Get ready for some Metro construction disruptions.
Four Orange Line stations will close starting this Saturday, June 3 through Sunday, June 25, to allow for replacement of four-decade-old steel rails. The closures include East Falls Church in Arlington, plus Dunn Loring and West Falls Church in Fairfax County.
Shuttle buses will replace trains for Orange Line riders going between the Ballston and Vienna stations, and Silver Line riders traveling between Ballston to McLean. A second phase of work, which will result in no Orange Line service just between West Falls Church and Vienna, is scheduled from June 26 to July 16.
More from a Metro press release:
Beginning Saturday, June 3, Metro will begin rail replacement work on the Orange Line in Virginia. During construction, which will be done in two phases to minimize station closures, Metro will replace the original 40-year-old steel rail between Ballston-MU and Vienna stations. Replacing the track in this section is a top priority to ensure safety and increase reliability. Crews will also install fiber-optic cables during this shutdown to modernize communications and allow for more efficient maintenance in the future.
Free shuttle bus service will be available for customers during all station closures. Customers are advised to plan extra time for their travel. Metro is boosting outreach to customers at the affected stations and will have prominent signage, announcements in stations and on trains, and teams of outreach personnel to assist customers with the temporary travel patterns during the construction.
“Replacing some of the oldest tracks in our system is critical to safety and reliability, and crews will work 24/7 to complete this project as quickly as possible so we can get back to normal service,” said Metro Chief of Infrastructure Andy Off. “We make every effort to minimize impacts to our customers, and we thank them for their patience while we continue to build a safe and modern Metro to serve the entire region.”
Customers will continue to have normal or near normal service outside of the work zones, with frequent service on the busiest parts of the system in the downtown core area with stations served by multiple lines. Between Rosslyn and Stadium-Armory and between L’Enfant Plaza and Mt Vernon Sq trains will arrive at stations every 4-6 minutes all day.
Detailed shuttle service information from Metro is below.
Free shuttle service:
Orange Line Shuttle: Local service between Vienna, Dunn Loring, West Falls Church, East Falls Church, and Ballston-MU stations during normal Metrorail operating hours.
- Every 5 minutes during rush hours. (6-9 a.m., 3-7 p.m.)
- Every 10 minutes all other times, including weekends.
Silver Line Shuttle: Local service between McLean, East Falls Church, and Ballston-MU stations during normal Metrorail operating hours.
- Every 5 minutes during rush hours. (6- 9 a.m., 3-7 p.m.)
- Every 10 minutes all other times, including weekends.
Orange Line Express: Express service between Vienna and Rosslyn stations.
- Service every 5 minutes during rush hours. (6-9 a.m., 3-7 p.m.)
- Service every 10 minutes during non-rush hours. (9 a.m. – 3 p.m., 7 p.m. – 9 p.m.)
Silver Line Limited: Limited-stop service between Washington Dulles International Airport, McLean, and Rosslyn.
- Service every 5 minutes during rush hours. (6-9 a.m., 3-7 p.m.)
- Service every 10 minutes during non-rush hours. (9 a.m. – 3: p.m., 7 p.m. – 9 p.m.)
Rail service:
- No Orange Line service between Vienna and Ballston-MU.
- No Silver Line service between McLean and Ballston-MU.
- Weekday rush hours (6-9 a.m., 3-7 p.m.)
- Orange and Silver line trains every 12 minutes each between Ballston-MU and New Carrollton/Downtown Largo.
- Trains will operate every 6 minutes where the Orange and Silver Lines overlap from Ballston to Rosslyn.
- Silver Line trains every 8 minutes between Ashburn and McLean.
- All other times of the day and weekends:
- Orange Line trains every 15 minutes between Ballston-MU and New Carrollton.
- Silver Line trains every 15 minutes between Ballston-MU and Downtown Largo.
- Silver Line trains every 8 minutes between Ashburn and McLean. (Every 10 minutes after 9:30 p.m.)
- In the downtown core area, customers will continue to find frequent service at stations served by multiple lines.
- Trains will arrive every 4-5 minutes between Rosslyn and Stadium-Armory.
- Trains will arrive every 4 minutes between L’Enfant Plaza and Mt Vernon Sq.
- Between Ballston and Rosslyn trains will arrive every 6-7.5 minutes.
Airport traveler information:
Dulles International Airport travelers have several shuttle options to get to and from the airport.
The Silver Line Limited is generally the fastest option to/from Dulles International airport for DC travelers.
- The shuttle stops at Rosslyn, McLean, and Washington Dulles International Airport stations.
- Service is available every day.
- Buses operate every five minutes during rush hours and every 10-minutes at all other times, including weekends.
- The last bus from Dulles in the direction of Rosslyn departs at 8:31 p.m.
- The last bus from Rosslyn in the direction of Dulles International Airport departs at 9:07 p.m.
- Customers should follow signage to shuttle stop 3, located directly outside of the Metrorail station
Travelers can also ride the Silver Line and take the Silver Line Shuttle between McLean and Ballston-MU.
- This shuttle is available every day during Metrorail operating hours.
- Buses operate every five minutes during rush hours and every 10-minutes at all other times.