Potomac Yard Metro station opening May 19

Potomac Yard Metro station will open May 19, Alexandria’s mayor and Metro’s CEO announced Wednesday. Metro’s 98th station, it will be located near Virginia Tech’s Innovation Campus and Amazon.com Inc.’s Arlington HQ2 East Coast headquarters.

“Our team is working hard to put the finishing touches on the station, and we look forward to welcoming customers on May 19,” said Randy Clarke, Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority’s general manager and CEO, in a statement. “This station opens a multitude of possibilities for those who live and work in Alexandria by providing a gateway to the region and all the city has to offer. We appreciate the hard work and vision of the city to turn an idea more than 40 years in the making into reality, and we look forward to welcoming customers to our newest station.”

Potomac Yard, which fills in the space on the Blue and Yellow lines between the Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport and Braddock Road stations, was originally set to open last April but was slowed down by late deliveries by contractor Potomac Yard Constructors and safety concerns with Metro’s 7000-series trains. In December 2022, WMATA announced it expected to open the Potomac Yard station in May, following approval by the Washington Metrorail Safety Commission, the city of Alexandria, Metro and the fire marshal. Metro will complete all safety reviews and provide staff training before opening for passenger service next month, according to Wednesday’s announcement.

The city initiated the project and, with private partners, invested $370 million, and the contractor was awarded a $213.7 million contract. The station is one of the first rail stations in North America to receive a Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design (LEED) designation from the U.S. Green Building Council.

“It’s not cliché to say, in this instance, ‘Dreams really do come true,'” Alexandria Mayor Justin Wilson said in a statement. “Bringing Metro to Potomac Yard has been Alexandria’s most significant economic development, transportation and climate initiative. While not always easy, the opening of this station is a monumental achievement for the city, WMATA, and its contractors. But more importantly, this station is the legacy of a legion of Alexandrians who never gave up the dream.”

According to Metro, the station is 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.