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The pedestrian tunnel would mainly serve the people who currently jam into the trains from Gallery Place to Metro Center or the other way around. This is for people who are ALREADY in the system and aren't going to go out and walk and pay a base fare again (or use a "topside transfer" like they have at Farragut which would take much longer than just using the train now). The tunnels are for people who want to take Blue/Orange to Green/Yellow (or vice versa) without going to L'Enfant plaza. During rush hour Red line trains fill up considerably just between Metro Center and Gallery Place because at rush hour it's faster just to brave the crush than to go an extra 5 stops. With a tunnel many people would probably just walk rather than wait for a red line train. Also it would be beneficial to off-peak travelers given long headways.

Here's more info about the tunnel:
Presentation: http://www.wmata.com/about_metro/docs/PD_MCGP_Ped_Tunnel_Drawings_071405.pdf
Report: http://www.wmata.com/pdfs/planning/Station%20Access/Gallery_Metro_Center_NoAppendices.pdf

It has nothing to do with people who get on initially at either Metro Center or Gallery Place and want to go one stop and transfer. Many of those people likely ALREADY walk to the other station but how would you count that data?

by MLD on Jun 19, 2012 8:16 am • link • report