Metro commuters who planned to hop on nearby Orange Line trains since the Silver Line remains closed Tuesday may need to find an alternate route.
Metro says it will be unable to restore train service at four Orange Line stations that had been expected to reopen this morning: Vienna, Dunn Loring, West Falls Church and East Falls Church.
The rail system announced Monday night that the all lines except the Silver Line would run Tuesday. Vienna and East and West Falls Church are Orange Line stations nearest to Reston that commuters used most often prior to the Silver Line’s opening at Wiehle-Reston East in 2014.
Said Metro: “The change in service plan is due to weather-related damage and icing issues with the electrified third rail that were discovered overnight as test trains were run on the line. Specifically, test trains were unable to move through the area reliably and maintain third-rail power to sustain service.”
Orange Line service is running between Ballston and New Carrollton every 12 minutes. Affected Orange Line customers in Virginia should use Ballston Station until further notice.”
Silver Line commuters will have to find an alternate means of transportation if they intend to go to work tomorrow.
The Silver Line will remain closed on Tuesday, says Metro. All other lines will be operating.
The system will reopen at 5 a.m. Tuesday, and fares will be charged, Metro says. Riders rode free on Monday when Metro offered limited below-ground service for most of the day.
Trains are expected to run every 12 minutes Tuesday.
Metro was shut down from 11 p.m. Friday until Monday morning as a blizzard raged through the area. Service was restored to 79 of 91 stations by 4 p.m. Monday.
Reston’s coming back to life now, but during the 36-hour blizzard Friday and Saturday, it was an eerie, windy, snowy symphony.
Fox Mill resident David Wujcik set up a camera in a front window of his house to capture the whole thing on time lapse and set it to appropriately dramatic music.
Take a look.
With nearly three feet of snow on the ground in Reston, naturally it is time to think Summer.
Registration for Reston Association camps opens Monday, Jan. 25 for RA members.
RA has a wide variety of camps — from Nature Tots for preschoolers all the way to teen camp.
Some of the speciality offerings for summer 2016:
Bricks 4 Kidz With Legos — Campers use Legos to learn STEM basics
Camp on Wheels — Camp focused on skateboarding, biking and inline skating
Science Camp — Older campers (ages 8 to 12) are on site at the U.S. Geological Survey to learn from real scientists and test their skills
Triathlon Camp — Campers ages 6 to 17 learn new swimming, biking and running skills to put towards Reston’s youth triathlons
Can You Kick It Soccer Camp — Camp in partnership with Reston Soccer is for soccer players 8 to 14 to learn and improve soccer skills
Wilderness Camp — Campers ages 11 to 16 will learn valuable outdoors and camping skills.
To see more offerings, including traditional Day Camp and Junior Day Camp, view RA’s program guide online.
To register for camp, go to to the Marketplace section on the RA Website.
RA Camp on Wheels/File photo
Reston Now has been contacted by several elderly residents asking if we could connect them with someone strong who can help them shovel walk, steps and driveways.
Here is the plight of one senior who wrote to Reston Now:
Not a tip but a plea, if you will. I am a 70+ y/o senior citizen in Reston need help getting some help getting my car dug out. Don’t know any entrepreneurial young people so I called 211 where a pleasant person offered a farfax county senior services phone number that is not in service. She also mentioned I might contact a local church to see if they are organizing any volunteer efforts (I called 2.)
I called Herndon Senior Center also and of course all of these organizations were closed due to the storm. I also went online and contacted half- dozen or so services listed under local snow removal on “Angies List” and I still have not been contacted back.
None of this is surprising to be sure given the snow emergency and I am not at an immediate risk. I am willing to pay.
If you can help (not sure which neighborhood) email [email protected] and we will put you in touch.
Surely there are some people — even some enterprising teens — who will be out with their shovels today.
If you need help or you are offering help, tell us in the comments below. Let us know which category you fall in, what neighborhood you live in and contact info. If you need to be paid or are willing to pay, we will let you work it out offline.
You can put responses here or in the comments on the comments section on Reston Now’s Facebook page.
On Sunday, the snow stopped, the sun came out and the cleanup began.
