VDOT News - Northern Virginia

ALEXANDRIA – Drivers are asked to be alert to two traffic pattern changes that the Virginia Department of Transportation has made in coordination with local transit providers to accommodate enhanced bus shuttle service during the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority’s (WMATA) Platform Improvement Project that begins May 25. A temporary bus-on-shoulder lane has been marked on the shoulder of the Outer Loop between the Eisenhower Avenue and Telegraph Road ramps to help shuttles exit more quickly, and a turn lane on eastbound Huntington Avenue has been redesigned to add four temporary bus bays.

On the right shoulder of the Outer Loop between mile markers 174.4 and 175.4, drivers will see pavement markings and signs indicating that transit buses only are allowed to use that mile of the shoulder weekdays from 3 to 8 p.m. The lane will function similarly to the bus-on-shoulder lane on the Dulles Connector Road. Only WMATA and DASH buses are allowed to use the shoulder as a travel lane, however, it will still be available as an emergency pull-off for any vehicle.

In addition, the right-turn lane on eastbound Huntington Avenue has been restriped between Metroview Parkway and Fenwick Drive to make room for four temporary bus stops. Metroview Parkway, which typically carries traffic in and out of the Huntington North Kiss-and-Ride, will also be restricted to transit buses only.

WMATA’s Platform Improvement Project will close six Blue and Yellow line stations (Franconia-Springfield, Van Dorn Street, Huntington, Eisenhower Avenue, King Street-Old Town, and Braddock Road) between May 25 and Sept. 8.                                
Follow VDOT Northern Virginia on Twitter: @vadotnova.

                                                                                                 END

Information in VDOT news releases was accurate at the time the release was published. For the most current information about projects or programs, please visit the project or program Web pages. You may find those by searching by keyword in the search Virginia DOT box above.