Metro Center station is the central hub

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 ...

of the

Washington Metro The Washington Metro, often abbreviated as the Metro and formally the Metrorail, is a rapid transit system serving the Washington metropolitan area of the United States. It is administered by the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority ...

, a

rapid transit Rapid transit or mass rapid transit (MRT) or heavy rail, commonly referred to as metro, is a type of high-capacity public transport that is generally built in urban areas. A grade separation, grade separated rapid transit line below ground su ...

system in

Washington, D.C. Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly known as Washington or D.C., is the capital city and federal district of the United States. The city is on the Potomac River, across from Virginia, and shares land borders with ...

The station is located in

Downtown ''Downtown'' is a term primarily used in American and Canadian English to refer to a city's sometimes commercial, cultural and often the historical, political, and geographic heart. It is often synonymous with its central business district ( ...

, centered on the intersection of 12th Street NW and G Street NW. It is one of the 4 major transfer points in the Metrorail network. The Red Line portion of Metro Center station opened on March 27, 1976, as part of the first section of the Metro system. The station averaged 10,587 daily riders in 2023, making it the busiest in the system.

Station layout

Metro Center station is laid out in two underground levels in a cross shape centered on the intersection of 12th Street NW and G Street NW. The lower level runs north-south under 12th Street between F Street and H Street, with one

island platform An island platform (also center platform (American English) or centre platform (British English)) is a station layout arrangement where a single platform is positioned between two tracks within a railway station, tram stop or transitway inte ...

for the Orange Line, Silver Line, and Blue Line. The upper level runs east-west under G Street between 11th Street and 13th Street, with two

side platform A side platform (also known as a marginal platform or a single-face platform) is a platform positioned to the side of one or more railway tracks or guideways at a railway station, tram stop, or transitway. A station having dual side platforms, ...

s for the Red Line, with wide corridors above the lower level platform and tracks. Mezzanines are located above the tracks at both ends of the upper platforms. Entrances are located on G Street at 11th Street (southeast corner), 12th Street (northeast corner), and 13th Street (southeast corner); and at the southwest corner of 12th Street and F Street. Only the 12th Street and G Street entrance has a surface elevator.

History

Metro Center was one of the original 6 stations to open with the first section of the Red Line on March 27, 1976. The original name of the station was "12th and G", but WMATA planner William Herman argued it should be renamed, given the importance of the station and the fact that several entrances would be on other streets.

Jackson Graham Jackson Graham (June 27, 1915 – March 2, 1985) was a major general of the Army Corps of Engineers in the United States Army and was the first general manager for the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA). Early life and educ ...

, the WMATA general manager at the time, agreed, and gave Herman twenty seconds to come up with a better name. Herman responded with the first words that came to mind: "Metro Center". The upper level with the Red Line opened on March 27, 1976 with the rest of the initial segment from Farragut North to Rhode Island Avenue-Brentwood. The lower level opened on July 1, 1977 with the initial segment of the Blue Line from

Reagan National Airport Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport is a public airport in Arlington County, Virginia, United States, from Washington, D.C. The closest airport to the nation's capital, it is one of two airports owned by the federal government and ope ...

to Stadium-Armory. Orange Line service began on November 20, 1979 with the opening of the segment from Stadium–Armory to New Carrollton. Silver line service began on July 26, 2014 with the opening of the segment from East Falls Church to Wiehle-Reston East. A pedestrian tunnel to nearby Gallery Place–Chinatown has been proposed to connect all six Metro lines within fare control. A study was published in July 2005. The station was closed from January 16–21, 2021, because of security concerns due to the

Inauguration of Joe Biden The inauguration of Joe Biden as the 46th president of the United States took place on Wednesday, January 20, 2021, on the West Front of the United States Capitol in Washington, D.C. It was the 59th inauguration and marked the commencement o ...

References

External links

* Entrances on Google Maps Street View
G Street and 13th StreetG Street and 12th Street

G Street and 11th StreetF Street and 12th Street
{{Washington Metro stations navbox Stations on the Blue Line (Washington Metro) Downtown (Washington, D.C.) Stations on the Orange Line (Washington Metro) Stations on the Red Line (Washington Metro) Stations on the Silver Line (Washington Metro) Washington Metro stations in Washington, D.C. Railway stations in the United States opened in 1976 1976 establishments in Washington, D.C. Railway stations located underground in Washington, D.C.