East Falls Church station

Last updated

East Falls Church
WMATA Orange.svg WMATA Silver.svg
East Falls Church station from inbound end of platform.jpg
General information
Location Arlington, Virginia, U.S.
Coordinates 38°53′10″N77°09′25″W / 38.8859763°N 77.1568243°W / 38.8859763; -77.1568243
Owned by Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority
Platforms1 island platform
Tracks2
Bus stands4
Connections
Construction
Structure typeAt-grade
Parking422 spaces
Bicycle facilities Capital Bikeshare, 12  racks, 6  lockers, secure parking room
AccessibleYes
Other information
Station codeK05
History
OpenedJune 7, 1986;37 years ago (June 7, 1986)
Rebuilt2020
Passengers
20231,891 daily [1]
Rank53 out of 98
Services
Preceding station WMATA Metro Logo small.svg Washington Metro Following station
West Falls Church
toward Vienna
Orange Line Ballston–MU
McLean
toward Ashburn
Silver Line Ballston–MU
Location
East Falls Church station

East Falls Church station is an island platformed Washington Metro station in Arlington County, Virginia, on the Orange and Silver Lines. East Falls Church station is the last aboveground, at-grade, or open-cut station for eastbound trains. East of this station, the trains enter tunnels.

Contents

The station serves the communities of Falls Church and Arlington. It is located in the median of Interstate 66 near Lee Highway (U.S. Route 29). Service began on June 7, 1986. A parking lot with 422 spaces sits on the Lee Highway side of the station.

Transit-oriented development

East Falls Church has the least transit-oriented development of the six stations on the Orange Line in Arlington. Unlike the stations from Rosslyn to Ballston, East Falls Church station is in the median of Interstate 66, where it is difficult to access for pedestrians. [2] As of 2018, Arlington County was considering plans to develop the site. [3]

History

The station was built as part of the final westward extension of the Orange Line to Vienna. [4] , a 9.1-mile (14.6 km) stretch west of the Ballston station. It opened on June 7, 1986, along with the West Falls Church, Dunn Loring, and Vienna stations. [4]

When the Silver Line began service on July 26, 2014, East Falls Church became the final transfer point before its split with the Orange Line. [5]

In May 2018, Metro announced an extensive renovation of platforms at 20 stations. The East Falls Church station platform was to have been be rebuilt starting in early 2021. [6] However, due to low ridership caused by the 2020 coronavirus pandemic, platform reconstruction began one year early, along with other maintenance and repair projects on all stations to the west. [7] This station was one of 19 WMATA stations closed due to the 2020 coronavirus pandemic. [8] [9] The station was further closed due to the platform reconstruction and Silver Line phase two tie-in projects that closed stations west of Ballston–MU station. [10] [7] Shuttle buses began serving the station on June 28, 2020. [11] Trains began bypassing the station on August 16, 2020, when work was nearly done. The station was reopened on August 23, 2020. [12]

From June 3 to 26, 2023, the station was closed for track replacement, along with other stations west of Ballston-MU. [13]

Station layout

Similar to all stations within the Interstate 66 median apart from West Falls Church, East Falls Church has a simple island platform setup with two tracks. An exit in the central part of the platform leads to a mezzanine on the western side of North Sycamore Street. The station's parking lot and bus bays are to the north of this exit at the southwestern corner of the intersection of North Sycamore Street and North Washington Boulevard. [2]

P
Platform level
Westbound WMATA Silver.svg toward Ashburn (McLean)
WMATA Orange.svg toward Vienna (West Falls Church)
Island platform
Eastbound WMATA Silver.svg toward Downtown Largo (Ballston–MU)
WMATA Orange.svg toward New Carrollton (Ballston–MU)
GStreet levelExit/entrance, buses, parking

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Blue Line (Washington Metro)</span> Washington Metro rapid transit line

The Blue Line is a rapid transit line of the Washington Metro system, consisting of 28 stations in Fairfax County, Alexandria and Arlington, Virginia; Washington, D.C.; and Prince George's County, Maryland, United States. The Blue Line runs from Franconia–Springfield to Downtown Largo. The line shares track with the Orange Line for 13 stations, the Silver Line for 18, and the Yellow Line for 7. Only 3 stations are exclusive to the Blue Line.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Orange Line (Washington Metro)</span> Washington Metro rapid transit line

