Groundbreaking Scheduled Next Month for Potomac Yard Metro Station

With construction back on track for the Potomac Yard Metro station, the city has scheduled a groundbreaking ceremony early next month.

The groundbreaking is set for Tuesday, Dec. 19 from 2-3 p.m at the future northwest entrance, near the Regal Potomac Yard movie theater, which is nearing the end of its run. The theater is not included in the new Potomac Yard plans.

“Today’s announcement is a major milestone that has been a quarter-century in the making,” said Mayor Justin Wilson, of the groundbreaking. “Alexandria has worked closely with Metro and our federal and state partners to plan for a new Potomac Yard Metrorail Station that will improve mobility, promote economic development, and protect our environment. We now officially move from planning the station to constructing the station.”

Construction for the project had been derailed by earlier delays, but is scheduled to open in early 2022.

The groundbreaking follows the conclusion of a permitting process by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Preliminary construction activities began earlier this year, but a press release by the city noted that the station will be subject to additional development review and other local permits over the next year.

According to the press release:

The new Potomac Yard Metrorail Station, to be built on Metrorail’s Yellow and Blue Lines between the existing Braddock Road and Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport stations, will provide an extensive range of benefits for Alexandria and the surrounding community, including walkable access to regional transportation systems for neighborhoods in the northeast area of the city. The station is also expected to generate billions of dollars in new private sector investment over the long term and eventually support 26,000 new jobs and 13,000 new residents. The Potomac Yard area represents the most significant redevelopment and tax base growth opportunity for Alexandria, with the potential to achieve the vision for an urban mix of uses near transit.

The $320 million station will be funded through a variety of sources – including new tax revenue from development in Potomac Yard over the next 40 years, funding from the Northern Virginia Transportation Authority, and developer contributions. The station is scheduled to open in early 2022.

Photo via City of Alexandria