The WMATA Blue and Yellow Lines will undergo platform reconstruction from 2019 to 2021 requiring shutdowns of six stations south of National Airport. During the summer of 2019, shuttle buses and increased bus service will provide alternatives when the stations are closed. Fairfax County will supplement transit options with additional Fairfax Connector bus routes and shuttles. Outreach strategies will inform the public through multiple channels well in advance of the closures.

1. WMATA Blue & Yellow Lines Station Shutdown
Bus Service Plans
Transportation Advisory Committee Meeting
January 15, 2019
Dwayne Pelfrey
Fairfax County Department of Transportation

2. State of Platforms
 45 outdoor stations – concrete
platforms have been exposed to
weather and de-icing agents for
decades
 Platforms built 35-40 years ago are
now deteriorating
• 10 stations already have rebuilt platforms
• 15 stations have platforms in good
condition
• 20 stations have platforms requiring
immediate attention; temporary
measures installed where needed to
stabilize and ensure safety until
reconstruction occurs
 Concrete repair is a necessary safety
project

3. • No station should experience two major outages in a three-year period
• Focus construction on summer and major holiday weekends to reduce impact
on loyal commuters
• Concentrate work to minimize impact to riders, rather than conducting a series
of smaller outages
• Deliver best possible service outside work zone
• Provide public notification several months in advance
Metro’s Major Outage Guidelines to Minimize Customer Impacts

4. • Complete 20 stations between May 2019 – September 2021 utilizing
continuous work plan
• $300-$500 million in capital project costs over three years
• Extended summer shutdowns on portions of the system each year between
Memorial Day and Labor Day (when ridership lighter)
• Work continues at other times of year with limited single tracking or shorter
track outages to minimize service impacts
• Advance planning to coordinate with jurisdictions and partner agencies;
provide customers at least three months advance notice of service impacts
and mitigation options for riders
Project Plan

5. Regional Transit Partner Response
• WMATA organized an interagency
working group comprised of the
region’s public transit agencies,
Virginia Department of
Transportation, Department of
Defense, and Virginia State Police to
plan a comprehensive response to
the three-month station closures.
• Options being discussed include
shuttle bus service, increased service
on parallel bus routes, water taxi
service, and enhanced VRE
commuter rail service.
Department of Transportation
5
WMATA
Fairfax
DASH
ART
VRE
PRTC
Loudoun

6.  May 25 – September 2, 2019:
• Shutdown BL/YL south of National Airport
• Stations Closed: Braddock Rd, King St,
Eisenhower Ave, Huntington, Van Dorn St,
Franconia-Springfield
• During a typical weekday rush hour,
approx. 17,000 customers board at these
six stations (8% of ridership)
 September 3 – 29, 2019:
• Single tracking on BL, between Van Dorn
St – Franconia-Springfield
• BL trains every 24 minutes
Capital Investment: Platform Rehabilitation Project

7.  Conducted October 2018
 Surveyed existing Metrorail customers who entered or
exited one of the affected stations at least five times in
September 2018
 More than 10% of 17,000 riders affected by shutdown
took survey
NoVa Customer Research

8. Local
Huntington to
Crystal City
10%
Express
Franconia
to
Pentagon
Transit Center
13%
Express
Huntington
to
Pentagon
Transit Center
11%
Local
Franconia
to
National Airport
5%
Metroway
6%
10A
6%
11Y
6%
8Z
4%
21A
3%
Free Shuttlebuses
Regular Metrobuses
Expected Demand for Alternatives
Would you use these alternatives? “Certainly Yes” responses only
All
Affected
Customers
100%
Non-Metro
Modes
36%

9. What is the best way to communicate information to you about alternative travel options?
Select top 3 sources.
1%
1%
4%
5%
6%
7%
13%
15%
16%
18%
27%
31%
36%
43%
61%
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70%
Other
Instagram
Facebook
Twitter
Radio news show
Audio announcement in Metro station or…
Television news show
Newspaper online or print
Brochure mailed to your home address
Video screen in Metro station or aboard train
WMATAcom
Poster aboard train
Brochure distributed at Metro station
Poster in Metro station
Email or text message from Metro

10. System Impact
• On a typical weekday during peak periods, the Blue/Yellow Metrorail corridor can
see up to 8,000 passengers per hour by the time trains reach the Pentagon
Metrorail Station.
• On an average weekday, Metrorail sees about 30,000 entries at the six stations
south of National Airport station that will be closed in summer 2019.
• Experience from past SafeTrack work has shown that 60% of daily Metrorail riders
will take advantage of the free substitute bus shuttles and connect back to
Metrorail.
10

