Metrorail Facts
Metro
July 1996
Contents:
Introduction
WMATA Fiscal Year 1995
Cost of Metrorail System (1969-2001)
Some Statistics
Holiday Schedule
Metrorail Information
Hours of Operation
Fares
Rail Cars
Operating Status
Communications
Escalators
Elevators
Deepest Station
Systemwide Mileage When Completed
Sequence of Metro Openings
Metrobus Information
Buses
Communications
Facilities
MetroAccess
Introduction
The Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) was created by an interstate compact in 1967 to plan, develop, build, finance and operate a balanced regional transportation system in the national capital area. The Authority began building its rail system in 1969, acquired the four area bus systems in 1973 and began operating the first phase of Metrorail in 1976.
The following jurisdictions comprise the transit zone: District of Columbia; Maryland -- Montgomery and Prince George's counties; Virginia -- Arlington and Fairfax counties and the cities of Alexandria, Fairfax and Falls Church.
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WMATA Fiscal Year 1995
Operating Budget: $634.0 million
Budgeted staff: 8,597
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Cost of Metrorail System (1969-2001)
$10 billion
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Some Statistics
Transit modes: Metrobus and Metrorail
Area served: 1,500 square miles
Population: 3.2 million
Ridership (weekday average trips, est. fiscal 1995):
852,000 total
552,000 rail
441,000 bus
141,000 combined bus/rail trips
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Holiday Schedule
New Year's Day
Metrorail: 8 a.m. - Last Train
Metrobus: Sunday schedule
Martin Luther King Day
Metrorail: 5:30 a.m. - Last Train
Metrobus: Saturday schedule
President's Day
Metrorail: 5:30 a.m. - Last Train
Metrobus: Saturday schedule
Memorial Day
Metrorail: 8 a.m. - Last Train
Metrobus: Sunday schedule
July 4th
Metrorail: 8 a.m. - Last Train (hours extended as needed)
Metrobus: Saturday schedule
Labor Day
Metrorail: 8 a.m. - Last Train
Metrobus: Sunday schedule
Columbus Day
Metrorail: 5:30 a.m. - Last Train
Metrobus: Saturday schedule
Veterans Day
Metrorail: 5:30 a.m. - Last Train
Metrobus: Saturday schedule
Thanksgiving Day
Metrorail: 8 a.m. - Last Train
Metrobus: Sunday schedule
Christmas Day
Metrorail: 8 a.m. - Last Train
Metrobus: Sunday schedule
Note: Different schedules are followed on Metrobus depending on the route. Check the timetable or call Metro at 202-637-7000 (TDD 202-638-3780)
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Metrorail Information:
Hours of Operation
Weekdays, 5:30 a.m. - midnight or last train
Saturday and Sunday, 8 a.m. - midnight or last train
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Fares
Peak fares are in effect weekdays 5:30 - 9:30 a.m. and 3 - 8 p.m. Off-peak fares are in effect at all other times
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Rail Cars
In revenue service: 764
Length: 75 feet
Width: 10 feet
Manufacturers: Rohr Corp (298 cars) and Breda Costruzioni Ferroviarie (466 cars)
Normal capacity:
Rohr Corp - 175 (80 seated, 95 standing)
Breda - 187 (68 seated, 119 standing)
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Operating Status
In operation: 74 stations, 89 miles of track
Under construction: 4 stations, 7.58 miles of track
Under final design: 5 stations, 6.42 miles of track (Fast Track Program completion by early 2001)
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Communications
· Two-way radio between train operator and central control
· Hotlines, central control to police and fire departments
· Call boxes spaced 800 feet apart along tracks
· Closed-circuit TV throughout the system
· Onboard P.A. from operator's cab
· Passenger-to-station manager intercoms on rail station platforms
· Passenger-to-operator intercoms at each end of the rail cars
· Station P.A. from kiosks or central control
· Passenger-to-station manager intercoms in all elevator cabs
· Video monitoring of entrance elevators
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Escalators
A total of 522 in operation. The longest escalator in the Western Hemisphere, 230 feet from mezzanine to platform level, is at the Wheaton station.
