Branch Avenue is an

island-platform An island platform (also center platform, centre platform) is a station layout arrangement where a single platform is positioned between two tracks within a railway station, tram stop or transitway interchange. Island platforms are popular on ...

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station Station may refer to: Agriculture * Station (Australian agriculture), a large Australian landholding used for livestock production * Station (New Zealand agriculture), a large New Zealand farm used for grazing by sheep and cattle ** Cattle statio ...

Suitland, Maryland Suitland is an unincorporated community and census designated place (CDP) in Prince George's County, Maryland, United States, approximately one mile (1.6 km) southeast of Washington, D.C. As of the 2020 census, its population was 25,839. Prio ...

, United States. The station was opened on January 13, 2001, and is operated by the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA). The station presently serves as the southeastern terminus for the

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, with the Branch Avenue rail yard lying just beyond this station. The station is located near the intersection of Auth Road and Old Soper Road. The station has received a lot of criticism for its confusing layout, difficult to find parking and overall poor design. The station is also known for its expensive parking, often discouraging riders from using the station. This is also the station closest to

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History

Plans for a station as the southeastern terminus of the Green Line initially appeared in the original 1968 route map. However, by 1978 the

Prince George's County Council A prince is a male ruler (ranked below a king, grand prince, and grand duke) or a male member of a monarch's or former monarch's family. ''Prince'' is also a title of nobility (often highest), often hereditary, in some European states. The ...

, after initially supporting the Branch Avenue alignment, changed their support to moving the terminus to a location adjacent to the Rosecroft Raceway. Metro followed suit and pursued the Rosecroft alignment instead of Branch Avenue in 1980. By May a group of citizens filed suit against Metro stating that the route was improperly changed and failed to conform to the plan adopted by county voters in 1968. In February 1981, the court ruled in favor of the plaintiffs in stating the routing to Rosecroft could not be undertaken until it went through public review. After further appeal, in March 1982 the judge ruled that none of the proposed Green Line along the Rosecroft alignment could start construction until it went through the entire planning process again. After deciding to not file an appeal, in December 1984 Metro voted to change the southeastern terminus back to Branch Avenue thus allowing for construction to commence on the Green Line towards Prince George's County. Groundbreaking for the final segment of the Green Line occurred on September 23, 1995. The station opened on January 13, 2001. Its opening coincided with the completion of approximately of rail southeast of the

Anacostia station Anacostia is a Washington Metro station in Washington, D.C. on the Green Line. The station is located in the Anacostia neighborhood of Southeast Washington, with entrances at Shannon Place and Howard Road near Martin Luther King, Jr. Avenue ...

and the opening of the Congress Heights, Naylor Road, Southern Avenue and

Suitland Suitland is an unincorporated community and census designated place (CDP) in Prince George's County, Maryland, United States, approximately one mile (1.6 km) southeast of Washington, D.C. As of the 2020 census, its population was 25,839. Prio ...

stations. This represented the completion of the system as originally planned.

Station layout

Branch Avenue station has an island platform in an open cut between Auth Way and Capital Gateway Drive. Parking lots are located both east and west of the station platform. Constructed adjacent to the station is a rail yard with the capacity to store 116 cars.

References

External links

* * The Schumin Web Transit Center
Branch Ave Station

Station from Auth Way from Google Maps Street View
{{Washington Metro stations navbox Stations on the Green Line (Washington Metro) Washington Metro stations in Maryland Railway stations in the United States opened in 2001 2001 establishments in Maryland Railway stations in Prince George's County, Maryland