Metro to close parking lot, cut spaces at 3 Orange Line stations

Metro to close parking lot, cut spaces at 3 Orange Line stations this summer

Soon thousands of Northern Virginia Metro riders will need to find a new place to park.

FALLS CHURCH, Va. (FOX 5 DC) - Soon thousands of Northern Virginia Metro riders will need to find a new place to park.

The issue stems from Metro’s upcoming 2020 summer shutdown, which will allow for platform reconstruction at four orange line stations. While the major construction is scheduled to start after Memorial Day weekend, contractors need to start prep work next month.

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That’s where the parking issues come in. Because there isn’t a lot of space at the four affected stations — East Falls Church, West Falls Church, Vienna, and Dunn Loring, all located along I-66 — workers need to use much of the available surface parking to stage heavy equipment and tons of material.

So starting March 15, the East Falls Church station will no longer have any daily parking, the West Falls Church station will lose half of its parking, and the Vienna station will lose about 10 percent of its parking, while Dunn Loring parking will be left untouched. The closures are expected to last for seven to nine months.

“I just found out this weekend,” Metro rider Catherine Perkins said while heading to her car Tuesday. “I was really upset.”

Added fellow Rider Tom Wirth, “it was a pretty big shock to hear that, and it’s gonna be really challenging.”

I’m addition to the parking closures, the Vienna, Dunn Loring, and East Falls Church stations are scheduled to close altogether from Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day.

So what can you do to work around all of the changes? Metro suggests parking at the Dunn Loring station, which will be worked on this summer but will not lose any parking. They also suggest trying the Vienna stop, where they’re only losing some surface parking and the parking garages will remain open. Finally, Metro is expected to release specific travel alternatives early next month.

For more information on the parking impacts, you can click here. https://www.wmata.com/about/news/2020-PIP-parking.cfm#main-content

For more information on Metro’s platform improvement project, you can click here. https://www.wmata.com/service/rail/PlatformProject/