Greensboro station (Washington Metro)

Last updated

Greensboro
WMATA Silver.svg
Greensboro Metro platform.jpg
Platform of Greensboro station
General information
Location8305 Leesburg Pike
Tysons, Virginia
Coordinates 38°55′17″N77°14′04″W / 38.9215°N 77.2344°W / 38.9215; -77.2344
Owned by WMATA
Platforms1 island platform
Tracks2
Construction
Structure typeOpen cut/raised embankment
Bicycle facilities Capital Bikeshare, 20 bike  lockers and 20 bike  racks
AccessibleYes
Other information
Station codeN03
History
OpenedJuly 26, 2014;9 years ago (2014-07-26) [1]
Passengers
2023262,435 [2]
Rank89 out of 98
Services
Preceding station WMATA Metro Logo small.svg Washington Metro Following station
Spring Hill
toward Ashburn
Silver Line Tysons
Location
Greensboro station (Washington Metro)

Greensboro station (preliminary names Tysons Central 7, Tysons Central) [3] [4] 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.

Contents

Station layout

MMezzanineFare control, ticket machines, station agent
P
Platform level
Westbound WMATA Silver.svg toward Ashburn (Spring Hill)
Island platform
Eastbound WMATA Silver.svg toward Downtown Largo (Tysons)
GStreet levelExit/entrance, buses

Like Spring Hill station, Greensboro was built in the median of SR 7 with a single island platform serving two tracks. However, unique among all Silver Line stations in Tysons, it was built partially at ground level and sub-surface. The construction and overall design of the station is similar to that of Southern Avenue on the Green Line, and Arlington Cemetery on the Blue Line because of its depressed but open-air layout. This is the result of the south end of the station acting as the western portal for the connecting tunnel leading to SR 123 while SR 7 slopes upwards towards the east. A mezzanine covering the central half of the platform contains ticket machines and faregates; two aerial walkway exits cross either side of Route 7 and meet at the mezzanine. The main platform has a height of −10 ft (−3.0 m) at its east end and 8 ft (2.4 m) at its west end. [5]

History

Exterior of the station during construction in 2013 Greensboro Station (WMATA) 2013.jpg
Exterior of the station during construction in 2013

Greensboro station opened as part of the first phase of the Silver Line to Wiehle – Reston East in 2014. In the planning stages, controversy ensued over whether to build the Metro in a tunnel or on an elevated viaduct through Tysons. It was eventually decided that the majority of the line would be built above ground, but the station will be built partially below ground in order to send trains through a short tunnel connecting the line's Route 7 and Route 123-paralleling sections.

From March 26 until June 27, 2020, this station was closed due to the 2020 coronavirus pandemic. [6] [7] Shuttle buses began serving the station on June 28, 2020. [8]

From May 23 until August 15, 2020, this station was further closed due to the Platform Reconstruction west of Ballston–MU and the Silver Line Phase II tie construction. [9] This station reopened beginning on August 16, 2020, when trains were able to bypass East Falls Church station. [10] [11]

Location

Mezzanine level of Greensboro station Greensboro Metro mezzanine 1.jpg
Mezzanine level of Greensboro station

Greensboro station is located within west-central Tysons, specifically in the median of Route 7 (Leesburg Pike). Much of the surrounding area is commercial in nature, with the Pike Seven Plaza Shopping Center to the west and Tysons Galleria to the east. In the way of residential development, The Boro mixed-use district opened its first phase in 2019 to the immediate north. [12] When fully completed, the initial phase will include two residential high-rises, an office tower, and a cinema complex, in addition to the already-existing office buildings.

