Franconia–Springfield station

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Franconia–Springfield
Franc-Springd platform, inbound end.jpg
Washington Metro platform
Location 6880 Frontier Drive
Springfield, VA 22150
United States
Coordinates Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
Owned by WMATA
Platforms 1 island platform (Metro)
2 side platforms (VRE)
Tracks 4 (2 for each service)
Bus stands 8
Bus operators Bus transport Fairfax Connector: 171, 231, 232, 301, 303, 304, 305, 310, 321, 322, 331, 332, 380, 401
Bus transport Metrobus: 18R, 18S, S90, S91
Bus transport PRTC OmniRide: Prince William Metro Direct
Bus transport Greyhound
Bus transport Best Bus
Construction
Parking 5,069 spaces
Bicycle facilities 36 racks, 20 lockers
Disabled access Yes
Other information
Station code J03 (WMATA)
Fare zone Zone 3 (VREX)
History
Opened June 29, 1997; 27 years ago (1997-06-29)[1]
Traffic
Passengers (2014) 8175 daily [2] Decrease 1.58% (metro)
Services
Preceding station   WMATA Metro Logo.svg Washington Metro   Following station
Terminus Blue Line
Yellow Line
Greenbelt-Franconia-Springfield weekdays rush hours service
toward Greenbelt
Virginia Railway Express
toward Spotsylvania
 Fredericksburg Line

Franconia–Springfield is an island platformed Washington Metro station in Springfield, Virginia, United States. The station was opened on June 29, 1997, and is operated by the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA). Providing service for the Blue Line, it is the southwestern terminus of the Blue Line, and is located at the junction of Franconia-Springfield Parkway and Frontier Drive. The station serves a suburban area and is mostly used for commuters, with 5,069 spaces -- Metro's largest parking garage. It is a major transit hub, providing not only Metro service, but also Virginia Railway Express, Metrobus, and local and intercity bus service, including Greyhound buses. It also served as an Amtrak station for the Northeast Regional line between 1997 and 2010. Amtrak's code for the station was "FRS."

History

File:Franc-Springfield vre approaching.jpg
A VRE train pulling in to Franconia–Springfield VRE station

Prior to construction by the WMATA, Franconia–Springfield station was the site of Franconia Station, a standard railroad station built by the Richmond, Fredericksburg and Potomac Railroad. It was built in 1870 and torn down in 1952.[3] Original Metro plans called for 2 separate stations for Franconia and Springfield, but by the time Metro got to building the station, plans had been changed to combine the 2 stations due to the expense and complications of running 2 separate branch lines to the two towns, as it would have required adding an entirely new "color service".[citation needed]

In 1981, WMATA held a series of public hearings to discuss issues related to the expansion of the then Yellow Line to Springfield by 1986, although the project was unfunded at that time.[4] By 1987, the Northern Virginia Transportation Commission began to evaluate whether or not state funding would be necessary to complete the station as federal funding was not guaranteed at that time.[5] By 1991, funding for the expansion was secured and plans for the station, parking garage, and other commuter facilities were approved by the Metro board.[6]

The VRE platform opened in 1995, the second infill station on the system.[7] The Metrorail station opened on June 29, 1997; its opening coincided with the completion of 3.3 miles (5.3 km) of rail west of the Van Dorn Street station.[8][1] The final cost for both the station and rail expansion was $175 million.[9]

In 2003, due to increases in ridership on both the Metro and VRE lines, WMATA opened an additional parking garage on the premises for park-and-ride users, offering an additional 1,000 parking spaces, and bringing the total to 5,100 spaces.[10]

Usage

Franconia–Springfield station is currently the 9th-most used WMATA Metro station in Virginia and is also used by weekday commuters for connections to the Fredericksburg Line of the Virginia Railway Express.[citation needed]

Station layout

P
Platform level		 Northbound → Blue Line Blue Line toward Largo Town Center (Yellow Line (rush only) Yellow Line (rush only) toward Greenbelt) (Van Dorn Street) →
Island platform, doors will open on the left or right
Northbound → Blue Line Blue Line toward Largo Town Center (Yellow Line (rush only) Yellow Line (rush only) toward Greenbelt) (Van Dorn Street) →
M Mezzanine One-way faregates, ticket machines, station agent
G Street Level Exit/Entrance, VRE platform

Notable places nearby

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  2. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  3. ↑ Richmond, Fredericksburg & Potomac (TrainWeb)
  4. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  5. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  6. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  7. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  8. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  9. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  10. ↑ Metro opens new parking structure at Franconia-Springfield Metrorail station

External links

Media related to Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. at Wikimedia Commons

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