The Orange Line is a rapid transit line of the Washington Metro system, consisting of 26 stations in Fairfax County and Arlington, Virginia; the District of Columbia; and Prince George's County, Maryland, United States. The Orange Line runs from Vienna in Virginia to New Carrollton in Maryland. Half of the line's stations are shared with the Blue Line and over two thirds are shared with the Silver Line. Orange Line service began on November 20, 1978.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Vienna station (Washington Metro)</span> Washington Metro station

Vienna station is a Washington Metro station on the Orange Line in Fairfax, Virginia. The station is in the median of Interstate 66 at Nutley Street, also known as Virginia State Route 243, in Fairfax.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dunn Loring station</span> Washington Metro station

Dunn Loring station is a Washington Metro station in Fairfax County, Virginia, on the Orange Line. The station is in Merrifield, with a Vienna mailing address. The station is in the median of Interstate 66 at Gallows Road, just outside the Capital Beltway, and is accessed by a footbridge over the eastbound lanes.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">West Falls Church station</span> Washington Metro station

West Falls Church station is a Washington Metro station in Idylwood, Virginia on the Orange Line, the first station inside the Capital Beltway on the Orange Line going east. It is one of only two stations in the system to have three tracks, the other being the National Airport station. The center track is used for storage and relaying trains to the adjacent Falls Church Yard.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ballston–MU station</span> Washington Metro station

Ballston–MU station is a side platformed Washington Metro station in Arlington County, Virginia. The station opened on December 1, 1979, and is operated by the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA). The station is part of the Orange and Silver Lines and serves the transit-oriented community of Ballston, Ballston Quarter, and Marymount University (MU).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Virginia Square–GMU station</span> Washington Metro station

Virginia Square–GMU station is a Washington Metro station in the Virginia Square neighborhood of Arlington, Virginia, United States. The side platformed station opened on December 1, 1979, and is operated by the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA). The station serves the Orange and Silver Lines. The station serves the Virginia Square neighborhood as well as the Arlington campus of George Mason University (GMU). The station entrance is located at the intersection of Fairfax Drive and North Monroe Street.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Clarendon station</span> Washington Metro station

Clarendon station is a side platformed Washington Metro station in the Clarendon neighborhood of Arlington, Virginia, United States. The station was opened on December 1, 1979, and is operated by the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA). The station serves the Orange and Silver Lines. In 2017, over 4,000 commuters used Clarendon station every day.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Court House station</span> Washington Metro station

Court House station is an island platformed Washington Metro station in the Courthouse neighborhood of Arlington, Virginia, United States. The station was opened on December 1, 1979, and is operated by the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA). Weekday ridership is approximately 7,000 passengers per day. The station serves the Orange and Silver Lines.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Federal Triangle station</span> Washington Metro station

Federal Triangle station is an Washington Metro station in Washington, D.C., United States. The island-platformed station was opened on July 1, 1977, and is operated by the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA). Providing service for the Blue, Orange, and Silver Lines, the station's entrance is beneath the William Jefferson Clinton Federal Building.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Smithsonian station</span> Washington Metro station

Smithsonian station is a Washington Metro station at the National Mall in Washington, D.C., United States. The side platformed station was opened on July 1, 1977, and is operated by the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA). It is a stop on the Blue, Orange and Silver Lines. The station's south entrance is at the southwest corner of Independence Avenue and 12th Street, Southwest, the street elevator is at the northwest corner of the same intersection, and the north entrance is on the south side of the Mall near Jefferson Drive, Southwest.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Arlington Cemetery station</span> Washington Metro station

Arlington Cemetery station is a side platformed Washington Metro station in Arlington, Virginia, United States. The station was opened on July 1, 1977, and is operated by the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA). The station provides service for only the Blue Line, and is located at the entrance to Arlington National Cemetery, underneath Memorial Drive. There is no public parking near the station except at the cemetery, which is reserved for cemetery visitors. It is the only station that closes earlier than the rest of the system, closing at 7 PM from October to March, and 10 PM from April to September.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Federal Center SW station</span> Washington Metro station

Federal Center SW station is a Washington Metro station in an area known as the Southwest Federal Center in Washington, D.C., United States. The island-platformed station was opened on July 1, 1977, and is operated by the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) and is located on the Orange, Silver, and Blue Lines. The station is located at 3rd and D Streets.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cheverly station</span> Washington Metro station

