Metro News Release

For immediate release: May 31, 2010

Dulles Rail Project construction work on schedule


No Orange Line service between West Falls Church and East Falls Church stations

The Dulles Corridor Metrorail Project work on the Orange Line that has resulted in the disruption of rail service between the West Falls Church-VT/UVA and East Falls Church Metrorail stations during the three-day Memorial Day holiday weekend is progressing on schedule.

Regular service on the Orange Line between the West Falls Church-VT/UVA and East Falls Church Metrorail stations will resume when the Metrorail system opens tomorrow at 5 a.m., (Tuesday, June 1).

The free shuttle buses have been busy throughout the holiday weekend with buses filling up as trains empty at the West Falls Church-VT/UVA and East Falls Church Metrorail stations. Through Sunday, 27,547 people have used the shuttle buses to help complete their trips.

Metro administrative employees along with Metro Transit Police officers have been on site guiding customers from the rail platforms to the shuttle buses to assist them in completing their trips. They also have been busy answering questions from customers.

Today, the Orange Line will be split in two sections, the first running from Vienna/Fairfax-GMU to West Falls Church-VT/UVA Metrorail stations, and the second between the New Carrollton and East Falls Church Metrorail stations. The East Falls Church and West Falls Church-VT/UVA Metrorail stations are open. With no train service between the West Falls-VT/UVA and East Falls Church Metrorail stations, Metro is operating free shuttle bus service between these two stations.

As a reminder, the last Orange Line trains departing the Vienna/Fairfax-GMU and Dunn Loring Metrorail stations will leave approximately 17 minutes earlier than usual tonight. This will allow for customers to connect to the free shuttle buses and to the last train departing the East Falls Church Metrorail station to the New Carrollton Metrorail station. The last Orange Line train will depart Vienna/Fairfax-GMU at 11:08 p.m., from Dunn Loring at 11:11 p.m., and arrive at West Falls Church-VT/UVA at 11:15 p.m.

Throughout the weekend, the Dulles Corridor Metrorail Project contractors are conducting work on a pier located east of the West Falls Church-VT/UVA Metrorail station, driving piles along the fence adjacent to the I-66 west and eastbound lanes and replacing ties on the tracks. All of this work is necessary to connect the new rail line to the Orange Line.

The Trip Planner, located on Metro=s Web site, will not reflect the impact of this work on its schedules. For more information on traveling by Metrobus or Metrorail, customers may call (202) 637-7000 or TTY (202) 638-3780.

News release issued at 12:16 pm, May 31, 2010.