Train service resumes for customers at six closed stations on Nov. 6
Metrorail customers will be back on track south of Reagan National Airport with full service resuming to six closed stations on Sunday, Nov. 6. Blue Line trains will serve all six stations - Braddock Rd, King St-Old Town, Eisenhower Ave, Huntington, Van Dorn St, and Franconia-Springfield – while long-term work continues to rehabilitate the Yellow Line Tunnel and Bridge.
Metro is also making progress on the Yellow Line Tunnel and Bridge Rehabilitation Project which began during the closure. The Yellow Line will remain suspended through May 2023, while these critical tunnel and bridge repairs continue. Instead, the reopened stations will be served by additional Blue Line service. Trains will run every 15 minutes between Franconia-Springfield and Largo on the Blue Line, with Blue Plus service operating every 15 minutes between Huntington and New Carrollton.
The eight-week closure, which began Sept. 10, allowed Metro’s project teams to relocate 2,000 feet of existing tracks and connect to the new tracks through the new Potomac Yard Station. Additional work included the installation and testing of traction power and automatic train control infrastructure crucial to powering trains and ensuring safe operations. Major construction is now complete, as well as train testing which involved running test trains without passengers throughout the station.
“Watching the test trains go through the station reminds us we are nearing the finish line of this large and significant capital project that will serve the region for decades to come,” said General Manager Randy Clarke. “We thank our customers and partners for their patience as the team ensures we provide the safest and best experience for this beautiful station.”
As the Potomac Yard Station gets closer to the end line, more work is needed prior to opening in 2023. Crews continue working to complete construction of the east retaining wall, paving the access roads, installing interior features at the station, such as modern fare gates, fare machines, and the station manager kiosk.
Updates to Shuttle Service, Metroway, and Parking
- Metro will continue to offer three free rush-hour shuttles to and from Virginia and Washington, D.C. to help customers navigate the Yellow Line Bridge closure
- Metroway service will resume fare collection
- Parking fees will resume at Franconia-Springfield, Huntington, and Van Dorn St stations
- The non-rider parking fee at Franconia-Springfield will continue to be waived until May 2023
Service Information and Travel Alternatives
Dates: Nov. 6, 2022 – May 2023
Rail Service:
- All Metrorail stations will be open
- Trains will run through the new Potomac Yard Station, but will not stop or service the station
- No Yellow Line service
- All Yellow Line stations will be served by the Blue or Green lines
- Blue Line service between Franconia-Springfield and Largo*, with every other Blue Line train operating between Huntington and New Carrollton
Free Shuttle Service:
Metro will provide three free VA-DC rush-hour shuttles on weekdays.
- VA-DC Shuttle 1: Crystal City-L'Enfant (6:20 a.m. - 9:25 a.m. and 3:20 p.m. - 8:10 p.m.); service between Crystal City, Pentagon City, Smithsonian, and L’Enfant Plaza stations every 12 minutes; Shuttle does not stop at Pentagon Station
- VA-DC Shuttle 2: Pentagon-Archives (6:20 a.m. - 9:30 a.m. and 3:20 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.); service between Pentagon, Smithsonian, and Archives stations every 12 minutes
- VA-DC Shuttle 3: Mt. Vernon-Potomac Park (former 11Y Route) (5 a.m. - 9:15 a.m. and 3:10 p.m. - 7:30 p.m.); service between Mt. Vernon, Alexandria, and Potomac Park every 20 minutes; peak direction service only
Additional Resources
Metro will keep customers and stakeholders informed at wmata.com/majorconstruction. Customers, stakeholders, and the media are encouraged to sign up on the website to receive the latest project updates.
About the Project
Yellow Line Tunnel and Bridge Rehabilitation
Major rehabilitation of the Yellow Line Tunnel near L’Enfant Plaza Station and the bridge across the Potomac River began at the same time as the Potomac Yard Station tie-in and will continue through May 2023. Metro’s chief engineer has identified the steel-lined tunnel near L’Enfant Plaza as the agency’s top structural priority, with repairs needed to strengthen the tunnel lining and stop water intrusion. Metro will also remove and replace miles of critical communications cables used by multiple jurisdictions and repair the Yellow Line Bridge during the closure. At L’Enfant Plaza Station, welding work and other construction activity in the tunnel may cause a noticeable odor inside the station.
Metro’s Capital Improvement Program
Metro is investing in system safety, reliability, and the region's economy through its 10-year, $15 billion capital program. For the first time in Metro's history, the capital program is bolstered by dedicated funding from Maryland, Virginia, and the District of Columbia. The capital program will improve the customer experience and keep the region's infrastructure in a state of good repair by investing in new railcars and buses; improving stations and platforms; upgrading fire-suppression and emergency response systems; replacing and repairing tracks, tunnels, bridges, signals, and communications systems; rebuilding decades-old bus garages; and providing modern customer amenities such as passenger information systems. Local taxpayer dollars fund these important capital projects that allow Metro to reinvest in the regional economy, creating jobs and encouraging participation from disadvantaged, minority-owned, and small businesses in the region.