ALEXANDRIA,VA- It finally happened! The multi-million dollar renovation of all of Alexandria’s Metro stations is coming to an end. The summer-long experience, lasting from May 25 through Sept. 8, to repair structural deficiencies at all stations south of Reagan National Airport resulted in a major shift for commuters, who were challenged to get to work on time.
The city’s DASH bus service expanded routes, the trolley from the King Street Station expanded their hours of operation, and the Potomac Riverboat Company’s Water Taxi ferried folks through those early morning summer hours along the Potomac River from the Port of Alexandria to Washington, D.C.
The shutdown also meant that parking rates at city-owned lots were reduced to $2, and free parking at Landmark Mall and free shuttles often resulted in commuters saving money in exchange for starting their daily trips a half-hour in advance. All of that will come to an end
The $300-$400 million project is part of a three year plan to reconstruct 20 outdoor platforms throughout the Metro network. The renovations of the Franconia-Springfield, Van Dorn, Eisenhower Ave., Huntington, King Street, and Braddock Road stations mean that 16 platforms in Metro’s 45 outdoor station system have been rebuilt.
