D.C. Council member proposes new route for Metro through the city

Washington, D.C. (Map, News) - A District of Columbia Council member wants the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority to develop a new route through the city.

Jim Graham, who proposed the trial Yellow Line extension that starts Dec. 31, is working on plans that would take some Blue Line trains straight into D.C.

Graham, who sits on Metro¹s board of directors, would like five Blue Line trains every peak hour leaving from Franconia-Springfield to split from the Blue Line after the Pentagon station.

Instead of going under Arlington National Cemetery toward Rosslyn before reaching D.C. as the Blue Line does, this new line would follow the Yellow Line across the Potomac to the L’Enfant Plaza station and on to the Mount Vernon Square station, where it would connect with the Green Line and go out to the Greenbelt station.

“If you ride this new line,” Graham said, “it will be a faster route downtown.”

The proposal also calls for trains to follow the reverse path in peak hours, starting in Greenbelt, going through D.C. and reconnecting with the Blue Line at the Pentagon.

“We believe Virginia would benefit because there is a choke point from so many trains going into Rosslyn,” Graham said.

“If you are in Maryland, you could board at Greenbelt and you could take it all the way to National Airport and Franconia-Springfield without transferring.”

The project’s price tag has not been determined, Graham said.

“We don’t think this would cost much money to execute because you are just reshuffling the pack not adding new trains,” he said. “We haven’t considered all of the ramifications. On its face, it looks like a very good move.”

Finding ways to get more trains passing through D.C., especially along the Yellow Line, is a priority for Graham. Starting Dec. 31, the Yellow Line will be extended to the Fort Totten station during off-peak hours in an 18-month pilot project.

jrogalsky@dcexaminer.com

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