Project status: at a glance

Study Goals

The study and preliminary concepts seek to address four goals for Metrorail service in the shared BOS corridor:

1. Serve current and future ridership demand 

The maximum number of trains that can run through the Rosslyn tunnel on shared track using existing technology is 26 trains per hour (TPH) in each direction divided between the three lines. 

Today, trains on the Blue, Orange, and Silver lines are already crowded during rush hours. Some Orange Line trains between Court House and Foggy Bottom are at maximum capacity. By 2040, population and job growth in the BOS corridor is forecast to grow more than 30%, increasing Metrorail ridership by 18%. Even with all 8-car trains, there will not be enough rush-hour train capacity to meet the future demand.

Passenger Crowding (click on images to enlarge) 

  

2. Improve reliability and on-time performance

On-time performance on the Blue, Orange and Silver lines remains below target, despite significant improvement as a result of Metro's SafeTrack emergency repair program, robust preventive maintenance, and schedule adjustments. In April 2016 trains incurred delays every day during the AM commute, compared to only 40% of days in April 2019.

This is not a matter of not having the trains, or the employees to run them. Rather, is usually the result of congestion caused by having many trains sharing a single track.

About half of delays are caused by mechanical failures and infrastructure issues that can be addressed with ongoing maintenance. The other half are caused by unanticipated problems such as sick passengers, police activity, customers holding doors, and other factors.

When unanticipated disruptions like this occur, Metro’s ability to minimize the impact of single tracking or to quickly deploy relief trains is limited due to the two-track system and available infrastructure. Addressing these limitations requires solutions that will allow Metro to manage disruptions more efficiently.

Today, a single disruption can impact all three lines and in severe cases may even disrupt service on the Yellow and Green lines.

3. Improve operational flexibility and cost-efficiency

The physical constraints on the Blue, Orange, and Silver lines limit Metro’s ability to operate more efficiently and adjust service during disruptions or preventive maintenance necessary to the long-term health of the system. Building more infrastructure for trains to switch tracks or turn around would allow Metro to shorten single tracking or run different service patterns that minimize the impact of disruptions, scheduled track work or special events.

Operational flexibility also gives Metro the ability to match service to demand. In some parts of the system, trains run nearly empty all the way to the end of the line, and that imposes higher costs on Metro and taxpayers. We can maximize the cost-effectiveness of Metro service with more dense development around stations, known as Transit Oriented Development (TOD), and by providing the ability to vary service patterns. To better serve taxpayers service may be increased where demand is strong and maintained or reduced in other areas. 

4. Support sustainable development and expand access to opportunity

Metro's Energy Action Plan is our roadmap to reduce energy usage, cut greenhouse gas emissions, and save money through green initiatives. Public transit systems like Metro already play a vital role in providing sustainable transportation that keeps cars off the road. The BOS Study supports the Energy Action Plan by identifying ways to make Metrorail more cost effective and energy efficient.

Visit the Documents and FAQs page for more information on this study.

How this benefits you

Through this study, Metro will look for a solution or solutions that will improve service with more trains and less crowding, reduce delays, optimize ridership and provide more cost-effective service.

Study area

The project area includes the Orange and Silver lines, from Vienna and the future Ashburn Station to the New Carrollton and Largo Town Center stations, as well as the Blue Line between the Pentagon and Largo stations. Once Silver Line Phase 2 opens, the total area includes seven jurisdictions, 44 Metrorail stations, and 56 miles of track.

While any improvements recommended by this study will focus on the Blue, Orange, and Silver lines, the analysis will also consider potential operational impacts on other lines in the Metrorail system.

Study process - finding the solution

The BOS Study is a type of study known as an Alternatives Analysis (AA). The AA is a two-year effort that complies with best-practices guidelines from the Federal Transit Administration and the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). This will allow Metro to move forward with the study recommendation(s) and compete for federal funding, while reducing the length and cost of any future environmental review process. The study recommendations will be based on data analysis, with input from regional stakeholders and the public to define the problems and determine the preferred solution.

After the study is completed and a "locally-preferred alternative (LPA)" is identified, Metro will move forward with the federal environmental review process, design and competition for federal funding. The future phase of project development will also include additional opportunities for public engagement. 

Stakeholder committees

In addition to input from the public, the study will be guided by input from six technical and advisory committees:

Read a full list of the agencies and organizations participating in the external stakeholder committees.

Additional Information

See Get Involved to engage and share your input on the study.

See Documents and FAQs for project documents, news highlights, and further reading.