Metrorail will temporarily stop running Blue Line trains and add extra Yellow Line trains for three months in early 2021 as it continues its Platform Improvement Project, the transit agency announced Monday.
Metro will also be closing two stations -- Addison Road and Arlington Cemetery -- during this period, which will begin Feb. 13 and is expected to last through May 23.
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Travel Alternatives
Riders who normally take the Blue Line should allow for extra travel time or consider bus alternatives, the transit agency said.
Metro will be running free shuttle buses along the following routes:
- Between Rosslyn, Arlington Cemetery (during operating hours) and the Pentagon every 12-15 minutes
- Between Addison Road and Capitol Heights every 6-8 minutes
If you still want to use the rail system, here's information from Metro:
- Extra Yellow Line trains will run between Franconia-Springfield and Mount Vernon Square stations (via the Potomac River bridge) at all times. Yellow Line service between Huntington and Greenbelt will be unchanged.
- Riders traveling from stations south of Arlington Cemetery to downtown D.C. should board a Yellow Line train and transfer at L'Enfant Plaza if necessary.
- Silver Line trains will pass through the Addison Road station without stopping.
- Silver Line trains will run every 12 minutes on weekdays and every 15 minutes on weekends.
- During construction, parking fees will not be charged at the Addison Road station.
If you want to take a bus:
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Metro is also encouraging riders to consider Metrobus, Arlington Transit and Fairfax Connector. Find alternative bus routes here for service in the affected areas.
"We've worked very closely with our regional partners to provide convenient travel alternatives during construction," Metro General Manager Paul Wiedefeld in a release from Metro.
Metro says these around-the-clock will closures allow the transit agency to return to regular service more quickly than it would be able to otherwise.
"Despite our pandemic-related budget challenges, we must continue to prioritize safety-critical projects to keep the system reliable for the next generation of Metro customers," Wiedefeld said.
Metro says it is more than halfway through its multi-year Platform Improvement Project to rebuild deteriorating platforms at 20 outdoor stations. Platforms at the 11th station on Metro's list, Reagan National Airport, reopened for passenger use Sunday.
