City officials are asking residents for feedback on their draft mitigation plan to help people get around without Metro trains this summer.
The Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) is shutting down all Metro rail stations south of Reagan National Airport starting Memorial Day weekend for extensive platform repairs. The shutdown will last through Labor Day. It affects four Metro stations in Alexandria and two in Fairfax County, making travel in the region more difficult -- particularly for those who work in the District.
The mitigation plans City officials have come up with incorporates feedback from more than 3,000 residents collected earlier this year. Officials are working with WMATA, the local DASH bus service, Fairfax County officials and other entities on mitigation plans.
The draft plan is available at www.alexandriava.gov/GOAlex.
The plan includes:
- Bus bridges: Frequent buses that will service the Metro stations and a few places in between during peak rush hours. In addition, WMATA will enhance service on critical routes.
- Chokepoint Improvements: City officials are working with DASH and WMATA to identify chokepoints and adjust traffic control as needed to help buses travel more efficiently.
- Additional Water Taxi Service: Potomac Riverboat Co. will provide additional ferry services for commuters.
- Enhanced DASH Service: Additional buses and increased frequency will help Alexandria residents get around town.
- Increased King Street Trolly Service: The trolly will start running earlier on weekdays and weekends.
- In addition, the City is working with businesses to encourage telecommuting, ride-sharing and other options.
To provide feedback on the draft plan, click here to go to the City of Alexandria's dedicated feedback form.
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The following is from the City of Alexandria:
WMATA, which operates the Metrorail, Metrobus and MetroAccess system in the District of Columbia, Maryland and Virginia, is closing all Metrorail stations south of the Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport Station between May 25 and September 2. This includes the Braddock Road, King St-Old Town, Van Dorn Street, and Eisenhower Avenue stations in Alexandria, and the Huntington and Franconia-Springfield stations in Fairfax County. The work will allow WMATA to address necessary reconstruction of outdoor station platforms, and the unprecedented station closures will be significantly faster, safer and less expensive than performing the equivalent work only overnight or on weekends.
The City of Alexandria understands the need for investment in the Metrorail system to get it back to a state of good repair, but also recognizes that station closures will be challenging for riders. Using lessons learned during WMATA’s shorter station closures and schedule changes during the SafeTrack initiative in 2016 and 2017, the City is working on measures to mitigate the impact of this summer’s work on Alexandria riders and provide transportation alternatives.
For updates and information about the Metrorail Platform Improvement Project and how the City is working to minimize disruption and provide transportation alternatives during this work, visit alexandriava.gov/GOAlex.