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Elevators
There are 182 elevators operating in stations, support shorts and facilities.
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Deepest Station
Forest Glen - 196 feet (21 stories) below the surface. Passengers enter and leave via six high-speed elevators, which carry them from the street to the station platform in less than 20 seconds.
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Systemwide Mileage When Completed
Subway: 50.71 miles, 47 stations
Surface/Aerial: 52.35 miles, 36 stations
Total: 103.06 miles, 83 stations
By Jurisdiction:
D.C.: 38.30 miles, 39 stations
Montgomery Co.: 18.43 miles, 11 stations
P.G. County: 17.86 miles, 13 stations
Alexandria: 6.11 miles, 3 stations
Arlington Co.: 12.19 miles, 11 stations
Fairfax Co.: 11.17 miles, 6 stations
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Sequence of Metro Openings
| Line |
Segment |
Stations |
Miles |
Date |
| Red |
Farragut North to Rhode Island Avenue |
5 |
4.60 |
3/29/76 |
| Red |
Gallery Pl.- Chinatown |
1 |
0 |
12/15/76 |
| Red |
To Dupont Circle |
1 |
1.07 |
1/17/77 |
| Blue |
National Airport to Stadium-Armory |
17 |
11.76 |
7/1/77 |
| Red |
To Silver Spring |
4 |
5.65 |
2/6/78 |
| Orange |
Stadium-Armory to New Carrollton |
5 |
7.37 |
11/20/78 |
| Orange |
Rosslyn to Ballston |
4 |
2.95 |
12/1/79 |
| Blue |
To Addison Road |
3 |
3.64 |
11/22/80 |
| Red |
To Van Ness-UDC |
3 |
2.07 |
12/5/81 |
| Yellow |
Gallery Pl.- Chinatown To Pentagon |
1 |
3.25 |
4/30/83 |
| Yellow |
To Huntington |
4 |
4.16 |
12/17/83 |
| Red |
To Grosvenor |
5 |
6.81 |
8/25/84 |
| Red |
To Shady Grove |
4 |
6.98 |
12/15/84 |
| Orange |
To Vienna |
4 |
9.11 |
6/7/86 |
| Red |
To Wheaton |
2 |
3.20 |
9/22/90 |
| Green |
To U Street-Cardozo |
3 |
1.65 |
5/11/91 |
| Blue |
To Van Dorn Street |
1 |
3.89 |
6/15/91 |
| Green |
To Anacostia |
3 |
2.88 |
12/28/91 |
| Green |
To Greenbelt |
4 |
7.96 |
12/11/93 |
| Blue |
To Franconia-Springfield |
1 |
3.33 |
Mid 1997 |
| Red |
To Glenmont |
1 |
1.35 |
Mid 1998 |
| Green |
To Branch Ave. |
5 |
6.47 |
Early '01 |
| Total System |
83 |
103.06 |
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Metrobus Information:
Buses
Operating Fleet: 1,439
Types of buses: 10 (listed here with seated/full-load capacities)
GMC New Look (51/82)
Flexible (47/78)
Flexible Minibus (31/48)
M.A.N. Articulated 55 feet (61/85)
M.A.N. Articulated 60 feet (72/100)
Advance Designed Flexible Metro 40
(45/78 with wheelchair lifts
47/78 without wheelchair lifts)
Gillig Phantom (29/46)
ADB Flexible Metro Minibus 30 feet (29/44)
ADB Flexible Metro Minibus 35 feet (36/53)
B.I.A. Orion (46/77)
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Communications
· Two-way radio between bus operator and central control
· Emergency radio silent alarm
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Facilities
Metrobus divisions: eight and two annexes
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MetroAccess
MetroAccess is curb-to-curb paratransit service for people unable to use Metrorail, Metrobus or fixed-route local service. The new service is a phone call away for those who have been certified under the Americans with Disabilities Act. Hours, now 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. weekdays, will expand to 5 a.m. to midnight seven days a week by 1997.
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