Cheverly station is a side-platformed Washington Metro station in Prince George's County, Maryland, United States. The station was opened on November 20, 1978, and is operated by the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA). Providing service for the Orange Line, the station is the first station going east in Maryland on the Orange Line. The station is in the residential area of Cheverly at Columbia Park Road near U.S. Route 50. It is a commuter station with 530 parking spaces. In 2021, Cheverly had the lowest average weekday ridership of any Metro station. When Phase 2 of the Silver Line was released in 2022, this was no longer the case as Loudoun Gateway had an even lower average weekday ridership.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Silver Line (Washington Metro)</span> Rapid transit line

The Silver Line is a rapid transit line of the Washington Metro system, consisting of 34 stations in Loudoun County, Fairfax County and Arlington County, Virginia, Washington, D.C., as well as Prince George's County, Maryland. The Silver Line runs from Ashburn in Virginia to Downtown Largo in Maryland. Five stations, from both lines' eastern terminus at Downtown Largo to Benning Road, are shared with the Blue Line alone; thirteen stations, from Stadium–Armory to Rosslyn, with both the Orange Line and Blue Lines; and five stations from Court House to East Falls Church with the Orange Line alone. Only the five stations of Phase 1, which began service on July 26, 2014, and the six stations of Phase 2, which began service on November 15, 2022, are exclusive to the Silver Line.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">McLean station</span> Washington Metro station

McLean station is a Washington Metro station in Fairfax County, Virginia, on the Silver Line. The station is located in Tysons, with a McLean postal address. It began operation on July 26, 2014.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tysons station</span> Washington Metro station

Tysons station is a rapid transit station on the Silver Line of the Washington Metro in Tysons, Virginia. One of four Metro stations in Tysons, it is one of the five stations comprising the first phase of the Silver Line. It opened as Tysons Corner on July 26, 2014.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Greensboro station (Washington Metro)</span> Washington Metro station

Greensboro station is a Washington Metro station in Tysons, in Fairfax County, Virginia, on the Silver Line. It opened on July 26, 2014, as part of phase 1 of the Silver Line. Greensboro is one of four Metro stations in the Tysons area and is to be part of the massive regeneration of the district.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Spring Hill station</span> Washington Metro station

Spring Hill station is a Washington Metro station in Fairfax County, Virginia, on the Silver Line. Located in Tysons, it began operation on July 26, 2014. The station is located in the central median of Leesburg Pike just west of Spring Hill Road.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wiehle–Reston East station</span> Washington Metro station

Wiehle–Reston East station is a Washington Metro station in Fairfax County, Virginia on the Silver Line. Located in Reston, the station is situated alongside Reston Station, a mixed-use urban center. Upon its opening, Wiehle–Reston East was the western terminus of the Silver Line with a pocket track just beyond the station for reversing trains until November 15, 2022, when service was extended to the new westernmost terminus at Ashburn station.

References

  1. "Metrorail Ridership Summary". Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority. Retrieved February 10, 2024.
  2. 1 2 "Station Vicinity Map: East Falls Church" (PDF). WMATA. Retrieved March 28, 2018.
  3. "East Falls Church Planning at a Glance". arlingtonva.us. Projects & Planning. Retrieved August 29, 2018.
  4. 1 2 Lynton, Stephen J. (June 8, 1986), "9.1 more miles for Metrorail", The Washington Post, p. C1
  5. "All aboard! Metro's new Silver Line rolls down the tracks for the first time". The Washington Post . Retrieved March 28, 2018.
  6. "Metro wants to rebuild 20 station platforms over three years, creating SafeTrack-like disruptions". Washington Post. May 7, 2018. Retrieved February 19, 2019.
  7. 1 2 "Platform Improvement Project". www.wmata.com. Retrieved August 3, 2020.
  8. "Special Covid-19 System Map" (PDF). Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority . Retrieved April 14, 2020.
  9. "Metrorail stations closed due to COVID-19 pandemic". Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority. March 23, 2020. Retrieved April 14, 2020.
  10. "Metro to use upcoming low-ridership summer to maximum effect, expands Orange, Silver line shutdown". www.wmata.com. Retrieved April 23, 2020.
  11. "Metro to reopen 15 stations, reallocate bus service to address crowding, starting Sunday | WMATA". www.wmata.com. Retrieved July 11, 2020.
  12. "Metro announces reopening of East Falls Church and Arlington Cemetery stations on Aug. 23". WJLA. August 17, 2020. Retrieved August 17, 2020.
  13. "Metro Closes 4 Orange, Silver Line Stations in Virginia for Weeks, Impacting Travel to Dulles Airport". June 2023.