[Archived] Alexandria City Council Approves Addition of Southwest Access Pavilion for Potomac Yard Metrorail Station

For Immediate Release: November 14, 2020 

At its regular meeting on November 14, the Alexandria City Council unanimously approved an amended development special use permit for the Potomac Yard Metrorail Station, which adds a southwest access pavilion to the new Metrorail Station at E. Glebe Road and Potomac Avenue.

The enhancement follows two years of extensive engagement with the community, including the Potomac Yard Metrorail Implementation Work Group, to provide a substantial entryway to the station within available funding. The enhancement will be funded with a $50 million state grant, which the City received as part of the Commonwealth of Virginia’s incentive package for the new Amazon headquarters and Virginia Tech Innovation Campus. 

The previous station design, approved by City Council in 2018, included one access point on the east side of the station, and two access points on the west side (a north pavilion and a sloped ramp from E. Glebe Road). The updated design replaces the ramp with a flat, enclosed, 520-foot bridge, accessible via an elevator or stairs from the pavilion. The entry aligns with the crosswalk across Potomac Avenue, providing a direct line of access from the National Industries for the Blind building. Pedestrians and cyclists will be able to use the bridge to cross between the east and west sides of the station without passing through fare gates. Like the rest of the station, the pavilion and bridge will complement the surrounding landscape by featuring earth tones, metal, glass, and stone veneer. 

The new Potomac Yard Metrorail Station, to be built on Metrorail's Yellow and Blue Lines between the existing Braddock Road and Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport stations, will provide an extensive range of benefits for Alexandria and the surrounding community, including walkable access to regional transportation systems for neighborhoods in the northeast area of the city. The station is also expected to generate billions of dollars in new private sector investment over the long term and eventually support 26,000 new jobs and 13,000 new residents. The Potomac Yard area represents the most significant redevelopment and tax base growth opportunity for Alexandria, with the potential to achieve the vision for an urban mix of uses near transit. 

The $370 million station will be paid for with new tax revenue from development in Potomac Yard over the next 40 years, funding from the Northern Virginia Transportation Authority, a state grant, a special tax district in North and Central Potomac Yard, a low-interest loan from the Commonwealth Transportation Board, and significant developer contributions. The station is expected to be completed in spring 2022. 

For more information about the Potomac Yard Metrorail Station, visit alexandriava.gov/PotomacYardMetro. 

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