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Virginia Railway Express To Offer Free Rides During Metro's Yellow And Blue Line Shutdown
JUL 15, 4:19 PM
Virginia Railway {Express} To Offer Free Rides During Metro’s Yellow And Blue Line Shutdown
Colleen Grablick | https://twitter.com/colleengrablick
Virginia Railway Express will be offering free rides system-wide in September and between select stops in October, as Metro shuts down portion of the Yellow and Blue lines for major construction projects. ... The VRE’s board approved the measure on Friday, giving fare-free rides across the entire system during the month of September. During October, rides will be free between the six stations most-impacted by the closures: Alexandria, Crystal City, L’Enfant, Union Station, and Backlick Road on the Manassas Line and Franconia-Springfield on the Fredericksburg Line. Parking is free at most VRE stations, and according to a VRE statement, WMATA is considering offering free parking at the Franconia-Springfield parking garage while the station is closed.
The Blue and Yellow line shutdown comes as Metro tackles several large-scale construction and maintenance projects. On Sept. 10, the Yellow Line between the Pentagon and L’Enfant Plaza will close for eight months, as crews make safety repairs to the bridge over the Potomac River, and rehabilitate the steel-lined tunnel leading to D.C. Meanwhile, construction on the Potomac Yard Station will close all service south of the Washington National Airport Station from Sept. 10 to Oct. 22.
In June, Metro announced service alternatives for the months-long closures, including adding additional trains on the Blue and Green lines and running several shuttles between shuttered stations. The last time the Yellow or Blue line underwent such closures was in 2019, to the frustration of many residents. In Alexandria, where the Yellow Line serves as a primary link to D.C., officials have been preparing for {a} disruptive fall, asking Metro to add additional lines and bring back decommissioned service, like the 11Y bus line, a commuter bus from D.C. to the Mount Vernon area.
In a press release announcing the free rides, the VRE Operations Board said the move was intended to lure riders back to the system, as it faces a sluggish rebound from pandemic-enduced ridership drops. The rail system failed to meet its 2021 ridership goals, as employers delayed return-to-work plans or settled into hybrid policies, but leftover federal relief funds make the two months of free fare possible, according to a fiscal impact statement.
Virginia Railway {Express} To Offer Free Rides During Metro’s Yellow And Blue Line Shutdown
Colleen Grablick | https://twitter.com/colleengrablick
Virginia Railway Express will be offering free rides system-wide in September and between select stops in October, as Metro shuts down portion of the Yellow and Blue lines for major construction projects. ... The VRE’s board approved the measure on Friday, giving fare-free rides across the entire system during the month of September. During October, rides will be free between the six stations most-impacted by the closures: Alexandria, Crystal City, L’Enfant, Union Station, and Backlick Road on the Manassas Line and Franconia-Springfield on the Fredericksburg Line. Parking is free at most VRE stations, and according to a VRE statement, WMATA is considering offering free parking at the Franconia-Springfield parking garage while the station is closed.
The Blue and Yellow line shutdown comes as Metro tackles several large-scale construction and maintenance projects. On Sept. 10, the Yellow Line between the Pentagon and L’Enfant Plaza will close for eight months, as crews make safety repairs to the bridge over the Potomac River, and rehabilitate the steel-lined tunnel leading to D.C. Meanwhile, construction on the Potomac Yard Station will close all service south of the Washington National Airport Station from Sept. 10 to Oct. 22.
In June, Metro announced service alternatives for the months-long closures, including adding additional trains on the Blue and Green lines and running several shuttles between shuttered stations. The last time the Yellow or Blue line underwent such closures was in 2019, to the frustration of many residents. In Alexandria, where the Yellow Line serves as a primary link to D.C., officials have been preparing for {a} disruptive fall, asking Metro to add additional lines and bring back decommissioned service, like the 11Y bus line, a commuter bus from D.C. to the Mount Vernon area.
In a press release announcing the free rides, the VRE Operations Board said the move was intended to lure riders back to the system, as it faces a sluggish rebound from pandemic-enduced ridership drops. The rail system failed to meet its 2021 ridership goals, as employers delayed return-to-work plans or settled into hybrid policies, but leftover federal relief funds make the two months of free fare possible, according to a fiscal impact statement.