Metro General Manager/CEO Paul J. Wiedefeld, with support from the Authority’s Board of Directors, announced the full closure on Tuesday. The system will reopen at 5 a.m. Thursday, March 17.
Virginia Railway Express announced it will operate normal service on March 16 and 17.
Due to temporary suspension of Metrorail service, the Virginia Department of Transportation advises drivers to be prepared for increased congestion on major travel routes, and asks commuters to strongly consider alternate plans to driving.
What Commuters Should Know
High occupancy vehicle (HOV) rush-hour restrictions will remain in place on I-66 and I-395, to encourage and accommodate additional ridesharing.
VDOT’s Traffic Operations Center will actively monitor conditions through the day and adjust signal timing where possible to help traffic flow.
Crews will limit lane closures on interstates and major commuter routes through the day.
VDOT asks that drivers and Metro users consider alternate work and travel options such as:
• Telework
• Adjusting work and commute schedules
• Carpool or vanpool
• Bus service, Virginia Railway Express, or other transit service
If driving, remain alert to increased traffic, and plan for a longer trip.
Resources
• Monitor current traffic conditions, cameras, incidents and alerts and check current I-95/395 corridor travel times for bus, VRE and HOV at VDOT’s 511 northern Virginia commuter page at www.511virginia.org/nova
• Follow VDOT Northern Virginia on Twitter @vadotnova
• Follow VDOT Fredericksburg on Twitter @vadotfred
