Metro begins Surge #5 of SafeTrack maintenance plan
BALLSTON, Va. - The fifth phase of Metro's accelerated maintenance plan began Wednesday and will mainly impact riders who travel on the Orange and Silver Lines.
Surge #5 calls for continuous single tracking between the East Falls Church station and the Ballston station from July 20 through July 31. Surge #4 ended on July 18.
Orange Line trains that travel between the Vienna and Ballston station will operate every 18 minutes, Metro say. Additional Orange Line trains will only operate between Ballston and New Carrollton.
In addition, Silver Line trains will operate every 18 minutes. Metro says that at 10:00 p.m., all trains will operate every 20 minutes.
In May, Metro General Manager Paul Wiedefeld announced the Safe Track plan to address system-wide maintenance issues and repair tracks on the Metrorail system. The plan, Wiedefeld said, is a massive effort to address safety recommendations and rehabilitate the system on an accelerated basis, Metro says.
HERE IS WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW FROM METRO:
SafeTrack Surge #5: East Falls Church to Ballston
View video and photos of track work
Orange and Silver line trains will continuously single track between East Falls Church and Ballston from July 20 through July 31, 2016.
On weekdays:
Orange and Silver line trains may be very crowded, especially during rush hour due to severe service reduction. Expect significantly longer wait times at the following stations:
Trip planner will be updated with SafeTrack Surge #5 weekday schedules. Click to plan a rail trip or find bus alternatives
Metro riders who have the ability to do so should consider alternate travel options and avoid traveling during rush hour if possible.
View map of full service impacts
**NOTE** Trains from Vienna-Ballston and Wiehle-Ballston are likely to be extremely crowded, especially during rush-hour periods. Customers at Ballston should consider using the additional train service that originates at Ballston and will board on the opposite platform from through-train service. This may lengthen your departure time, but will give you the best opportunity to find space.
Weekend train frequencies may change to coordinate with other planned track work on the Metrorail system.Weekend service information is posted in the Alerts & Advisories section
BROCHURES AND MAPS
STATION SPECIFIC IMPACTS
Wiehle-Reston, Spring Hill, and Greensboro: weekday Silver Line trains will operate every 18 minutes. Consider other Fairfax Connector service as alternates or travel to Herndon Monroe Park & Ride for additional route options
Tysons Corner and McLean: weekday Silver Line trains will operate every 18 minutes. Consider other Metrobus or Fairfax Connector service as alternates; or travel to Herndon Monroe Park & Ride for additional route options
Vienna, Dunn Loring, and West Falls Church: weekday Orange Line trains will operate every 18 minutes. Consider other Metrobus or Fairfax Connector service as alternatives; shuttle bus service will be available to Ballston. Limited free supplemental shuttle bus service will be available between West Falls Church, East Falls Church and Ballston (AM/PM rush only).
East Falls Church: weekday Orange & Silver Line trains will operate every 18 minutes. Consider other Metrobus service as alternatives. Limited free supplemental shuttle bus service will be available between West Falls Church, East Falls Church and Ballston (AM/PM rush only).
Benning Road, Capitol Heights, Addison Road, Morgan Blvd and Largo Town Center: weekday Silver Line trains will operate every 18 minutes; Blue Line trains will operate at regular weekday frequency. Take the first available train when heading into Downtown DC, transfer before Rosslyn for Orange & Silver Line service to northern Virginia.
TRAVEL ALTERNATIVES
Fairfax County SafeTrack Page (FairfaxCounty.gov/SafeTrack) - Resources for commuters in Fairfax County during Metro's continuing track work
Arlington County SafeTrack Page - Know your options for Metro's SafeTrack plan in Arlington County
Prince William County SafeTrack Page - Potomac and Rappahanock Transportation Commission (PRTC) plans during Metro's SafeTrack program
DC SafeTrack page (ddot.dc.gov/safetrack) - District Department of Transportation transit options during SafeTrack Surges
goDCgo (Safetrack.goDCgo.com) - Resources for DC residents, commuters and visitors to plan for SafeTrack
The District Department of Transportation will extend rush hour parking restrictions by 30 minutes for morning and evening rush and provide traffic signal timing enhancements as needed. Rush hours will be 7 am-10 am and 4 pm-7pm Monday through Friday. DDOT will also deploy Traffic Control Officers (TCOs) at high-traffic intersections as needed.
BUS
Printable Detailed Bus Information (pdf)
Customers should also consider Metrobus, Arlington Transit (ART) and Fairfax Connector alternate routes.
