Orange and Silver Line Stations Shutdown for Platforms Rebuild/Replace

[YOLO]

Some details on the orange line work scheduled in 2020: https://wtop.com/tracking-metro-24-7/20 ... mmer-2020/

Tentative plans call for complete closure of Vienna and Dunn Loring Stations, single track open at WFC, trains will single track but NOT stop at EFC

[STrRedWolf]

Some details on the orange line work scheduled in 2020: https://wtop.com/tracking-metro-24-7/20 ... mmer-2020/

Tentative plans call for complete closure of Vienna and Dunn Loring Stations, single track open at WFC, trains will single track but NOT stop at EFC

Just going over it via Google Maps... and that's going to be one nasty route for the buses. I can see express service Vienna to Ballston non-stop via I-66 (north side of Vienna) but anything else is primarily going to be taking US 29 to reach all the stations to East Falls Church, then the quick I-66 stint to Ballston.

[JDC]

I, too, had looked at Google maps for both the O/S and then G/Y shutdowns to see how they could route shuttle buses. I came to the conclusion that Metro had it easy for the B/Y shutdown based on the nearby roads and highways. Shuttle buses are going to be a lot more difficult for the upcoming shutdowns.

[mtuandrew]

The only place where there will be a lot of surface road congestion (besides half a mile of Fairfax Drive in Ballston) is Dunn Loring on the Orange Line. That would have been best served from East Falls Church or Vienna (both just off US 29/Lee Highway), but a bus shuttle from West Falls Church looping around Shreve, Lee Highway, Gallows, Idylwood, and Leesburg Pike will have to do. Everything else will be tollway driving, and I’m assuming WMATA and EZPass will adjust tolls as needed to allow a little more space for all the buses.

Ballston is gonna be a busy bus transfer station. Hopefully some of the Silver Line traffic will be siphoned off by express buses from Rosslyn (and Pentagon maybe?) to Tysons and Wiehle, because those trains will be mighty delayed by that single-track section at EFC. Also hoping that WMATA reopens the second EFC track early in the rebuild process.

[JDC]

Metro has announced the details, or some of them, for the summer 2020 shutdown on the Orange Line to accommodate he next phase of its platform improvement project. As the post makes clear, there have been some changes since it first described what would occur during phase 2/summer 2020. https://www.wmata.com/about/news/2020-P ... aihYpF3pvA

[JDC]

A WTOP story discussing why Metro cancelled the YL/GR components of the 2020 platform project and bumped them 6-10 years down the line. https://wtop.com/tracking-metro-24-7/20 ... -shutdown/

[Sand Box John]

Both stories have a connections to one another.

It also should be noted that the platform project completion date happens before WMATA's projected window for opening of Phase II of the Silver line.

[davinp]

Before doing a big project, the organization needs to conduct a study to determine what is feasible and the costs associated with the project

[JDC]

We're several weeks away from Metro announcing more details about this summer's OL shutdown for the PiP, including what bus bridges will exist. I thought that might be an interesting point for folks to weigh in on here.

Based on what Metro did last summer with Huntington and Franconia-Springfield, and also looking at a map, I assume the 'express' buses would be staged at Vienna station, which seems well-equipped to handle a large fleet of couch-style buses. It also has easy access to I-66 in both directions. What I cannot decide is where those express buses will be heading - Ballston? Somewhere further towards DC? Last year, Metro really got lucky because Pentagon was open and has a massive bus depot. I am not sure if any stations on the OL from Ballston onward are anywhere near that conducive to a large-scale bus bridge.

As for the 'local' buses, Metro could use the following route: from Vienna station, take Lee Hwy to Gallows Rd to service Dunn Loring. Then, continue north on Gallows Rd to Idylwood Rd, which I recognize is not an especially high-capacity road. But, it would seem to provide easy access to WFC via Great Falls St. and then Haycock Rd. Anyone more familiar with this area may have a better route from Dunn Loring to WFC. From WFC to EFC, it seems there are several possible routes using both major and minor roads. For instance, from WFC the buses could go Haycock Rd to Rt 7, then N. West St to Lincoln Ave to Fairfax Dr to Wash Blvd. Or, alternatively, just Haycock to Rt 7 to Rt 29 to Wash Blvd. Finally, I'd make Ballston the end point for the local buses, so you could route them along Washington Blvd all the way from EFC to Ballston, using Glebe to get to Fairfax Dr.