Monday will also be a work in progress as Reston and the entire Washington, D.C.. area tries to get back to business after the two-day blizzard. Reston received nearly 30 inches of snow, according to the National Weather Service.
Here is some news to know this morning.
Fairfax County Public Schools and Government are closed.
Reston Association is closed.
The Federal Government is closed with most employees teleworking.
Metro is running a very limited schedule with no Silver Line service as above-ground stations are closed. Trains will run every 20 to 25 minutes on these routes:
- Orange Line: Ballston to Eastern Market only
- Red Line: Medical Center to Union Station only
- Green Line: Fort Totten to Anacostia only
Fairfax Connector bus service will be operating with limited service on a Sunday schedule with buses running from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. There will be changes to some Reston routes, including:
- 950 – Bypasses Herndon-Monroe Park & Ride, Alabama Dr, Florida St, Center St
- RIBS 1/3 – Bypasses Beacontree Ln, Herndon-Reston Heath Center, Cameron Glen Dr, Hunters Woods Village Center/Fellowship House, Lake Anne Fellowship House, Tall Oaks Village Center
Reagan National and Dulles International Airports expect to reopen Monday on a limited schedule. Many delays and cancelations are still expected. Check with your airline. Read More
Capital Steps Sunday — Cornerstones’ 33rd annual Capital Steps benefit performance is Sunday at the Hyatt Regency Reston. Tickets start at $75 and benefit Cornerstones’ programs. [Reston Now]
Big Education Money Gap? — Researchers at the Commonwealth Institute, a Richmond-based think tank, say that Virginia schools are being shortchanged $800 million a year because of formulas that underestimate what it actually costs to educate children. [Washington Post]
Taking Shelter — Here’s where some of Fairfax County’s wildlife likely was hiding during the weekend storm. [Fairfax County Park Authority]
Snow On Your Roof? That Can Be Dangerous — There were several reports of collapsed roofs in Virginia on Sunday due to heavy snow. Here’s how to prevent trouble. [Richmond Times Dispatch]
Photo: Blizzard at Reston Town Center/Credit: Joanie Berger
Metro says it is reopening today, but with very limited service. Service to all above-ground stations is still closed.
That means Wiehle-Reston East and all Silver Line service is not running Monday as the rail system continues to recover from the massive weekend blizzard.
The closest Reston-area commuters can get is the Orange Line at Ballston.
From Metro:
The Metrorail system will be open between 7 a.m. and midnight with limited underground service on the Red, Orange and Green lines as follows —
- Orange Line: Ballston to Eastern Market only
- Red Line: Medical Center to Union Station only
- Green Line: Fort Totten to Anacostia only
- Service on the Silver, Blue and Yellow lines will remain suspended. Stations not listed above will remain closed.
At the start of service, trains will run every 20-25 minutes. Service levels may be upgraded as conditions allow.
One bit of good news: Rides are free. Fares will not be charged on Metrorail on Monday, Metro says.
Graphic courtesy of Metro
There is a big, big snowman out in front of Reston Town Center’s World of Beer.
The snowman was built by a resident of The Avant apartments who is known around RTC as “Big Mike.”
We nominate this snowman to be the official mascot of the Blizzard of 2016. Let’s give snowguy a name.
Tell us your thoughts in the comments.
Credit: Reston’s Big Snowman/Credit: Ed Schudel
Have you been able to dig your car out? Is your street passable? Do you have four-wheel drive?
If so, Reston Hospital Center could use your help during the next few days in order to get personnel to work at the hospital.
Many staffers will be unable to get to work, where they are critically needed, until there is more plowing progress in the area.
From RHC’s Facebook page:
Reston Hospital Center is still in need of volunteer drivers to help transport critical staff and personnel to the hospital. If you or anyone you know is able to help, please contact us in a private Facebook message.
The team at Reston is beyond grateful for the amazing community members who’ve reached out to help already.
To qualify, you must be a licensed driver with a registered four-wheel-drive vehicle and be 21 years of age or older.
Photo: Lawyers Road after Jan. 22-23 storm/Credit: Laura Noll
The snowstorm is over, but it may be awhile before Fairfax County Public School students return to class.
