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Branch Avenue station

Branch Avenue
Branch Avenue station platform facing south in June 2019
General information
Location4704 Old Soper Road
Suitland, Maryland
Owned byWashington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority
Platforms1 island platform
Tracks2
Connections
Construction
Structure typeOpen cut
Parking3,072 spaces
Bicycle facilities10 racks, 24 lockers
AccessibleYes
Other information
Station codeF11
History
OpenedJanuary 13, 2001; 23 years ago (2001-01-13)
Passengers
20231,700 daily[1]
Rank59 out of 98
Services
Preceding station Washington Metro Following station
Terminus Green Line Suitland
toward Greenbelt
Location
Map

Branch Avenue station is an island-platformed Washington Metro station in Suitland, Maryland, United States. The station was opened on January 13, 2001, and is operated by the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA). The station presently serves as the southeastern terminus for the Green Line, with the Branch Avenue rail yard lying just beyond this station. The station is located near the intersection of Auth Road and Old Soper Road.

This is also the station closest to Andrews Air Force Base.

History

Plans for a station as the southeastern terminus of the Green Line initially appeared in the original 1968 route map.[2] However, by 1978 the Prince George's County Council, after initially supporting the Branch Avenue alignment, changed their support to moving the terminus to a location adjacent to the Rosecroft Raceway.[3] Metro followed suit and pursued the Rosecroft alignment instead of Branch Avenue in 1980.[3] By May a group of citizens filed suit against Metro stating that the route was improperly changed and failed to conform to the plan adopted by county voters in 1968.[4] In February 1981, the court ruled in favor of the plaintiffs in stating the routing to Rosecroft could not be undertaken until it went through public review.[4] After further appeal, in March 1982 the judge ruled that none of the proposed Green Line along the Rosecroft alignment could start construction until it went through the entire planning process again.[5] After deciding to not file an appeal, in December 1984 Metro voted to change the southeastern terminus back to Branch Avenue thus allowing for construction to commence on the Green Line towards Prince George's County.[6]

Groundbreaking for the final segment of the Green Line occurred on September 23, 1995.[7] The station opened on January 13, 2001.[8] Its opening coincided with the completion of approximately 6.5 miles (10.5 km) of rail southeast of the Anacostia station and the opening of the Congress Heights, Naylor Road, Southern Avenue and Suitland stations.[8] This represented the completion of the system as originally planned.

Station layout

Branch Avenue station has an island platform in an open cut between Auth Way and Capital Gateway Drive. Parking lots are located both east and west of the station platform. Constructed adjacent to the station is a 37-acre (15 ha) rail yard with the capacity to store 116 cars.[9]

References

  1. ^ "Metrorail Ridership Summary". Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority. Retrieved February 11, 2024.
  2. ^ Vesey, Tom (June 23, 1982). "Sniping continues in Green Line war". The Washington Post. p. DC1.
  3. ^ a b Feaver, Douglas B. (October 14, 1980). "What ever happened to the Green Line?". The Washington Post. p. C1.
  4. ^ a b Burgess, John (March 18, 1982). "Metro to halt start of leg to Rosecroft". The Washington Post. p. C1.
  5. ^ McQueen, Michel (March 17, 1982). "Judge blocks Metro route; Rosecroft shift". The Washington Post. p. C1.
  6. ^ Lynton, Stephen J. (December 14, 1984). "Metro board votes to extend Green Line to Branch Avenue". The Washington Post. p. B4.
  7. ^ Fehr, Stephen C. (September 23, 1995). "After 25 years of building, Metro nears finish line". The Washington Post. p. B1.
  8. ^ a b Layton, Lyndsey (January 14, 2001). "All Metro doors now open; Five new Green Line stations complete 32-year project, but expansions continue". The Washington Post. p. A1.
  9. ^ Layton, Lyndsey (December 3, 1999). "Metro is close to the end of the Green Line". The Washington Post. p. B3.

38°49′37″N 76°54′44″W / 38.826995°N 76.912134°W / 38.826995; -76.912134

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