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Metro riders heading through Fairfax County this weekend should budget extra time as Orange Line trains will single-track between Vienna and West Falls Church stations on Saturday and Sunday, July 26-27.

The Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority is replacing timber and cross ties and installing insulation along that stretch of track. The work requires trains to share a single set of rails for both directions, forcing all passengers to transfer at West Falls Church to continue their trips toward D.C. or Vienna.

Trains between Vienna and West Falls Church will run only every 24 minutes during the single-tracking. The rest of the Orange Line will operate on its normal weekend schedule, with trains arriving every 12 minutes during the day and every 15 minutes after 9:30 p.m.

Red Line Troubles Compound Regional Delays

The Orange Line work adds to ongoing disruptions on the western Red Line, which has been closed between North Bethesda and Friendship Heights since July 6. That shutdown, expected to last through September 6, covers construction on a new mezzanine at Bethesda station to connect with Maryland’s upcoming Purple Line, platform rehabilitation at Grosvenor-Strathmore, and raised railway maintenance across Rockville Pike. Free shuttles are running at affected stations.

Red Line riders faced additional headaches this week when a broken D.C. water pipe flooded a train control room and knocked out signaling equipment during rush hour. Metro officials acknowledged the combined delays created “a really bad situation” and told the WMATA board Thursday that the incident highlights the urgent need for equipment upgrades.

The agency’s full Red Line modernization plan, which includes installing platform screen doors, carries an estimated price tag of $1.5 billion.