What Is It?
- Moving more people through the center of the region. To move more people on Metrorail, there would be more trains and lines, and stations would be expanded. The focus would be on the downtown core of the region to accommodate more riders where stations and trains are overcrowded.
- Longer trains. In the near-term future, eight-car trains (instead of six-car trains) would run on all lines at all times.
- Expanded stations. Stations at the heart of the system would be expanded to handle new riders with less crowding. These changes would include expanded mezzanines and new fare gates and escalators.
- A second station in Rosslyn. The addition of a second Rosslyn station to increase the frequency of Orange, Blue, and Silver Line trains would relieve a system bottleneck that slows down commutes throughout the region.
- A new inner loop. A new loop rail line across the Potomac River (via a new Rosslyn tunnel) would connect Virginia to Georgetown, and on to Union Station.
“Visualize” the Future:
- Dependability. With Metro restored to an excellent state of good repair, imagine more trains, running more often, with stations that have space for more people. The expanded capacity would make the Metrorail system more reliable and efficient.
- Region-wide impacts. Enhancing capacity on the existing system would benefit the whole region. Currently, the 26 stations in the region’s core are the destination or transfer point for 80 percent of all rail riders system-wide. When those links are clogged, travel everywhere is affected.
- Reduced road congestion. These projects would not only affect transit riders. By making it easier to get on the train, we can reduce road congestion significantly and shorten many daily trips, whether on Metro or by car.
- World-class system. The economic benefits would be profound. Enhanced capacity on Metrorail would improve access to jobs and strengthen our competitive advantage in the global economy.