Metro News Release

For immediate release: September 27, 2004

Metro announces the start of construction to support station enhancements at the Ballston-MU Metrorail station

Construction will begin this month on a major station enhancement program at the Ballston-MU Metrorail station located on the Orange Line in Arlington County. This program is designed to enhance access to the east end of the station, and to meet growing ridership demands. The construction features the installation of three new elevators along Fairfax Drive. On the north side of Fairfax Drive, a new elevator will be installed adjacent to the existing elevator to provide access between the mezzanine and street level of the station. On the south side of Fairfax Drive, two new elevators will be installed and an underground passageway will be constructed to connect the elevators to the existing entrance. "In response to the continuing development of the Ballston area, and working in conjunction with Arlington County, these enhancements will help ease the current congestion at the station entrance," said Metro Board Member Chris Zimmerman. "These enhancements will improve station access to support current and anticipated neighborhood development, improve pedestrian safety, increase convenience for persons with mobility requirements, facilitate inter-modal transfers and encourage the use of transit." The elevator and passageway construction will cause some inconvenience for approximately 18 months when fencing will enclose construction areas along Fairfax Drive. However, Metro customers will continue to have access to the existing elevator and four travel lanes will be maintained at all times on Fairfax Drive to minimize the impact of construction on area traffic. Metro will alert its customers through news releases, the Arlington County Web site, through www.commuterpage.com and the Metro Web site at www.metroopensdoors.com with project updates. Arlington County is sponsoring this $10 million construction project to fulfill a plan adopted by the Arlington County Board to improve access to the Ballston-MU Metrorail station as the first phase of improvements of a sequenced plan approved by the County Board. A new entrance to the west side of the station near Glebe Road is also planned, but is not yet fully funded.

News release issued on September 27, 2004.