Yellow Line to reopen in May; Trains could begin to turn back at Mt Vernon Square
The Yellow Line is set to reopen in May after months of rehabilitation work, and changes could be coming to the line's downtown service due to a budget proposal.
Yellow Line service will resume on May 7 at 7 a.m. Rehabilitan work has been going on for months on the Yellow Line tunnel and bridge between Pentagon and L'Enfant Plaza stations.
Initially, trains will run every eight minutes weekdays and every 12 minutes after 9:30 p.m. and on weekends between Huntington and Mt Vernon Square.
"I want to thank our customers for their patience while we completed this critical work to ensure safe, reliable service for decades to come," said General Manager and Chief Executive Officer Randy Clarke. "I'm also very proud and thankful to the dedicated women and men who worked to deliver this complex project on schedule and on budget."
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The work included replacing over 1,000 individual steel plates held together by more than 12,000 bolts in the tunnel and replacing 88 bearings on the bridge. The project also upgraded the fire suppression system on the 3,000-foot bridge and removed and replaced miles of critical communications cables used by multiple regional partners.
Metro's Fiscal Year 2024 budget includes a proposal to increase service in the downtown core service area by improving frequency on the Green and Yellow lines. To do so, Metro would turn back Yellow Line trains at Mt Vernon Square, meaning Yellow Line trains would operate between Huntington and Mt Vernon Square with service every six minutes.
Green Line service would also improve from every eight to six minutes. Service from Mt Vernon Square to Greenbelt would continue to be provided by the Green Line.
If approved by Metro's Board of Directors later this month, the improved service frequencies, and other fare and service changes would begin later this year as part of Metro’s Fiscal Year 2024.
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Shuttle routes that have operated between Crystal City and L'Enfant Plaza, and Pentagon and Archives, will be discontinued with the start of Yellow Line service on May 7. Blue+ service that has been operating between Huntington and New Carrollton will also be discontinued once the Yellow Line reopens.
Bus service between Mt. Vernon and Potomac Park will continue using the existing schedule until new Route 11Y service begins on June 26.