Metro News Release

For immediate release: May 15, 2006

Metro Announces the Completion of Station Enhancements at the King Street Metrorail Station

Metro today marked the final completion of a four-year program to enhance the King Street Metrorail station on the Blue and Yellow Lines.

The recently completed second phase of enhancements at the King Street Metrorail station includes: an expanded station mezzanine and platform; an elevated walkway across Commonwealth Avenue; two new elevators; a stairway to provide access to the elevated walkway; a new extended canopy to cover the station platform; a new entrance gate along with a new station manager’s kiosk, new farecard vendors, new faregates and restroom facilities at the mezzanine’s street level. Construction for this second phase of work began in September 2004.

Phase I of this project was completed in June 2002, when a second station entrance opened, offering patrons a new direct covered north entrance to the existing mezzanine with access into the station along King Street. That new entrance shortened the walking distance for Virginia Railway Express customers transferring from Alexandria’s Union Station to Metro, and for local residents, increasing pedestrian access and capacity to the station. That new second entrance features two farecard machines and four faregates.

"Today we mark the successful completion of a project that will benefit the city of Alexandria, and everyone using the King Street Metrorail station," said Metro Board member and City of Alexandria Mayor William D. Euille. "The enhancements to the King Street Metrorail station now ‘ease the squeeze’ that Metro customers have experienced at the King Street Metrorail station and gives people more breathing room and easier access to the platform. Customers using the station can spread out and use a brand new mezzanine and third entrance north of Commonwealth Avenue, with new faregates and farecard machines, plus new elevators and a stairway to take people right up to the platform."

The total cost of the project was $16.3 million, with $12 million coming from the Commonwealth of Virginia, $2.5 million from the Federal Government and $1.8 million from the city of Alexandria.

News release issued on May 15, 2006.