[Archived] Alexandria Metro Stations to Reopen Following Summer Platform Work

For Immediate Release: September 8, 2019

Alexandria Metrorail stations will reopen at 5 a.m. on September 9, with full service following Metro’s summer Platform Improvement Project. Metro closed all four Metrorail stations in Alexandria (as well as two in Fairfax County) for safety repairs on May 25. Alexandria City Council members and staff will join Metro board members and staff to greet customers on Monday morning with free giveaways at the Braddock Rd; Eisenhower Ave; King St-Old Town; and Van Dorn St stations.

Station Improvements Continue

While train service will resume as usual, residents may notice continued construction work as Metro works to finalize the station improvements. Once completed, customers can expect an enhanced station experience that will bring a higher level of safety, convenience and communication. New safety features include slip-resistant tiles, brighter LED canopy lighting and lighted handrails on stairs. In addition, stations will have new platform surveillance systems (CCTV) and operator-connected safety call buttons that will provide a direct contact to station managers and the operations control center. For a full list of upgrades, visit wmata.com/platforms. 

Temporary Summer Alternatives Ending

Many of the mitigation strategies the City and its partners put in place to help residents and visitors get around during the closure are no longer needed and have ended:

• The free Blue Line Shuttle, Yellow Line Shuttle, and express shuttles to the Pentagon from Franconia-Springfield, Huntington and Landmark are no longer available.
• Temporary HOV restrictions on Washington Street have been lifted and regular HOV hours (7-9 a.m. northbound and 4-6 p.m. southbound) and occupancy (HOV-2) have been restored.
• The Landmark Mall commuter lot is now closed, and temporary permit holders have been notified via signage, flyers, and email.
• All Metrobus service has returned to normal schedules, except that the 11Y route will continue to provide enhanced rush hour service through Wednesday, September 11.

DASH $1 Fare and Commuter Water Taxi Service Continue

DASH will continue to offer its $1 promotional fare through December 31 for customers using the DASH Bus mobile app. With an average of more than 800 daily water taxi riders this summer, the Potomac Riverboat Company will continue the popular service between Old Town Alexandria and The Wharf in D.C.

Special Offers for SmarTrip Customers

Participating Alexandria restaurants, shops and attractions are providing special offers through September 15 to customers who show their Metro SmarTrip cards. Offers include a free Key to the City museum pass that can be used through the end of the year, plus free tours, extended happy hours, boutique discounts and hotel packages. Go to VisitAlexandriaVA.com/Metro for the full list.

City and Partners Met Summer Challenges

During the Platform Improvement Project, the City and a variety of partners worked to effectively mitigate traffic challenges during the Metrorail station closures.  

• On average, summer travel times throughout Alexandria only increased by about 4% when compared to the spring. 
• Most Alexandria businesses surveyed (59 percent) reported that revenue since the Metrorail closure was similar to, or had increased, compared with the same period last year. 
• Of the nearly 650 people who responded to the City’s request for feedback in June, the majority of respondents (53%) were either “satisfied” or “very satisfied” with the City-distributed information on transportation alternatives during the closure.
• Temporary Metro and DASH shuttles experienced more than 2 million boardings during the station closures, including more than 450,000 on shuttles operated by DASH.
  

The City was also able to quickly respond to requests to improve its mitigation strategies, such as doubling the number of parking spaces available at Landmark Mall for the express bus to the Pentagon; permitting free use of Metroway buses along Route 1 when lines for the Yellow Line Shuttle at Braddock Road were long; and installing new traffic control signage around the King St-Old Town Metrorail Station to reduce congestion.

City staff will prepare a preliminary update on data from the Platform Improvement Project later this month, as well as a community feedback form. A more detailed report will be published in November, once all data is available from partner agencies and community feedback has been evaluated. 

For more information about the Metro Platform Improvement Project, visit alexandriava.gov/GOAlex. For special offers, go to VisitAlexandriaVA.com/Metro.

For media inquiries, contact Craig Fifer, Director of Communications and Public Information, at craig.fifer@alexandriava.gov or 703.746.3965.

Note: This news release was edited on September 23, 2019, to update the number of temporary shuttle boardings.