November 20, 2018

What to Know: WMATA Yellow Line Shutdown

by Korrea Johnston

Attention Yellow Line riders — be sure to plan your post-Thanksgiving holiday travel accordingly! Starting Monday, November 26 to Sunday, December 9, Metro’s Yellow Line service will be shut down for 14 consecutive days as the transit agency closes the bridge over the Potomac River to work on repairs, taking advantage of lower ridership during the holiday season.

Metrorail

While there will be no Yellow Line service, all stations will remain open during the two week shutdown. WMATA recommends that riders who want to get between the District and Northern Virginia use the Blue Line as an alternative. On weekdays during the repair project, Blue Line trains will run every 16 minutes between the Franconia-Springfield and Largo Town Center stops and between the Huntington and Largo Town Center stops. But after 8pm, trains will run every 20 minutes.

Shuttles

To reduce Blue Line crowding, Metro is providing other travel alternatives like FREE Metrobus express shuttle service between Franconia-Springfield and Pentagon and between Pentagon and L’Enfant Plaza weekdays until 8pm.

During rush hour only, Metro also plans to offer express shuttle buses between Franconia-Springfield and L’Enfant Plaza and between Crystal City and L’Enfant Plaza.

Trains

The Virginia Railway Express (VRE) is another great weekday option with stops at Franconia-Springfield, Alexandria, Crystal City, L’Enfant Plaza, and Union Station. The rail service largely operates toward Washington, DC in the morning and toward the direction of Virginia in the afternoon. 

The Yellow Line shutdown will involve a full track replacement on both tracks across the bridge, including new steel rails, grout pads, and fasteners. Be sure to share this information with colleagues, employees, and friends so they can plan to adjust their commutes as necessary and allow for extra travel time.