11. 11

12. WMATA Bus Plan
12
Route Days Span
Frequency (in
minutes)
Peak
Buses
Operators
(est.)
From To
8Z Wk
5:35 a.m. – 8:50 p.m.
(Midday service
added)
12-20 (Peak)
30 (Midday)
2^ 3 Quaker Ln. / Osage St. Pentagon
10A Wk 4:25 a.m. – 1:46 a.m.
15 (Peak)
30 (Off-Peak)
4** 4 Huntington Pentagon
11Y Wk
6:31 a.m. – 9:03 a.m.
4:10 p.m. – 7:24 p.m.
5-10 (AM Peak)
5-15 (PM Peak)
5** 5 Mt Vernon Washington D.C.
21A Wk
5:35 a.m. – 7:47 p.m.
(Midday service
added)
20 (Peak)
30 (Midday)
2^ 3 Landmark Area Pentagon
Metroway Wk
5:30 a.m. – 9:00 a.m.
3:30 p.m. – 7:30 p.m.
6 (Peak) N/C N/C Braddock Rd Pentagon City
Shuttle 1 Wk, Sa, Su 5:30 a.m. – Midnight
6 (Peak)
12 (Off Peak)
13 24 Franconia Pentagon
Shuttle 2 Wk, Sa, Su 5:30 a.m. – Midnight
10 (Peak) 15-20(Off
Peak)
11 20 Franconia National Airport
Shuttle 3 Wk, Sa, Su 5:30 a.m. - Midnight
6 (Peak)
12 (Off-Peak)
12 22 Huntington Pentagon
Shuttle 4 Wk, Sa, Su 5:30 a.m. - Midnight 4-6 (Peak) 25 38 Huntington Crystal City
** - Buses required will supplement existing service.
^ - Buses required to provide midday service.

13.  Routes serving the WMATA Blue and
Yellow Line Metrorail Stations at
Huntington and Franconia-Springfield

14. 14

15. Fairfax County Response
• As a funding partner of Metrorail and
Metrobus service, Fairfax County
(along with the other regional
partners) has been asked to provide
support during the station
shutdowns.
• FCDOT staff has evaluated the existing
Fairfax Connector bus service and
resources to determine what
assistance could be provided.
Department of Transportation
15

16. Department of Transportation
16
Option
Span of
Service
Headways
(in minutes)
Maximum
Number
of Buses
Closure
Period
Revenue
Hours
Closure
Period
Operating
Cost
Routes
393 / 394
5:13 – 10:08 A.M.
3:35 – 7:59 P.M.
10 4 1,516 $180,404
Huntington
Metrorail
Shuttle
19 hours (Mon.-Thurs.)
20.5 hours (Fri.)
18.5 hours (Sat.)
15.5 hours (Sun.)
10 2 3,776 $449,344
Fairfax Connector’s Supplemental Transit Service
 Add morning and afternoon trips on Fairfax Connector express Routes 393 and 394
o Capitalizes on existing parking capacity at Saratoga and Backlick North Park-and-Ride Lots
o Provides 10-minute headways during peak periods
o Adds two buses to each of Routes 393 and 394
o Adds 22.3 daily revenue hours to weekday schedule
 Develop shuttle bus service, operated by Fairfax Connector, between Huntington Metrorail
Station South and Huntington Metrorail Station North
o Addresses bus station access issue due to demolition of south parking garage
o Operates on 10-minute headways’
o Operates on weekdays and weekends

17. 17

18. Other Travel Options
• Promote Alternatives to Driving Alone
• Alternative transit service options
• Park-and-ride facilities where capacity for ridesharing
arrangements and connecting transit service exist
• Flexible/alternate work schedules and telework options
• Leverage Commuter Connections
(commuterconnections.org)
• Facilitated by Metropolitan Washington Council of
Governments (MWCOG), Commuter Connections provides
resources for:
• Locating regional telework/co-work centers
• Carpools and vanpool services
• Facilitating park-and-ride searchers
• Assisting with Guaranteed Ride Home program sign-ups
• Regional database to leverage commuter options and
programs (12,000 employers/40,000 commuters)
Department of Transportation
18

19. Public Outreach Strategies
• Fairfax County information landing page at
www.fairfaxcounty.gov/transportation/travel-alerts
• Information dissemination through all available
platforms including:
• Advertising (radio, online, bus shelters, movie theaters,
etc.)
• Media outreach
• Geo-targeted social media
• Partner organization outreach
• Community outreach
• Collaboration with local, regional and state PIOs,
MWCOG, and WMATA communications
• Close coordination with regional Transportation Demand
Management (TDM) groups engaging in employer
outreach efforts
• Coordination with Fairfax Connector Telephone
Information Center (TIC)
Department of Transportation
19

20. Questions and Discussion
Department of Transportation
20