impacts
There will be seven shuttles offered for free service during the first phase of train service impacts, according to Metro. Express and local shuttles will be offered in Virginia and there will be three limited-stop shuttles that cross the Potomac River.
This is where services will be offered in for the Blue Line Local every 10 to 20 minutes: between Franconia-Springfield, Van Dorn St., Kind St.-Old Town, Braddock Rd. and Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport stations.
The Yellow Line Local service will be offered every 10 to 15 minutes between Huntington, Eisenhower Ave, King St-Old Town, Braddock Rd, and Crystal City stations. Metro says that Yellow Line shuttles do not make stops at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport Station.
Express stations will be offered throughout the majority of the day, Metro says between 4:30 a.m. until 9 p.m. on weekdays and from 6:30 a.m. until 9 p.m. on weekends.
The Blue Line Express shuttles operate every six minutes between Franconia-Springfield and Pentagon stations. The Yellow Line Express shuttles will operate every six minutes as well between Huntington and Pentagon stations.
There are three VA to DC shuttle options that Metro is providing. Shuttle 1 services stop from Crystal City, Pentagon City, Smithsonian and L'Enfant Plaza. Shuttle 2 stops from Pentagon, Smithsonian and Archives stations. Shuttle 3 stops from Mt. Vernon, Alexandria and Potomac Park.
Shuttles 1 and 2 operate every 12 minutes and Shuttle 3 operates every 20 minutes, Metro says.
Metro says that there will not be any rail service south of the Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport Station. There will not be service on the Yellow Line, however, Metro says Blue and Green Lines will serve Yellow Line stations that are north of the Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport Station.
Are you a typical traveler between the Pentagon and L'Enfant Plaza stations? If so, Metro is advising that travelers should implement an extra 15 minutes into their travel schedule.
Green Line train services will operate every eight minutes and after 9:30 p.m. it will operate every 10 minutes, according to Metro. Services for Blue Line trains will expand some with trains departing every seven to nine minutes from the Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport and New Carrolton Station. Metro also says that after 9:30 p.m. trains will depart every 15 minutes.
Phase 2 of Service Impacts
The second phase of travel alternatives begins Oct. 23 and goes until May 2023. Metro says that all stations will reopen and services south of the Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport Station will resume.
Metro adds that Blue and Green lines will serve the Yellow Line Stations. Between the Largo Town Center and Franconia-Springfield station, the Blue Line trains will operate every 12 minutes. From Huntington to New Carrollton stations, trains will operate every 12 minutes as well, however, after 9:30 p.m. the trains will operate every 15 minutes.
Green Line trains will operate every eight minutes and after 9:30 p.m. they will operate every 10 minutes.
Free Shuttles services will continue to be offered during the second phase. The VA-DC Shuttle 1 services stop from Crystal City, Pentagon City, Smithsonian and L'Enfant Plaza. Shuttle 2 stops from Pentagon, Smithsonian and Archives stations. Shuttle 3 stops from Mt. Vernon, Alexandria and Potomac Park. Shuttle 3 is peak direction service only, Metro says.
Shuttles 1 and 2 operate every 12 minutes and Shuttle 3 operates every 20 minutes, Metro says.
The Virginia Railway Express (VRE), Metroway and 16Y Columbia Pike -Farragut Square Line between Barcroft and McPherson Square are additional transportation options.