FCPS says schools will be closed on Monday and Tuesday. That also includes all activities on school grounds:
- extracurricular activities
- interscholastic contests
- team practices
- field trips
- middle school after-school programs
- professional learning and training courses
- adult and community education classes
- recreation programs and community use by outside groups not affiliated with FCPS
- School age child care (SACC) centers are closed
As of about 11:30 a.m. Sunday, snowplows have worked on most of Reston’s main roads. The side streets and townhouse parking lots could be a work in progress though into Monday, Tuesday and beyond.
Help Reston Now readers know before they go: Tell us what your street looks like or, if you go out, what the Reston Town Center or your neighborhood village center looks like.
Post comments and or/picture below.
Drive safely, Reston.
Photo: Plow on Ridge Heights Road Sunday morning
Happy Sunday! How did you weather the storm?
The serious snow stopped in Reston about 11 p.m. Saturday. That means about 35 hours of heavy snowfall for a total of about 28 inches in the Reston area, according to National Weather Service spotters.
Now comes the big dig-out, which could take awhile.
The Virginia’s Department of Transportation (VDOT) is urging all motorists to stay off the roads Sunday so streets can be adequately plowed.
VDOT says most interstates and primary routes in “minor to moderate condition,” many side roads are still completely covered in snow and ice.
“Even though the snow has stopped and dry weather is on the horizon, snow removal will be very extensive through the week,” VDOT said in a statement Sunday morning.
Want to know where VDOT’s plows are? Check the agency’s Virginia 511 site for real-time maps.
Who plows your street?
Here is how it works in Reston. The main roads — Reston Parkway, Sunrise Valley Drive, Sunset Hills Road and Wiehle Avenue, for instance — are plowed by VDOT.
Some residential streets — generally those not in a cluster or association — are also plowed by VDOT, but are low priority until the main roads are clear.
Most Reston homes are in a cluster or association. Your cluster or association dues cover snowplowing by a private contractor. If you are wondering about a plowing timetable, contact your cluster president or management association.
Reston Association is only responsible for plowing RA’s 55 miles of paths. RA’s path plows will be out in force today.
Neither RA nor VDOT is responsible for sidewalks. Sidewalks in a cluster are residents’ responsibility, so if you are shoveling, take a pass in the area in front of your home to help the neighborhood.
Sidewalks on a main street are a trickier issue — kind of a “no-man’s land” and have historically been a problem in Reston following big storms.
Metro will remain closed on Sunday. The Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority says both Reagan National and Dulles International Airports will likely be closed all day as well. Check with your airline if you have travel plans as many airlines are already canceling Monday flights as well.
Heading out to shovel? Here are some reminders about shoveling safety from WTOP.
Want to go sledding? Modern Reston has some good spots for you.
Reston Now will keep you updated on street conditions, as well as cancelations and closings.
Photo: Snowed-in cars in Reston on Jan. 24, 2016/Credit: Annika Bohn
https://twitter.com/evanluzi?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw. @capitalweather time-lapse of #Snowzilla blizzard between 2PM and 2AM yesterday from my balcony in Reston, VA pic.twitter.com/mD64XparJx
— Evan Luzi (@evanluzi) January 23, 2016
So you didn’t stay up last night and watch the storm come in? Here is what it looked like at Parc Reston near Reston Town Center.
Film professional Evan Luzi set up this time-release camera to show what 12 hours of a serious storm looks like.
Video by Evan Luzi via Twitter.
As of noon Saturday, many Restonians were measuring snowfall at about 20 inches. But the storm is far from over.
The National Weather Service says to expect intervals of heavy snow to continue Saturday afternoon. The NWS also says drifting will continue to be a problem and warns residents not to attempt to travel.
Several snow plows were seen stuck in Reston Saturday morning.
The NWS has increased the snowfall amounts expected for the area. The Reston area should see closer three feet rather than two feet as the snow is expected to continue through at least Saturday night.
The Blizzard Warning remains in effect through Sunday at 6 a.m.
Graphic: Expected snow totals in DC area/Credit: NWS
