Metro to Close National Airport Station + Two Others Over Labor Day Weekend
WMATA announced this afternoon that it intends to make the holiday weekend travel plans of people who will be flying in and out of National Airport a lot more difficult.
Planned weekend track work between Friday, Sept. 4 and Monday, Sept. 7 will close Pentagon City, Crystal City and Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport Metrorail stations, Metro says. The three stations will be closed from 9:30 p.m. Friday to closing (midnight) on Monday so that Metro can replace the entire rail interlocking (which consists of four switches) at the Pentagon City station, in addition to replacing rail and rail ties, and performing concrete and deck joint repairs along the Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport station aerial structure.
We're certain this work needs to be completed, but deciding to shut down public transit access to a major airport during one of the biggest holiday weekend travel periods of the year isn't likely to earn Metro many new fans.
Full press release, with many, many details about how customers will be able to get around the closings, after the jump.
Weekend track work will close three Blue and Yellow Line Metrorail stations in Northern Virginia throughout the Labor Day weekend.The Pentagon City, Crystal City, and Ronald Regan Washington National Airport Metrorail stations will be closed from 9:30 p.m. Friday, Sept. 4, to closing, (midnight) Monday, Sept. 7. These stations will reopen at 5 a.m., on Tuesday, Sept. 8.
Metrorail riders in Virginia who are planning to ride the Blue or Yellow lines will need to transfer to a free shuttle bus if they want to pass through Pentagon City, Crystal City or the Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport Metrorail stations from 9:30 p.m., Friday, Sept. 4, through closing (midnight), Monday, Sept. 7. Because Metro officials will be conducting track work between the Pentagon and Braddock Road Metrorail stations throughout the holiday weekend. Regular service will resume when the Metrorail system opens on Tuesday morning, Sept. 8.
This weekend, Metro will replace the entire rail interlocking (four switches) at the Pentagon City Metrorail station, replace 2,000 feet of rail, 735 ties, perform concrete and deck joint repairs along the Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport Metrorail station aerial structure, and conduct fire line maintenance from 9:30 p.m., Friday, Sept. 4, to closing, Monday, Sept. 7.
Blue/Yellow Line Weekend Service
The Blue Line will operate between the Largo Town Center and Pentagon Metrorail stations, and between the Franconia-Springfield and Braddock Road Metrorail stations.
The Yellow Line will operate between the Greenbelt and Pentagon Metrorail stations and between the Huntington and Braddock Road Metrorail stations.
All Blue Line trains will operate every 12 minutes during the day on Saturday, Sept. 5, and every 15 minutes during the day on Sunday, Sept. 6, and Monday, Sep. 7. All Yellow Line trains will operate every 16 minutes during the day on from Saturday, Sept. 5, to Monday, Sept. 7. All Green Line, trains will operate every 12 minutes during the day on Saturday, Sept. 5, and every 16 minutes during the day on Sunday, Sept. 6, and Monday, Sept. 7. After 9 p.m., from Friday, Sept. 4, to Monday, Sept. 7, all Blue, Yellow and Green Line trains will operate every 15 to 20 minutes.
At the Pentagon Metrorail station from 9:30 p.m., Friday, Sept. 4., to closing (midnight) on Monday, Sept. 7., all Blue Line trains from the Largo Town Center Metrorail station will operate into the upper level of the station and all Yellow Line trains from the Greenbelt Metrorail station will operate into the lower level of the station.
From Friday, Sept. 4, to Monday, Sept. 7, the last Blue and Yellow Line trains departing the Franconia-Springfield and Huntington Metrorail stations for the Braddock Road Metrorail station will leave 30 minutes earlier than usual. This will allow for customers to connect to the free shuttle buses and to the last trains departing the Pentagon Metrorail station to the Largo Town Center and Greenbelt Metrorail stations.
On Friday, Sept. 4, and Saturday, Sept. 5, the last Blue Line train will depart Franconia-Springfield at 1:59 a.m., Van Dorn Street at 2:05 a.m., King Street at 2:10 a.m., and arrive at Braddock Road at 2:12 a.m. On Sunday, Sept. 6, and Monday, Sept. 7, the last Blue Line train will depart Franconia-Springfield at 10:59 p.m., Van Dorn Street at 11:05 p.m., King Street at 11:10 p.m., and arrive at Braddock Road at 11:12 p.m.
On Friday, Sept. 4, and Saturday, Sept. 5, the last Yellow Line train will depart Huntington at 2:04 a.m., Eisenhower Ave at 2:05 a.m., King Street at 2:07 a.m. and arrive at Braddock Road at 2:09 a.m. On Sunday, Sept. 6, and Monday, Sept. 7, the last Yellow Line train will depart Huntington at 11:04 p.m., Eisenhower Ave., at 11:05 p.m., King Street at 11:07 p.m. and arrive at Braddock Road at 11:09 p.m.
Labor Day Weekend Shuttle Bus Service
From 9:30 p.m., Friday, Sept. 4, to closing (midnight) on Monday, Sept. 7, Metro will operate free shuttle bus service from the Pentagon Transit Center to the following Metrorail stations:
*Braddock Road Metrorail station. This shuttle bus will depart from the Pentagon Transit Center lower level bus bay #6 and make one stop on Jefferson Davis Highway at 23rd Street in Crystal City. The shuttle bus stop at the Braddock Road Metrorail station is bus bay B.
*Franconia Springfield Metrorail station. This shuttle bus will depart from the Pentagon Transit Center lower level bus bay #7 and operate express via I-395. The shuttle bus stop at the Franconia-Springfield Metrorail station is bus bay D.
*Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport Metrorail station. This shuttle bus will depart from the Pentagon Transit Center lower level bus bay #8. The shuttle bus stop for the Airport station is located on the west side of the rail station between the station and the parking garage.
*Pentagon City and Crystal City Metrorail stations. This shuttle bus will depart from the Pentagon Transit Center lower level bus bay #9. The shuttle bus stop at the Pentagon City Metrorail station will be at the eastern side of South Hayes Street (across from the Pentagon City Fashion Centre) at 12th Street South. The shuttle bus stop at the Crystal City Metrorail station is on Bell St., north of 18th St.Customer Assistance
From 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., Saturday, Sept. 5, to Monday, Sept. 7, Metro administrative employees will be located between the Pentagon and Franconia-Springfield/Huntington Metrorail stations to help customers navigate around the track work.
To alert customers about this work, Metro will distribute a free brochure, place notices on station kiosks, and will make train and system announcements.