The city of Alexandria in the U.S. state of Virginia held a public groundbreaking ceremony for the new Potomac Yard metrorail station on December 19, marking the start of major construction for one of the largest infrastructure projects in the region.
“The celebration is a major milestone that has been a quarter-century in the making. Alexandria has worked closely with Metro and our federal and state partners to plan for a new Potomac Yard Metrorail Station that will improve mobility, promote economic development, and protect our environment. We now officially move from planning the station to constructing the station,” said Mayor Justin Wilson.
The new Potomac Yard metrorail station, to be built on Metrorail’s Yellow and Blue Lines between the existing Braddock Road and Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport stations, will provide an extensive range of benefits for Alexandria and the surrounding community, including walkable access to regional transportation systems for neighborhoods in the northeast area of the city.
The station is also expected to generate billions of dollars in new private sector investment over the long term and eventually support 26,000 new jobs and 13,000 new residents. The Potomac Yard area represents the most significant redevelopment and tax base growth opportunity for Alexandria, with the potential to achieve the vision for an urban mix of uses near transit.
The Potomac Yard metro station will provide an attractive transit option in the Route 1 corridor that will help reduce traffic congestion and provide access for the entire D.C. region to and from this growing activity hub in Northern Virginia.
The USD 320 million station construction will be paid for with new tax revenue from development in Potomac Yard over the next 40 years, a USD 70 million funding from the Northern Virginia Transportation Authority, a special tax district in North Potomac Yard, a low-interest loan from the Commonwealth Transportation Board, and significant developer contributions. The station is scheduled to open in early 2022.
Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority awarded the design and construction contract to the Potomac Yard Constructors JV comprising Halmar International and Schiavone Construction Co.
The station is expected to reduce 22 million person-hours of delay by 2040.
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