On Thursday, Metro’s board will discuss a plan to divert some Blue Line trains across the Yellow Line bridge, thus freeing up capacity through the Rosslyn tunnel for additional Orange Line trains.
The plan, however, is a bit more complicated than it initially sounds.
The shift would only happen during rush hour. The affected Blue Line trains would travel from Franconia-Springfield, across the Yellow Line bridge and over to Greenbelt via the Green Line.
The move would allow Metro to add three trains per hour to the Orange Line. Those trains would travel from West Falls Church to Largo Town Center, at the end of the Blue Line.
In addition to alleviating some of the overcrowding on the Orange Line, the plan would free up capacity for future Silver Line trains, which are expected to start running in 2014.
The change would come at a price, of course. The Washington Post and Greater Greater Washington each have more details about the significant logistic and communication challenges involved in implementing the plan.
Obviously, any changes to the Orange and Blue Lines are going to have a large impact on Arlington commuters. Do you agree with the plan?
Flickr pool photo by BrianMKA