Traffic counts by the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) show that the section of Leesburg Pike on which the station sits is the most heavily used in Fairfax County, with 61,000 vehicles per day using the stretch of road between Route 123 and the Dulles Toll Road. [13]

Transit-oriented development

In order to reduce congestion and improve walkability and connectivity in the area, the Fairfax County Planning Commission created the "Tysons Corner Urban Center Comprehensive Plan", an outline for the urbanization of Tysons in conjunction with the opening of the Silver Line. As one of four Metro stations within the identified locale, Greensboro is the focal point of one of the transit-oriented development schemes in the plan. According to the commission's outline, the area bounded by Route 123, Gosnell Drive, Westpark Drive, and International Drive will be designated as the Tysons Central 7 District and contain high-density residential and commercial mixed-use development. [14]

The Tysons Central 7 District is divided into two sub-districts, North and South, separated by Route 7. The south sub-district is approximately 76 acres (31 ha) large and will contain mixed-use development, with offices predominating near the station and residential buildings in the outer transition zone. The plan calls for a "civic commons" to be the central open space in the sub-district with government and civi-related buildings surrounding it. [14] The north sub-district is similar in nature, but is 102 acres (41 ha) in area. In contrast, the north sub-district is planned to be more vibrant and 24-hour than the south, with a minimum building height of 175 feet (53 m), although both sectors have a maximum allowance of 400 feet (122 m). [14] To connect these districts, it is envisioned that Leesburg Pike will be reconfigured, along with Chain Bridge Road, to a "boulevard" design, with a median separating four lanes of traffic each way, as well as landscaping the sidewalks to improve walkability. Radiating out from Route 7 will be a series of avenues and collector streets, each with different regulations to create a hierarchical street grid. [14]

Station facilities

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tysons, Virginia</span> Census-designated place in Virginia, United States

Tysons, also known as Tysons Corner, is a census-designated place (CDP) in Fairfax County, Virginia, United States, spanning from the corner of SR 123 and SR 7. It is part of the Washington metropolitan area and located in Northern Virginia between McLean and Vienna along the I-495.

<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">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">East Falls Church station</span> Washington Metro 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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fairfax Connector</span> Public bus service serving Fairfax County, Virginia

Fairfax Connector is a public bus service provided by Fairfax County, Virginia, United States, and is managed by the county government. The bus system provides service within Fairfax County, and connects to Metrobus, Metrorail stations, Virginia Railway Express, and other local bus systems. Fairfax Connector serves all of Fairfax Metrorail Stations, the city of Alexandria, the city of Fairfax, the Washington Dulles International Airport, and the Pentagon Metrorail station. In 2022, the system had a ridership of 4,851,200, or about 31,400 per weekday as of the third quarter of 2023.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Virginia State Route 123</span> State highway in Virginia, United States

State Route 123 or Virginia State Route 123 is a primary state highway in the U.S. state of Virginia. The state highway runs 29.27 miles (47.11 km) from U.S. Route 1 in Woodbridge north to the Chain Bridge across the Potomac River into Washington from Arlington. It goes by four local names. From its southern terminus to the Occoquan River Bridge, it is known as Gordon Boulevard. From the Occoquan River Bridge to the city of Fairfax it is known as Ox Road. From Fairfax until it enters the Town of Vienna, it is known as Chain Bridge Road. Then, as it passes through the Town of Vienna, it is known as Maple Avenue. After leaving the Town of Vienna, the name reverts to Chain Bridge Road, and continues this way until the intersection with I-495 in Tysons. Between Tysons and the George Washington Memorial Parkway, it is known as Dolley Madison Boulevard. After crossing over the George Washington Memorial Parkway, the name once again reverts to Chain Bridge Road and continues this way until the end of the road, at Chain Bridge. SR 123 is a partial circumferential highway in Northern Virginia that connects Woodbridge in eastern Prince William County with the independent city of Fairfax and the Fairfax County communities of Vienna, Tysons, and McLean, the last being the home of the National Counterterrorism Center and the Central Intelligence Agency. The state highway also connects all of the major highways that radiate from Washington, including Interstate 95 (I-95), I-66, US 29, US 50, SR 267, and the George Washington Memorial Parkway. Furthermore, SR 123 crosses another pair of circumferential highways, I-495 and the Fairfax County Parkway, and SR 7, a major northwest–southeast highway through Northern Virginia. The state highway is a part of the National Highway System for its entire length.

<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">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.

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

Reston Town Center station is a rapid transit station on the Silver Line of the Washington Metro in Reston, an unincorporated area in Northern Virginia. It opened on November 15, 2022.

