Latest DC Metro Repair 'Surge' Hits Blue, Yellow Line Commuters

FAIRFAX COUNTY, VA -- Do you take the Blue Line Metro trains to work? Metro SafeTrack Surge No. 8 is underway and will continue through Sunday, Sept. 11. Blue Line trains will continuously single track between Franconia-Springfield and Van Dorn Street during weekdays and complete station shut-downs will affect travelers during weekends, Fairfax County's transportation department announced Wednesday.

Expect extreme crowding and delays in each direction for customers traveling to/from the following stations:

• Franconia-Springfield
• Van Dorn Street

Residents, visitors and others who travel via Metrorail and on any of the major corridors within Fairfax County including I-66, I-495, Dulles Toll Road, and I-95, will be impacted by the track work, according to the County. To continue to reduce the potential for gridlock, Fairfax County is urging commuters to telework and use flexible work schedules whenever possible, and encouraging the use of alternate ways to commute that do not involve driving alone.

Weekday Metrorail service will operate as follows during SafeTrack Surge #8:

• Blue Line trains will run from Franconia-Springfield every 24 minutes.
• Blue Line trains will run from Van Dorn Street every 12 minutes.
• All other Blue Line stations will have near-normal service.
• No Rush+ Yellow Line service. Additional trains will run to/from Huntington instead.

On the weekends of August 27-28 and Sept. 10-11, the Franconia-Springfield station will be closed, but free shuttle buses will be available.

On the weekend of Sept. 3-5, Franconia-Springfield and Van Dorn Street stations will be closed, but free shuttle buses will again be available.

Passengers who use Franconia-Springfield or Van Dorn Street stations should consider alternates, especially during rush hour; the County warns to expect "significant crowding" on trains from the Franconia-Springfield stops.

Transportation connections from Fairfax County to Arlington and Washington, D.C.

Carpooling, slugging, biking and the use of Fairfax Connector express bus service to Arlington, with connections to Washington D.C., is strongly encouraged, the County advised.

Weekdays

During Surge #8, there will be supplemental weekday express bus connections from the Franconia-Springfield Metrorail Station to the Pentagon, offering:

• Metrobus supplemental weekday express service to Pentagon; paid parking; free fare.
• Every 6 minutes to Pentagon between 5:40 a.m. - 8:35 a.m.
• Every 6 minutes from Pentagon between 3:30 p.m. - 6:30 p.m.

Weekends

Also during Surge #8, supplemental weekend shuttle bus connections will be made available on the weekends of August 27-28 and Sept. 10-11

• FREE load-and-go shuttle buses replace trains between Franconia-Springfield and Van Dorn Street stations 7 a.m. Saturday through closing Sunday.
• On the weekend of September 3-5
• FREE load-and-go shuttle buses replace trains between Franconia-Springfield and King St-Old Town stations 7 a.m. Saturday through closing Sunday.

Many other bus, rail and biking connections exists to assist commuters during SafeTrack Surge #8, and there are more than 4,000 parking spaces available at various Park-and-Ride facilities across Fairfax County that are open to carpoolers and sluggers, and provide convenient express or regular bus service to Arlington and Washington, D.C. Most Park-and-Ride facilities also offer bike lockers and rooms, and all Fairfax Connector buses feature bike racks for easy transfer from trails to transit. For details on these facilities and a list of bus connections and schedules, visit www.fairfaxcounty.gov/safetrack.

You can also prepare by visiting www.fairfaxcounty.gov/safetrack for the latest information on your commuting options.

For more information on your commuter options during SafeTrack Surge #8:

• Sign-up for text/email “Commuter Alerts” at www.fairfaxcounty.gov/alerts.
• Call Fairfax County RideSources at 703-877-5600, TTY 711, or visit www.commuterconnections.org, for assistance with ridesharing services and planning.
• Call Fairfax Connector's Telephone Information Center (TIC) at 703-339-7200, TTY 703-339-1608, for information on bus connections.
• Visit a Connector Transit Store: Franconia-Springfield Metro Station, 6880 Frontier Drive, Springfield, VA 22150 Hours are: Monday - Friday: 6:30 a.m. - 7 p.m.

PHOTO: Metro photo from Patch archive