Wiehle Avenue station. Photo by Matt Johnson.

Fifteen percent of commuters who take Metro’s Silver Line to Tysons Corner or Wiehle Avenue come from east of the Anacostia River in DC or Prince George’s County. These long commutes result from a growth pattern that puts jobs in far-flung western suburbs and affordable housing in the east. They’re part of the price our region pays for sprawl.

Data released last week from Metro shows that 150 of the 983 morning rush hour riders arriving daily at Wiehle Avenue come from the system’s easternmost stations. With 126 out of 827 passengers coming from the same area, the new Tysons station has similar numbers. The percentage is even higher at Spring Hill station.

These numbers are particularly noteworthy because only 20% of Metro’s morning riders come from east of the Anacostia or Prince George’s in the first place.

Silver Line station AM peak riders

from EOTR/PG

Total AM

peak riders

Percentage
McLean 38 387 9%
Tysons Corner 126 827 15%
Spring Hill 84 406 20%
Greensboro 34 384 8%
Wiehle Ave 150 983 15%
Total 432 2987 14%
Click on a column header to sort.

Some of those arriving at Wiehle Avenue are no doubt well-off homeowners who chose long commutes in order to live near Chesapeake Bay. After years of long car treks around the crowded Beltway, they might well prefer to park at New Carrollton or Largo and take a train trip of 70 minutes or more.

But the most common motivation for Silver Line riders from the east side is surely economic necessity, as most board at stations that draw riders from less affluent neighborhoods nearby.

Going from New Carrollton or Addison Road to Reston is a tough commute no matter how one travels, and if you have to wait for the bus at one or both ends, it’s brutal. These ridership figures are a reminder of how painful it is when low wages meet land use policies that separate jobs from affordable housing.