Metro News Release

For immediate release: April 7, 2003

Newly expanded Mt. Vernon Square Metrorail station mezzanine to open April 8 to accommodate meeting participants and visitors to the new Washington Convention Center

The Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (Metro) has completed its construction activities for the newly expanded mezzanine at the Mt. Vernon Square/7th Street-Convention Center Metrorail station at the 7th and M streets, NW. This mezzanine will connect directly with the new Washington Convention Center which will open for its first major event, the FOSE conference, tomorrow (April 8, 2003). " Metrorail customers will be able to walk directly from our mezzanine into the lobby of the new Washington Convention Center without having to go outdoors," stated Richard A. White, CEO of Metro. " We expect that, as in the case with the MCI Center, approximately 50 percent of people attending events at the new convention center will use Metrorail as their primary mode of transportation." Construction of the new mezzanine took approximately two years, and includes new escalators, elevators, and farecard machines to accommodate the increase in customers expected to pass through the Mt. Vernon Square station to attend convention center events.For more information on riding Metro, customers are encouraged to call 202-637-7000, TTY 202-638-3780, or visit www.metroopensdoors.com. and log onto to the RideGuide to plan trips by Metrobus or Metrorail.

News release issued on April 7, 2003.