For immediate release: November 22, 2016

Metro urges Orange and Silver line customers to prepare for major impact of SafeTrack Surge #11

Metro today urged customers to prepare for SafeTrack Surge #11 beginning November 28 through December 21 that will result in severe service reductions for every rider on the Orange and Silver lines regardless of their origin or destination.

During the 24-day surge, trains will share a single track between West Falls Church and East Falls Church to allow crews to rebuild a complex area of the Orange/Silver lines to the west of East Falls Church Station. Due to single tracking, Orange and Silver line trains will operate every 20 minutes, a two-thirds reduction in service.

“Riders who made it through the previous surges on the Orange and Silver lines will find this one more severe,” said Paul J. Wiedefeld, Metro general manager/CEO. “We need about half of all riders on the Orange and Silver lines to stay off Metrorail altogether.”

This is the fourth surge in this area in the past six months. Upon completion Metro will have installed 12,000 new rail ties and 25,000 feet of new rail over 20-miles of track between Vienna and Ballston. Combined this work would take more than 14 months of regular weekend single tracking that would not have been completed until August 2017.

Surge #11 is the final surge of 2016 and no additional rush hour surges will be scheduled during the month of January. During this time, Metro will focus on track work in the underground portions of the system during overnight and late evening periods to minimize the impact on rush hour commuters.

An announcement on the upcoming Surge schedule will be made in early January, at least one month before work begins.

Starting next Monday, Orange and Silver line riders are strongly encouraged to telework or consider alternate travel options during this surge. Customers can expect trains to be extremely crowded – possibly without any space available – during rush hour times. As an alternative, riders should consider using Yellow Line to travel to/from downtown DC.

Bus options will be a critical lifeline for customers, with service on Metrobus, Fairfax Connector and Arlington Transit.

  • Metrobus will run limited free weekday rush hour shuttles focused on providing relief in Arlington where crowded trains could prevent many from accessing the system at the following locations:
    • Ballston - Virginia Sq - Clarendon -Courthouse - Rosslyn
    • Ballston - Virginia Sq - Clarendon – Pentagon
  • Enhanced Metrobus service will be added on the 5A, 3Y, 2A and 38B.
  • Fairfax Connector will provide weekday rush hour buses between Vienna and Pentagon and additional service on the 599 between Reston North Park and Ride, Wiehle-Reston East and Pentagon.
  • Arlington Transit will use larger buses for ART 55 from East Falls Church to Rosslyn to add capacity along the affected section of the Orange/Silver lines.

After the first two weeks, the work area will shift and allow for additional train service from East Falls Church.

Additional details about SafeTrack, including Surge #11 travel alternatives can be found at wmata.com/SafeTrack.