Like waiting for a Yellow Line train to Huntington, Alexandria’s Metrorail riders are bracing for a ride to disappointment.
Early next month, the first of two Metro shutdowns affecting Alexandria is scheduled to hit the city. All told, the city will have some level of suspended service until next spring.
The first hit will be from Sept. 10 to Oct. 22, when Metro will suspend all rail service south of National Airport to connect the new Potomac Yard station with the rest of the Metro system.
The second will run from September through spring 2023, when Metro will suspend Yellow Line service between Pentagon and L’Enfant Plaza stations for the Yellow Line Tunnel and Bridge Rehabilitation project. Alexandrians will still be able to get to D.C. and the rest of the Metro system but will have to go through Arlington.
Alexandria and other localities have been planning around the changes for months. Today, the City of Alexandria put out a quick guide for how to get around the shutdown:
Residents and visitors are encouraged to take advantage of the following alternatives:
- Seven free shuttles that will be available to rail riders, including local and express shuttles replacing Blue and Yellow line service in Virginia, and three limited-stop shuttles crossing the Potomac River.
- Free parking at the Van Dorn Street, Franconia-Springfield, and Huntington Metrorail station garages and lots during the rail service suspension.
- Alternate transit service, including free DASH bus service, the Metroway-Potomac Yard Bus Rapid Transit Line (offering free service between Braddock Road, Crystal City, and Pentagon City stations through October), and Virginia Railway Express (VRE), which is offering free rides in September.
- Travel alternatives, including free Capital Bikeshare, water taxi, ridesharing, and dockless mobility devices such as scooters. To learn more about traveling in and around Alexandria, visit alexandriava.gov/GOAlex.
As noted above, the Virginia Railway Express (VRE) is planning to offer free rides in September to coincide with the Metro station. The VRE train stops at King Street and continues up into D.C. and down to Manassas and Spotsylvania.