Blue Line Turns Yellow for a Day (WMATA)

[BM5 via Woodhaven]

Veterans Day in Washington, D.C., on Tuesday could attract as many as 800,000 people to the National Mall to watch a concert featuring Bruce Springsteen, Rihanna, Eminem, Carrie Underwood and Metallica. The event, which is being sponsored by HBO and Starbucks, will reshape Metrorail service, however, as WMATA cancels all Blue Line trains to divert resources and accommodate the larger-than-average crowd.

Anyone working or not working on the holiday is going to want to read over Metro's tips for the day, because – for both better and worse – the lack of Blue Line service won't be the only thing different about Metrorail schedules for the day.

Most importantly, the parts of the system that are operating will open at  5 a.m. and stay open until midnight. Around the National Mall, WMATA plans to leave nine stations open after midnight if people still need to be transported away from the concert area, though anyone hoping to catch a train should still try to get in line before midnight to avoid getting locked out of those stations.

Yellow Line trains will replace Blue Line trains for the day, and rail shuttle trains and buses will be used to get people to and from Arlington Cemetary and the Rosslyn and Pentagon stations. Here's Metro's explanation of why that's happening:

 

Because Yellow Line trains get Virginia riders to the concert 12 minutes faster than Blue Line trains, this service change will allow Metro to run trains more frequently and maximize space for other riders. Trains will run as frequently as every three minutes before and after the event. Riders who normally use Blue Line trains can use Yellow and Silver/Orange trains instead (transfer at L'Enfant Plaza), or take advantage of free shuttle bus service between Pentagon and Rosslyn from 5 a.m. until closing.

 

News Article: http://inthecapital.streetwise.co/2014/11/10/veterans-day-2014-concert-washington-dc/

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eterans Day | Concert for Valor | Metrorail Service Information

 

On Veterans Day, Tuesday November 11, a major concert will be held on the National Mall that could draw up to 800,000 attendees -- larger than July 4 and many Presidential Inaugurations. In order to safely and efficiently provide rail service for as many riders as possible, Metro will make several service adjustments to maximize train capacity.

Download a printable Rider Guide for the event here

For information about the event, please see the Concert for Valor website and this news release.

Metro's special Veterans Day service plan is necessary to:

• Maximize the number of rail cars in service (even more cars than a normal weekday rush hour)
• Provide more 8-car trains, the longest possible length, for additional capacity
• Provide a faster, direct, transfer free ride for the greatest number of passengers
• Provide more frequent trains on most lines

Despite these efforts, concert attendees may experience very crowded trains and long waits to reenter the system after the concert ends.

Service on Veterans Day

• Stations: All stations will be open EXCEPT Smithsonian, because it is located within the security zone for the concert.
• Hours: Metrorail will open at 5 a.m. and close at midnight. Selected stations near the National
  Mall will remain open after midnight until all passengers in line are accommodated (see
  below for details).
• Trains: To allow for faster, more frequent direct service to and from the event, as well as more 8-car trains, Yellow Line trains will replace Blue Line trains for one day only. See Blue Line information below.
• Schedule: Trains will start the day on a Saturday schedule (every 12 minutes), gradually ramping up to rush-hour service levels (every 2-3 minutes in most places) immediately before and after the concert.
• Buses: Metrobus service will run on a Saturday schedule with supplemental trips earlier and
  later in the day for those commuting to work. See your route timetable for details or use Trip Planner. Some bus routes that travel across or near the National Mall will be detoured or shortened [more info].
• Fares and Parking: Veterans Day is a federal holiday. Off-peak fares will be in effect all day. Parking will be free at all Metro-owned parking facilities.

Stations Near National Mall Open Late

The following nine stations near the National Mall will remain open past midnight for concert attendees: Metro Center, Federal Triangle, L'Enfant Plaza, Archives, Gallery Place, Federal Center SW, Union Station, Judiciary Square and Capitol South. Riders must be in line by midnight. All other Metrorail stations will be available for "exit only" until the system closes.

Blue Line Turns Yellow for a Day

To provide the fastest, most direct trip for the greatest number of riders — and to provide longer, more frequent trains — on
Veterans Day only, Metro will replace Blue Line trains with additional Yellow Line trains.

Why is this necessary?
An extraordinary event requires an extraordinary response to meet the needs of commuters and concert attendees. With hundreds of thousands of residents, active duty military and veterans expected to travel to the National Mall (especially the eastern
side of the Mall, near the Capitol), Metro is strategically using the trains it has to provide the traveling capacity necessary for everyone on Veteran’s Day.

A Yellow Line train gets Virginia riders to the concert 12 minutes faster than a Blue Line train. This, in turn, means that Metro can run trains more frequently and maximize space for other riders. Yellow trains will run as frequently as every three minutes before and after the event.

Arlington Cemetery will be accessible by train or bus. 

Blue Line Alternatives

• Arlington Cemetery: Metro will provide both rail and bus service to Arlington Cemetery throughout the day. Special trains will run continuously from 5 a.m. until 7 p.m. between Arlington Cemetery and Reagan National Airport, making stops at Pentagon (Yellow Line transfer point), Pentagon City and Crystal City stations. Also, riders can take free shuttle bus service to Arlington Cemetery from either Rosslyn or Pentagon stations. Buses will depart every 12 minutes from 7 a.m. until 3 p.m.
• Traveling between Rosslyn & Pentagon: Riders traveling between Rosslyn and Pentagon have several options:
  • Take the Yellow and Orange/Silver lines instead. Transfer at L’Enfant Plaza.
  • Free shuttle bus service will run every 12 minutes from 5 a.m. to midnight between Rosslyn and Pentagon stations.
• Bus Service: Regular Metrobus and ART service may provide a good alternative for some riders. Check the Trip Planner at wmata.com and select the “bus only” option.

Metro Advisory: http://www.wmata.com/rider_tools/metro_service_status/advisories.cfm?AID=4203

 

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System Map For Veterans Day

 

[qjtransitmaster]

It is for the best at this point the blue is rather redundant even if for a day.