News

Yellow Line Extension Ok'd by Metro Board

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Alan Heymann
(202) 724-8031

April 20, 2006

Washington, DC – The WMATA board has given the green light to extending the Yellow Line to Fort Totten during off-peak periods.

The extension, proposed by voting member Jim Graham (D-Ward One), would double the number of weekend and evening trains available at the Shaw/Howard University, U Street, Columbia Heights and Georgia Avenue/Petworth stations on the Green Line. The new service will begin in January 2007.

“This service addition is very important and comes at a relatively low cost,” said Councilmember Graham. “We get a lot of bang for our Metro bucks.”

Extending the Yellow Line will mean a new connection to the Red Line at Fort Totten, a new direct route to National Airport, new service to the retail center in Columbia Heights, and a new means of getting to Ward One entertainment.

“This will help bring people from the suburbs into the city for shopping and entertainment,” Graham added. He noted that this coincides nicely with the official groundbreaking on the new Target retail development scheduled for May 5-6 in Columbia Heights.

The Yellow Line extension will not require any additional rail cars, because it will use equipment that is currently only in use during rush periods. Costs will include $1.25 million to upgrade a turn-around at Ft. Totten and revise the maps and signage throughout the Metro system, and $3 million in operating costs each year.

This proposal was first discussed in public at a Jan. 23 town hall meeting sponsored by Councilmember Graham, WMATA and the Mid-City Business Association.

“Everyone who lives anywhere near one of these Metro stops will benefit from the additional service,” said Scott Pomeroy, executive director of the Mid-City Business Association. “But this will also help the neighborhood by reducing the number of cars competing for scarce street parking.”

For more information on this and other possibilities for expanding Metro service, please visit http://www.grahamwone.com/metro.