Construction on the long-awaited east entrance to the Crystal City Metro station is getting underway.
Numerous local officials attended a groundbreaking ceremony today (Friday) for the $146.1 million project at the northwest corner of Crystal Drive and 18th Street S.
With expected completion in 2027, the project will improve access to local bus stops, including the Crystal Drive Transitway; a planned Amtrak station; a planned pedestrian bridge leading into Reagan National Airport; the Mount Vernon Trail; and Crystal Drive bike lanes.
“This is a very important station for us — one of our busiest in Virginia,” said Randy Clarke, CEO of the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority. “We’re really looking to bring more connectivity and accessibility to this side of the station… It’s really going to be a thing that helps bring that next Metro experience forward.”
Included in the 2010 Crystal City Sector Plan, the new entrance was one of several infrastructure projects that the county and state agreed to deliver in 2018 in order to secure Amazon’s HQ2.
Plans for the project have evolved over the years. Back in 2020, developer JBG Smith approached the county with a proposal to construct the entrance sooner than originally expected, potentially opening it as early as late 2023. The Arlington County Board approved a public-private partnership in July 2020.
JBG Smith initially proposed building the entrance underground. But as initial plans came into focus in summer 2021, cost estimates exceeded the county’s budget for the project — leading the developer to go back to the drawing board and propose the current design in spring 2022.
The county approved a contract with JBG Smith and Clark Construction last summer.
“The east entrance project features a new pavilion at the intersection of Crystal Drive and 18th Street South, providing a full service, above-ground station entrance with fare gates, fare vending machines, and a staff kiosk for passengers seeking assistance,” the county said in a press release today. “A new mezzanine with stairs and elevators will connect to the east end of the platform, making it easier for riders to use all available space while waiting for trains.”
County Board Chair Libby Garvey said transportation investments like this will continue to attract businesses and prepare Crystal City “for a better and brighter future.”
“Transportation is the lifeblood of this region, and Metro is a big part of it,” she said.
