Vienna, Dunn Loring Metro Stations Reopen After Labor Day

VIENNA, VA — The DC Metrorail system's Vienna and Dunn Loring stations reopened Tuesday following a summer platform rehabilitation project. All of Metro's 91 stations have reopened for the first time since March 19, when the pandemic prompted closures of some stations.

Four Orange Line stations (Vienna, Dunn Loring, West Falls Church and East Falls Church) were part of the platform rehabilitation project, with closures starting over Memorial Day weekend. According to Metro, the improvements at stations include slip-resistant tiles on platforms and in the mezzanine areas, stainless-steel platform shelters with charging ports, additional Passenger Information Display screens, energy-efficient LED lighting in stations, and improved speakers for clearer public announcements and emergency notifications.

"Construction crews worked quickly and efficiently to complete this massive infrastructure project on time this summer, and we appreciate their hard work as well as the patience of our customers and the Northern Virginia businesses and communities that rely on Metro," said Metro general manager Paul Wiedefeld in a statement.

Riders should expect ongoing construction activity and parking restrictions even after Orange Line stations reopen. At the Vienna station, 50 percent capacity at parking lot 1 will become available in the beginning of October, and the rest of the lot will reopen in the beginning of December. Lot 3 and the north and south side garages remain available.

At Dunn Loring, the kiss and ride lot has reopened, but part of the sidewalk will remain closed through mid-October. An accessible pedestrian path is expected at all times.

At West Falls Church, surface parking will remain limited through December. The surface lot is at 50 percent capacity as of Sept. 8 and will return to full capacity in mid-October. The second parking lot will reopen in early December. The north bus loop will reopen in mid-October, and the south bus loop buses will remain in their current locations.

At East Falls Church, the parking lot reopened at 50 percent capacity on Aug. 23, but parking will be limited through mid fall. The remainder of the lot will reopen in mid-October, but a small area will remain closed until the end of November.

Regular parking rates are being charged at the Vienna, Dunn Loring and West Falls Church stations as of Sept. 8 and East Falls Church station as of Aug. 24. With ridership continuing to be down during the pandemic, Metro doesn't expect parking availability to be a concern.

Due to low ridership during the pandemic, five Silver Line stations in Tysons and Reston were also part of summer closures for connection work to future phase two Silver Line stations from Reston into Loudoun County. The Orange Line's West Falls Church and five Silver Line stations reopened on Aug. 16 due to progress on the Orange Line and Silver Line projects. The East Falls Church station reopened followed on Aug. 23. The Arlington Cemetery station on the Blue Line was the last of the pandemic-related closures. It reopened on Aug. 23.

With the completion of work at the Orange Line stations, Metro will have rebuilt 20 outdoor stations in its platform rehabilitation project. In summer 2019, work was completed at the Braddock Road, King Street-Old Town, Eisenhower Avenue, Huntington, Van Dorn Street and Franconia-Springfield stations on the Yellow and Blue Lines. Reconstruction work at Reagan National Airport Station began in early August, but the station remains open because it has three tracks. Metro does not anticipate impacts to service at the station, and work could be complete by the end of the year.