I realize that the local buses could also at times jump on/off highway, too. I also am not familiar with existing bus routes in this area, so Metro may already have workable routes the mimic the OL in this area.

[mtuandrew]

I think you’re right with the locals, JDC.

With the Vienna and Tysons express buses, how about Metro sends them to Pentagon as well? Ballston doesn’t seem like it could handle the entire OR/SV ridership load, and Rosslyn certainly can’t handle it all. However, you could annul SV service and run short-turn BL trains to National Airport in their place - they would connect with the express bus services at Pentagon (which would then be routed via VA-110 to I-66 and VA-267.) OR/SV express buses could use the same platforms as the BL/YL Springfield and Huntington expresses used last year.

Yes, this concept messes up YL service - sorry about that.

[JDC]

I think you’re right with the locals, JDC.

With the Vienna and Tysons express buses, how about Metro sends them to Pentagon as well? Ballston doesn’t seem like it could handle the entire OR/SV ridership load, and Rosslyn certainly can’t handle it all. However, you could annul SV service and run short-turn BL trains to National Airport in their place - they would connect with the express bus services at Pentagon (which would then be routed via VA-110 to I-66 and VA-267.) OR/SV express buses could use the same platforms as the BL/YL Springfield and Huntington expresses used last year.

Yes, this concept messes up YL service - sorry about that.

Hands off my Yellow line service!

[JDC]

To prepare for the project, Metro is closing parking at three stations starting on March 15. https://www.wmata.com/about/news/2020-P ... in-content.

In summary: "Beginning Sunday, March 15, surface parking lots at East Falls Church, West Falls Church, and Vienna stations will be closed for seven to nine months, as construction contractors begin the process of moving material and machines into place. Once these lots close, there will be no parking available at East Falls Church, severely limited parking at West Falls Church, and reduced parking at Vienna Station. Parking at Dunn Loring station is not impacted."

[JDC]

Metro has announced its alternative travel arrangements for this summer's OL shutdown in VA. https://www.wmata.com/about/news/PIP-II ... atives.cfm

[STrRedWolf]

Metro has announced its alternative travel arrangements for this summer's OL shutdown in VA. https://www.wmata.com/about/news/PIP-II ... atives.cfm

Looks heavy on I-66... Looking at Google Maps, my guess on actual bus route is...

• Shuttle 1 Vienna-WFC: Saintsbury, U-turn on round-about, L Nutley, R Exit I-66, R Exit VA 7 Leesburg, L Haycock, L Falls Church, R Parking Lot Access, L Busbay Entrance.
• Shuttle 2 Dunn Loring-WFC: R Avenir, L Prosperity, L Gallows (VA 650), R Idylwood (VA 695), L Leesburg (VA 7), follow above.
• Shuttle 3 EFC-Ballston: R North Sycamore, L 19th Street Exit I-66, R Exit Fairfax, R Ballston Metro Slip.
• Shuttle 6 Vienna-Rosslyn: Saintsbury, U-turn on round-about, L Nutley, R Exit I-66, R Exit Fairfax, R Ballston Metro Slip (stop), S Fairfax Drive, S 10th Street, L Wilson, S Claredon (Stop CourtHouse), L Wilson, L Nash, S 19th, R North Moore (station stop).
• Shuttle 7 Herndon-Monroe P&R Express: L Sunrise Valley, L Fairfax County Pkwy (VA 286), R Dulles Toll (VA 267), L I-66, R Exit Fairfax, R Ballston Metro Slip (stop), S Fairfax Drive, S 10th Street, L Wilson, S Claredon (Stop CourtHouse), L Wilson, L Nash, S 19th, R North Moore (station stop).

...which of course, differs from my earlier post about routes.

[JDC]

Because of lower ridership due to ongoing coronavirus pandemic, Metro will be undertaking extensive track work in DC this summer. https://www.wmata.com/about/news/covid- ... y-plan.cfm The "plan includes targeted week-long shutdowns of 3-5 stations at a time for track maintenance and upgrades," and the " first track work shutdown is currently targeted for June 7-13 at L'Enfant Plaza, Waterfront, and Navy Yard stations." There will be no YL service north of National Airport during that period.

Subsequent phases of this new track work are on p. 8 of the presentation https://www.wmata.com/about/board/meeti ... -Final.pdf