Big Union Station Metrorail improvements planned

Photo by PoPville flickr user dracisk 365/365

From a WMATA press release:

Union Station is the busiest station in the Metrorail system with 68,000 passengers entering and exiting daily, including 18,000 passengers transferring between Metrorail and Amtrak, MARC and VRE services.

Metro and DDOT recently completed a Union Station Access and Capacity Improvements Study, which identified improvements that would increase the Metrorail station’s safety, capacity and accessibility, reduce passenger travel time and improve connectivity to other transportation modes. Proposed improvements include:

• Improved evacuation capacity in the event of emergency at Union Station;
• Significant safety improvements on all three levels, in particular the Metrorail platform;
• Significant capacity expansion on all three levels of the north mezzanine, platform and concourse;
• Direct link to new development, streetcar and intercity bus terminal;
• Improved access to commuter rail, Amtrak and retail at Union Station; and
• Annual travel time savings from reduced congestion at the north mezzanine.

The Metro Board Finance and Administration Committee today (April 14) gave preliminary approval to advance these improvements by establishing a reimbursable project for the environmental documentation, preliminary engineering and design; establishing a budget of $2.55 million using District of Columbia’s Federal Transit Administration grants and local matching funds; and amending the FY2011 Reimbursable Projects Budget, increasing it from $6.07 million to $8.62 million; and authorizing the General Manager/Chief Executive Officer to negotiate and execute the reimbursable agreement with the District of Columbia.

The full Board is expected to vote on the Union Station access and capacity improvements at its April 28 meeting.

68,000 daily passengers. That is wild!