Those planning to take Metro to Reagan National Airport as part of their Labor Day weekend travel plans should reconsider.
The airport station will be closed for maintenance this weekend. The Pentagon City and Crystal City stations on the Blue and Yellow lines also will be closed from 9:30 p.m. Friday until 5 a.m. Tuesday.
This absurd scheduling decision will mean headaches and cab rides for Metro riders flying out of National after Friday evening or into National before Tuesday.
Shuttle service will be in place, but riders should add 45 minutes to their expected travel times.
Metro said the track work between the Pentagon and Braddock Road stations throughout the weekend has been planned for a while, but no matter how long ago they planned it, Labor Day was planned first, and an earlier heads up would have been nice for those trying to get out of town one last time before the summer ends.
The work includes replacement of the four rail interlocking switches at the Pentagon station, replacement of 2,000 feet of rail and 735 ties, concrete and deck joint repairs at the airport station, and fire line maintenance.
The last Yellow and Blue line trains leaving the Franconia-Springfield and Huntington stations will depart a half hour earlier over the weekend, allowing riders to catch the shuttle at Braddock Road in time to get to the Pentagon station before the last train leaves, according to Metro.
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On Friday and Saturday, the last Blue Line train will depart Franconia-Springfield at 1:59 a.m., Van Dorn Street at 2:05 a.m., King Street at 2:10 a.m. and arrive at Braddock Road at 2:12 a.m. On Sunday and Monday, the last Blue Line train will depart Franconia-Springfield at 10:59 p.m., Van Dorn Street at 11:05 p.m., King Street at 11:10 p.m. and arrive at Braddock Road at 11:12 p.m.
The last Yellow Line train Friday and Saturday will leave Huntington at 2:04 a.m., Eisenhower Avenue at 2:05 a.m., King Street at 2:07 a.m. and arrive at Braddock Road at 2:09 a.m. On Sunday and Monday the last Yellow Line train will leave Huntington at 11:04 p.m., Eisenhower Avenue, at 11:05 p.m., King Street at 11:07 p.m. and arrive at Braddock Road at 11:09 p.m.
Metro will offer the following free shuttle service:
- Braddock Road Metrorail station. This shuttle bus will depart from the Pentagon Transit Center lower level bus bay #6 and make one stop on Jefferson Davis Highway at 23rd Street in Crystal City. The shuttle bus stop at the Braddock Road Metrorail station is bus bay B.
- Franconia Springfield Metrorail station. This shuttle bus will depart from the Pentagon Transit Center lower level bus bay #7 and operate express via I-395. The shuttle bus stop at the Franconia-Springfield Metrorail station is bus bay D.
- Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport Metrorail station. This shuttle bus will depart from the Pentagon Transit Center lower level bus bay #8. The shuttle bus stop for the Airport station is located on the west side of the rail station between the station and the parking garage.
- Pentagon City and Crystal City Metrorail stations. This shuttle bus will depart from the Pentagon Transit Center lower level bus bay #9. The shuttle bus stop at the Pentagon City Metrorail station will be at the eastern side of South Hayes Street (across from the Pentagon City Fashion Centre) at 12th Street South. The shuttle bus stop at the Crystal City Metrorail station is on Bell St., north of 18th St.