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

Herndon station is a Washington Metro station in Fairfax County, Virginia on the Silver Line that opened on November 15, 2022. The station is in the median strip of VA-267 adjacent to the current Herndon-Monroe Park and Ride parking garage and bus station, which is on the south side of the highway. It has two pedestrian bridges across SR 267 to reach entrances on either side of the highway. Bus bays are located on the south side of the highway.

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

Innovation Center station is a Washington Metro station in Fairfax County, Virginia on the Silver Line. It is located adjacent to the Virginia Center for Innovative Technology at the intersection of the SR 267 and SR 28 in McNair, near the Fairfax / Loudoun county line. Originally planned to begin operation in 2016, the station opened on November 15, 2022.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dulles International Airport station</span> Washington Metro station at Dulles Airport

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

Loudoun Gateway station is a Washington Metro station in Loudoun County, Virginia, on the Silver Line. It is located at SR 606 and the ramps to SR 267. Originally planned to begin operations in 2016, the station opened on November 15, 2022.

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

Ashburn station is a Washington Metro station in Loudoun County, Virginia, United States, that serves as the western terminus of the Silver Line. Originally planned to begin operation in 2016, the station opened on November 15, 2022.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">D.C.–Dulles Line</span>

The D.C.–Dulles Line, designated Route 5A, was a bus route operated by the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) between Washington Dulles International Airport and L'Enfant Plaza station of the Blue, Yellow, Orange, Green and Silver lines of the Washington Metro. The line operated every 30–40 minutes on weekdays and 60 minutes on weekends along the Dulles Toll Road, Interstate 66, Richmond Highway and Interstate 395 between these two locations with no intermediate stops, with the exception of the Herndon–Monroe Park & Ride and Rosslyn station. The trip was approximately 50 minutes long.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Leesburg Pike Line</span> Daily bus route operated by WMATA

The Leesburg Pike Line, designated Route 28A, is a daily bus route operated by the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority between Tysons station of the Silver Line of the Washington Metro and King Street – Old Town station of the Yellow and Blue lines of the Washington Metro. The 28A trips run every 12 minutes between 7AM and 9PM and 30 minutes after 9PM. This line provides service from Tysons Corner in Fairfax County to Old Town Alexandria. Route 28A trips are roughly 80 minutes long.

References

  1. "Completion date on Silver Line pushed back again". NBC4 Washington. December 3, 2013. Retrieved March 27, 2018.
  2. "Rail Ridership Data Viewer". WMATA. Retrieved January 8, 2024.
  3. "Board of Supervisors Approves Proposed Silver Line Station Names". April 10, 2012. Retrieved April 11, 2012.
  4. Hosh, Kafia (March 29, 2011). "Fairfax OKs names for new Metrorail stations". Washington Post. Retrieved March 29, 2011.
  5. "Greensboro". Dulles Corridor Metrorail Project. Retrieved March 27, 2018.
  6. "Special Covid-19 System Map" (PDF). Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority. Archived from the original (PDF) on March 27, 2020. Retrieved May 24, 2020.
  7. "Metrorail stations closed due to COVID-19 pandemic". Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority. March 23, 2020. Retrieved May 24, 2020.
  8. "Metro to reopen 15 stations, reallocate bus service to address crowding, starting Sunday | WMATA". www.wmata.com. Retrieved July 11, 2020.
  9. "Metro to use upcoming low-ridership summer to maximum effect, expands Orange, Silver line shutdown". www.wmata.com. Retrieved April 23, 2020.
  10. "Metro to add more buses, trains and extended hours as part of Covid-19 Recovery Plan beginning Sunday, August 16 | WMATA". www.wmata.com. Retrieved August 16, 2020.
  11. "Silver Line service will return August 16, along with reopening of six stations in Fairfax County | WMATA". www.wmata.com. Retrieved July 11, 2020.
  12. Moran, Catherine Douglas (September 25, 2019). "Two Apartment Buildings Now Open in The Boro". Tysons Reporter. Retrieved November 3, 2019.
  13. "2009 Fairfax County traffic counts" (PDF). VDOT. Archived from the original (PDF) on January 5, 2011. Retrieved August 13, 2010.
  14. 1 2 3 4 "Fairfax County Comprehensive Plan: Tysons Corner Urban Center" (PDF). Fairfax County Planning Commission. Retrieved August 13, 2010.