Metrorail Bottleneck

The biggest potential bottleneck in the Metrorail system lies in the narrow tunnel beneath the Potomac River through which Orange Line and Blue Line trains travel between Northern Virginia and the District. There is one track in each direction. A proposal that would build an Orange Line branch to Tysons Corner and Reston, would send additional trains through the tunnel.

Making Room for Growth: By shifting some Blue Line trains to the Yellow Line and having each Orange Line train carry eight cars, Metro expects there to be room for roughly 20,160 people on the Orange Line in the morning peak hour. But if ridership through the tunnel grows at the same rate as Northern Virginia's Orange Line ridership has grown over the last five years, the trains under the river will be jammed much sooner.

BY NATHANIEL VAUGHN KELSO - THE WASHINGTON POST


© 2005 The Washington Post Company