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New Crystal City east entrance under construction; county projects April 2027 opening
Summary
Arlington Transit project manager Tim Bridal said crews have completed structural topping‑out and five of ten planned weekend station shutdowns for the new Crystal City Metro east entrance; the pavilion and mezzanine work continue and the team expects to open the entrance in about a year (April 2027).
Project manager Tim Bridal told the Transit Advisory Committee that construction is under way on a second street‑level entrance at the Crystal City Metro station at Crystal Drive and 18th Street, with work proceeding under a design‑build contract.
Bridal said crews recently held a topping‑out celebration after installing the final structural beam for the new pavilion and that work now focuses on metal roofing, street‑level concrete, and mechanical‑electrical‑plumbing (MEP) rough‑ins. “The new entrance is still on target to open in, approximately a year from now. So April 2027, we’ll be having a big celebration,” he said.
Inside the station, Bridal said contractors have built a new mezzanine structure and are preparing to install precast mezzanine walls and demolish an existing end wall to connect back‑of‑house space to the new passageway. He said the interior work required multiple weekend station shutdowns; the team has completed five of ten planned weekend shutdowns and will continue through June, pausing for Memorial Day.
The county has used bus bridging to maintain service while segments of the station were closed for weekend construction, Bridal said, and Arlington Transit and Metro have been sharing rider notifications through their communications channels. Committee members asked whether the new entrance would boost ridership; Bridal said estimates were produced during planning but emphasized the project’s purpose is to improve east‑side access to the station and connect to planned Crystal City development rather than to meet a specific ridership target.
Kirk Dans, Arlington’s WMATA service coordinator, added that the entrance should improve emergency egress by providing an additional exit and recommended watching an upcoming WMATA board meeting for related presentations on larger station expansion projects.
The committee moved next to other agenda items; Bridal closed the update by offering contact information and construction resources for further questions.
