Metro News Release

For immediate release: October 19, 2006

Metro’s Board approves plans to modify Navy Yard Metrorail station to coincide with ballpark opening

Enhancements to the Navy Yard Metrorail station are being planned to serve fans attending games at the new ballpark, which is being constructed just a short walk from the station.

Today, the Metro Board of Directors agreed to modify the west entrance to the Navy Yard Metrorail station in anticipation of ridership growth due to ongoing and future development and the ballpark one block south of the station. The current entrance, located at Half and M Streets, SE, has a capacity of approximately 5,000 people per hour.

To be able to accommodate up to 15,000 per hour coming to baseball games through the station the following upgrades are planned:

• relocate the kiosk, fare gates and fare vendors from the mezzanine to the entrance,
• increase the number of fare gates and vending machines,
• add an elevator between the entrance and the mezzanine, and
• add an elevator and a stair between the mezzanine and the platform.

These enhancements are planned for completion before the first home game of the 2008 baseball season.

Money for construction will be provided by federal funds allocated to the District of Columbia. Last year, Metro’s Board authorized $500,000 for initial planning and preliminary designs to modify the Navy Yard Metrorail station. Total costs for all the enhancements is estimated at $20 million.

In addition, a three-party agreement between Metro, the developer of the joint development project being constructed over the station entrance and the developer’s contractor, was reached to reserve up to 20 percent of the residential units for low and moderate income purchasers.

“We want to do everything that we can to encourage people to take Metro to the games,” said Metro Board Member Jim Graham, who added that reserving some units for affordable housing “is icing on the cake for this project.”

News release issued on October 19, 2006.