Orange Line riders traveling in Virginia should expect major delays when taking Metrorail on Memorial Day weekend and the first two weekends of June.
The transit agency plans to shut down train service between the East Falls Church and West Falls Church rail stations for those three weekends to accommodate the construction of the Dulles Rail extension.
That means splitting the Orange Line into two sections. Riders passing through the Virginia stations will have to take free shuttle buses from the two stations to use the line starting each Saturday morning and through the rest of the weekend. The agency urges riders to build 30 minutes extra into their trips.
On the Friday nights leading up to the work, riders will face delays as trains share a single track in that area from 10 p.m. until closing, said spokesman Steven Taubenkibel.
The work is to help build and test the aerial structure that the new train line will use to connect to the existing system. The Dulles Rail extension, sometimes called the Silver Line though it has not been officially color-coordinated yet, will extend Metrorail service for 23 miles to the Washington Dulles International Airport and beyond.
The work is to help build and test the aerial structure that the new train line will use to connect to the existing system. The Dulles Rail extension, sometimes called the Silver Line though it has not been officially color-coordinated yet, will extend Metrorail service for 23 miles to the Washington Dulles International Airport and beyond.
The Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority is coordinating the construction of the more than $5 billion line, though Metro will run the trains.
Trains are scheduled to begin running on the first leg by the end of 2013, though the second leg into Loudoun County remains unscheduled.
In this bout of closures, crews will drive piles into the sides of Interstate 66 during the three-day holiday weekend, June 5-6 and June 12-13.
Those who live or pass through the area should expect a lot of noise, warns rail project spokeswoman Marcia McAllister. Riders also take note: Metro’s online trip planner won’t include the changes caused by the service disruptions.
The airports authority plans to reimburse Metro for the cost of the shuttle service, according to both organizations.
