FY2017 PROPOSED BUDGET

Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority
Proposed Fiscal Year 2017 Budget
Chapter 1
Metrorail
The Metrorail system is a rapid transit system that consists of 118 route miles, 91 passenger
stations and a fleet of over 1100 rail cars. Service is operated 5 AM to midnight Monday through
Thursday, 5 AM to 3 AM on Fridays, 7 AM to 3 AM on Saturdays, and 7 AM to midnight on
Sundays. In FY2017, Metrorail is projected to provide approximately 201 million passenger trips.
The system is comprised of three main types of structures: underground, surface and elevated.
The underground sections consist of 50.5 route miles and 47 stations, the surface sections comprise
58 miles and 38 stations, and the elevated sections consist of 9.2 route miles and 6 stations. While
there are three types of structures, they operate as one unified system providing seamless service
to passengers.
The system is equipped with communication systems that facilitate the flow of information to and
from the passenger. All stations are equipped with digital signs that show next train arrival times,
system status and time of day. The system operations control center is equipped with two-way
radios for communication with all train operators in service, as well as hotlines to the police and
fire departments in all of the jurisdictions served by Metro. Public address systems on all trains
and platforms facilitate communications from Metrorail train operators and station managers.
Also, passenger-to-train operator intercoms are located inside all rail cars, one at each end, and
there are passenger-to-station manager intercoms on all station platforms and landings and in all
elevators. The upcoming radio infrastructure renewal and cellular communications project will
upgrade Metro to a 700 MHz radio system and provide cellular capability throughout the tunnels.
Metrorail service is currently operated over six lines: Blue, between Franconia-Springfield and
Largo Town Center; Green, between Branch Avenue and Greenbelt; Orange, between New
Carrollton and Vienna; Red, between Glenmont and Shady Grove; Yellow, between Huntington
and Fort Totten; and Silver, between Wiehle-Reston East and Largo Town Center. All Metrorail
stations and railcars are accessible to disabled passengers.
Sequence of Metrorail Openings
The first Metrorail line opened was the Red Line consisting of 4.5 miles from Farragut North to
Rhode Island Avenue. By July 1977, the Blue and Orange Lines were added with service between
National Airport and the Stadium-Armory. This added 11.8 miles and 17 new stations to Metro’s
rail operation. With continued development, in 1983 the Yellow line was added with service from
Gallery Place-Chinatown to the Pentagon, adding 3.3 miles and one station. In 1991, the Green
Line was added providing service from Gallery Place to U St/African-American Civil War
Memorial/Cardozo. In 2001, the Green Line was extended to Branch Avenue, and in 2004, the
Blue Line was extended to Largo Town Center along with the opening of the NoMa-Gallaudet
Station on the Red Line. Table 1.1 provides a list of all openings.
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