Virginia Square-GMU station to close Sunday morning for safety exercise

Virginia Square-GMU station to close for safety exercise Sunday morning

The Virginia Square-GMU station will be closed to customers Sunday, Dec. 3 between system opening and about 2 p.m. as Metro staff and emergency personnel conduct a full-scale safety exercise.

Free shuttle buses will replace trains between Ballston and Clarendon during that time.

The exercise is part of regular training to make sure emergency responders are prepared for real-world emergencies and to test operational coordination, communications, and response between Metro and jurisdictional partners.

Arlington County Fire, Metro Transit Police, rail transportation personnel, and Metro’s new Integrated Command and Communications Center will respond to a simulated scenario involving a report of smoke in a tunnel.

In addition, Metro Transit Police, DC Metropolitan Police, and the FBI will participate in a skills station to practice using robots during a response to an active assailant under or around a train.

Those in the neighborhood may see increased law enforcement and fire response vehicles. The exercise begins at 8 a.m. and should conclude after noon.

Customer Information

Virginia Square-GMU will be closed from opening until approximately 2 p.m. on Sunday, Dec. 3.

Free shuttle buses will replace trains between Ballston and Clarendon.

Shuttle bus locations:

Ballston -- Stuart St and Fairfax Drive

Virginia Square-GMU --Fairfax Drive

Clarendon -- Wilson Boulevard, Clarendon Blvd

Customers should tap their SmarTrip card when exiting and re-entering the Metrorail system from shuttle buses. Riders traveling through the exercise area will be charged for a single, continuous trip.

Metrorail service will operate as follows:

Silver Line Trains run every 12 minutes between Ashburn and Ballston until 2 p.m. Sunday. Transfer to shuttle for connection to/from Orange Line to continue your trip. After 2 p.m., regular Silver Line service returns between Ashburn and Downtown Largo with trains every 12 minutes.

Orange Line Trains will run every 12 minutes in two segments: from Vienna to Ballston and Clarendon to New Carrollton until 2 p.m.

Metro will notify customers when the station reopens via MetroAlerts text and email messages, on social media @wmata @metrorailinfo and at wmata.com/alerts. Customers can check real-time service information at wmata.com/metropulse.