Summer Metro Shutdown: Alexandria Releases Draft Mitigation Plan

ALEXANDRIA, VA—The City of Alexandria has released a draft mitigation plan for the summer 2019 shutdown of Metrorail stations. The Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority will shut down the Braddock Road, King St-Old Town, Van Dorn Street, Eisenhower Avenue, Huntington and Franconia-Springfield stations from Memorial Day to Labor Day. Residents can provide feedback on the city's plan through March 20.

The city's mitigation plan highlights transportation alternatives based on a public survey last fall with nearly 3,000 responses. The city will encourage riders to use alternatives like buses, mobility devices, and water taxis, telework or alter commuting schedules when possible. The plan also addresses traffic flow and potential incentives for carpooling.

"We are doing our part to help provide transportation options in conjunction with these important platform improvements," said Alexandria Mayor Justin Wilson in a WMATA news release. "The City and its partners are expanding local bus, trolley, and water taxi service; managing traffic flow; emphasizing rideshare, pedestrian, bicycle, and mobility device use; encouraging telework and alternate commuting schedules; and other mitigation strategies."

Here are the major components of the plan:

• WMATA shuttles: Metro will provide four shuttles serving the closed Metrorail stations. Shuttle 1 will go from Pentagon to Franconia-Springfield but will not have stops in Alexandria. Shuttle 3 will also not enter Alexandria and will go from Pentagon to Huntington. Shuttle 2 will serve Reagan National Airport, King and Washington Streets, King Street Station, Van Dorn Street, and Franconia-Springfield. Shuttle 4 will serve Crystal City, Braddock Road, King Street, Eisenhower Avenue and Huntington. Customers should add an extra 30 minutes of travel time to their commutes.
• Traffic mitigation: The city will work to allow DASH and Metro buses to move more quickly. The City is working with WMATA and DASH to identify chokepoints and adjust traffic control as needed. This could include adjusting stop bars or signal timing at certain intersections to increasing car occupancy requirements on HOV lanes.
• Water taxi: The Potomac Riverboat Company provides daily water taxis to the Wharf in DC with a five-minute shuttle connection to the L'Enfant Plaza Metrorail station. The company will also add temporary ferry service in the mornings. Daily schedules are available at www.potomacriverboatco.com.
• DASH Bus: Dash Bus will have increased service on the AT3 and AT4 routes servicing the Pentagon and add free extra shuttle buses seven days per week. The city may add a free express shuttle between Pentagon and King Street Metro during weekday peak periods, and reduce fares on regular DASH routes for riders who use the agency’s new mobile ticketing app.
• King Street Trolley: The city plans to open the King Street Trolley earlier (7 a.m. on weekdays and 9 a.m. on weekends) and will add extra weekday trips to and from the Pentagon on the AT-3 and AT-4.
• Ridesharing: The city plans to have incentives for carpooling. The city will use its rented parking spaces at the Landmark Mall as meeting points for carpooling. The city is also encouraging vanpools, or carpools of six or more people.
• Mobility devices: The city's dockless scooter and bike pilot program continues until September.

You can read the full mitigation plan here. Comments on the plan can be submitted online through March 20.

WMATA announced its own web page on Tuesday for the project, providing details of the work and transportation alternatives. The summer Metro shutdown will allow Metro to completely reconstruct station platforms and make other major station improvements. It is part of a three-year project to reconstruct platforms at 20 stations. Visit www.wmata.com/service/rail/PlatformProject for more information.