Metro Blue Orange Silver Capacity & Reliability Study

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Help Metro select a preferred alternative to improve the Blue, Orange, and Silver lines

Metro welcomes you to participate and share your thoughts in this third period of public engagement for the Blue/Orange/Silver Corridor Capacity & Reliability Study (BOS study). Following two previous rounds of public engagement and extensive feedback, we have worked with community stakeholders and local jurisdictions to develop six potential alternatives to address capacity, reliability, and customer needs on the Blue, Orange, and Silver lines.

Help us decide which alternative is best for the region by providing your input by September 30, 2023.

Learn More icon Learn more about the proposed alternatives by reviewing details about each alternative
Attend a Meeting icon Attend a hybrid public meeting
Take the Survey icon Provide your feedback on the alternatives by taking the online survey.

Metro launched the Blue/Orange/Silver Capacity & Reliability Study (BOS Study) in early 2019 to identify the best and most cost-effective solutions to better serve the needs of our customers and the region. We identified long-standing issues and opportunities on the Blue, Orange, and Silver lines including capacity, reliability, equity, and long-term sustainability. To address these needs, the Blue/Orange/Silver Corridor Capacity & Reliability Study used deep data analysis and intensive engagement with community partners to identify alternatives to address the issues. The study concludes when Metro's Board of Directors selects a locally-preferred alternative (LPA).

After more than two years of study, intensive data analysis, and a lot of feedback from community partners and the public, we have identified six potential alternatives:

  • Alternative 1: No-Build
  • Alternative 2: Rail Optimization & Bus Service (Lower Capital Cost) Alternative
  • Alternative 3: Blue Line Blue Line to Greenbelt
  • Alternative 4: Blue Line Blue Line to National Harbor
  • Alternative 5: Silver Line Silver Line Express in VA
  • Alternative 6: Silver Line Silver Line to New Carrollton

The selected alternative needs to achieve the four goals for the Blue, Orange, and Silver lines:

Image showing the four study goals: (1) Provide adequate transit capacity to meet demand. (2) Maintain and improve on time performance and Metro's ability to manage service disruptions. (3) Increase cost efficiency. (4) Ensure a sustainable future and access to opportunity.

Metro's selection of a preferred alternative is the first step of a 10- to 20-year process. There will be no commitment to build until there is a funding agreement.

For more information about the study goals and process, visit About the Study.

Advancing the Your Metro Plan

Metro's new strategic plan, Your Metro, the Way Forward, aims to make Metro the region's trusted way to move more people safely and sustainably. The Your Metro Plan identified selection of a BOS LPA as a priority initiative, and the LPA will advance several of the plan's goals and objectives. Learn more at: wmata.com/strategicplan.

Image showing the Your Metro Goals and objectives. Service excellence, Regional opportunity and partnership, and Sustainability.

Next Steps

We recently completed a comparative performance assessment and cost-benefit analysis (CBA) for six potential alternatives. Those alternatives will undergo a third round of public engagement, including public meetings, an online survey, and other opportunities to share your feedback that will help Metro's Board of Directors select a locally-preferred alternative (LPA). Please visit the Alternatives page for more details.

Image showing the BOS study process and timeline, currently in the final phase of selecting a locally-preferred alternative.


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