Location
Washington, D.C.
Status
Design Completed 2015
Client
Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority
The Pedestrian Connection between Metro Center and Gallery Place is conceived as a free area (outside the paid area of the Metro System) that will connect not only these two Red Line Stations but also the Blue, Orange, Yellow, and Green Lines that pass through the two stations. This connection will allow patrons to transfer between these lines without having to wait for a red line train. This is especially beneficial when there are events at the MCI Center where patrons are headed to or from the Orange and Blue lines by eliminating the one-stop ride on the Red Line. The connection is anticipated to carry approximately 12,000 patrons a day by 2030, with increases as ridership continues to grow. The large curve allows existing service areas to remain in place while providing good sight lines from one end of the passage to the other.
The free tunnel concept assumes an adjustment to the fare card system that allows patrons to leave through one fare gate and enter another at the other end of the passage without being charged a fee.
As part of this project, a Mezzanine to Mezzanine bridge connection is proposed in Gallery Place Station to ease congestion on the Red Line Platforms for patrons walking from Gallery Place to Metro Center. When an event is taking place at MCI the Red Line Platforms become very crowded. The bridge over the platforms will prevent people pushing their way from one end of the station to the other to walk toward Metro Center.