Metrobus -
At East Falls Church -
2A - Dunn Loring to East Falls Church, Ballston (enhanced weekday rush schedule | regular timetable)
3Y - East Falls Church to Rosslyn, Farragut West, Farragut North, McPherson Square
(enhanced weekday rush schedule | regular timetable)
15K, 15L - East Falls Church to Rosslyn
At Ballston -
1A - Vienna to Ballston
1B - Dunn Loring to Ballston (AM/PM rush only)
2A - Dunn Loring to East Falls Church, Ballston (enhanced weekday rush schedule | regular timetable)
22A, 22C - Ballston to Pentagon
23B - Crystal City to Ballston (AM/PM rush only)
23A - Crystal City to Ballston and Tysons Corner Center
23T - Shirlington to Tysons Corner Center (AM/PM rush only)
38B - Ballston to Farragut Square
West of Vienna -
5A - Dulles to Herndon-Monroe Park & Ride Lot, Rosslyn, L'Enfant Plaza. Supplemental service Herndon to L'Enfant Plaza
(enhanced weekday rush schedule | regular timetable)
Arlington Transit (ART) -
ART 43 - Crystal City - Rosslyn - Courthouse
ART 52 - Ballston - Virginia Hospital Center - East Falls Church
ART 53 - Ballston - Old Glebe - East Falls Church
ART 55 - East Falls Church - Lee Highway - Rosslyn
ART 62 - Courthouse - Lorcom Lane - Ballston
Supplemental Express Service to Pentagon from:
Vienna Metrorail Station
Reston North Park & Ride
Existing Express Service to Pentagon from:
Backlick North Park & Ride
Gambrill Road Park & Ride
Reston North Park & Ride
Saratoga Park & Ride
Loudoun County Transit -
Routes serving West Falls Church will be relocated to Ballston
Potomac and Rappahanock Transportation Commission (PRTC) -
As of July 20 during SafeTrack Surge #5, PRTC will implement these minor changes to help PRTC and Metro passengers:
The last evening trips of the Manassas Metro Direct and Linton Hall Metro Direct routes from Tysons Corner Metro Station will be delayed by 15 minutes ONLY during the construction period for the Orange and Silver Lines, enabling more passengers to make that connection.
Manassas-area residents who currently ride with PRTC to the Tysons Corner Metro station and then take Metro to Rosslyn/Ballston may want to consider taking a Manassas OmniRide bus to the Pentagon and transferring there to reach Rosslyn/Ballston. Transfer options at the Pentagon include Rosslyn/Ballston OmniRide, Metrobus or Arlington Transit buses.
Omni Ride
Dale City and Woodbridge to Pentagon/Rosslyn/Ballston
COMMUTER RAIL
For customers driving on I-66 from west of Vienna, consider taking the Virginia Railway Express (VRE) Manassas Line (via Burke Centre) to Crystal City, L'Enfant Plaza or Union Station
BIKING
Capital Bikeshare - A bike transit service of the departments of transportation in the District of Columbia,Arlington County, the City of Alexandria and Montgomery County. As an alternative to regular membership options (starting at $8/day), Capital Bikeshare is offering a flat $2 fare for single trips under 30 minutes.
Washington Area Bicyclist Association - and Bike Arlington are providing maps and signs for bike routes as an alternative to Metrorail in Virginia. Signs specific to this Surge will be posted on bike trails and around Metrorail stations.
Bike Arlington - Information to make it easy for cyclists in Arlington to get where they need to go, including more than one hundred miles of multi-use trails, on-street bike lanes, and designated bike routes.
Washington & Old Dominion Trail - scenic bike route from Herndon, Vienna, Dunn Loring, Falls Church.
PARKING
Orange and Silver Line customers using the Vienna, Dunn Loring, West Falls Church, East Falls Church and Wiehle-Reston East Metro Park & Ride facilities should consider other park and ride options, including Park & Ride facilities on the Blue or Yellow lines.
CARPOOLS, VANPOOLS & OTHER RESOURCES
Commuter Connections - Provides commute options to get to work and get you home in an unexpected emergency. Among many services, it offers ridematching for carpools and vanpools and administers the Guaranteed Ride Home program.
Fairfax County Ride Sources - The RideSources program provides commuters with free ridesharing information, including ridematching assistance to form or join carpools or vanpools.
Commuter Page - Arlington County website with helpful links and information regarding local commute options.
Loudoun County Commuter Services - Links to commute options for carpools. vanpools, biking, transit and more.
RideSmart Solutions - Guide to alternative transportation options in Prince George's County.
Vanpool Alliance - A public-private partnership to support vanpool riders and providers in Northern Virginia.
OmniMatch - FREE, personalized ridematching service for carpoolers and vanpoolers in Prince William, Stafford and Spotsylvania Counties and the Cities of Manassas, Manassas Park and Fredericksburg.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
DDOT extended rush hour parking restrictions: 7 a.m. - 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. - 7p.m.
Traffic Control Officers (TCOs) will be deployed at high-traffic intersections as needed.
Arlington SafeTrack Surge Response - Surge 5
If you have any questions or need assistance planning your trip, please call Metro Customer Service at (202) 637-7000.