Every Metro station south of Reagan National Airport will shut down over the summer for repairs. News4’s Adam Tuss reports.
Heads up: if you live or work in Northern Virginia, a massive Metro shutdown is right around the corner — and it's going to last all summer.
Every station south of Reagan National Airport on the Blue and Yellow lines will be closed for the summer so that Metro can repair platforms.
Riders may not notice what's lurking right beneath their feet, but transportation officials say the shutdown is necessary to rebuild the platforms that are cracking and crumbling.
"The platform restoration project is absolutely a safety issue. This is work that is necessary,” said Sarah Godfrey, with the Alexandria Department of Transportation and Environmental Services
One of the worst examples of the issue is at the Braddock Road station, where a bump in the platform has been nicknamed "the Braddock hump."
"To have the subway shutdown in Alexandria is going to be really, really hectic,” said Derek Byers.
Byers has been cutting hair for a long time in Alexandria and says his customers are already talking about what they will do during the closures.
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"'Well, how am I going to get to work? What do I do?' And I said, 'Well, there are going to be shuttles.' 'But that’s not going to work - it’s going to make me late!' and I’m like, 'Well, I don’t know how the shuttles are going to work either,'” Byers said.
Metro says it will have enhanced shuttle bus service between the stations.
Alexandria officials also say more HOV restrictions will go in place on streets and even water taxis will be called on to help.
Metro will start a trial run of the shutdown in May.
