Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (Washington Metro)

Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport
	Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport
Station statistics
Address	2400 South Smith Boulevard; Arlington, VA 22202
Lines	Blue Line Yellow Line
Connections	WMATA Metrobus
Platforms	2 island platforms
Tracks	3
Bicycle facilities	8 racks
Other information
Opened	July 1, 1977
Accessible
Code	C10
Owned by	Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority
Formerly	National Airport (1977-2001)
Services

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Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (formerly National Airport) is a Washington Metro station in Arlington, Virginia on the Blue and Yellow Lines. The station platform is elevated and covered, the last above ground on the Yellow Line heading into Washington, D.C. It is one of only two stations in the system to have three tracks (the other being West Falls Church-VT/UVA). When service began on July 1, 1977, it was the southern terminus of the Blue Line, and the center track was used for relaying trains.^[1]

The station is located across Smith Boulevard from the B and C terminals from Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA); the airport shuttle bus carries people to and from Terminal A. The mezzanines are directly connected to the B and C terminals by pedestrian walkways to Level 2 (gate level).

During construction of a second canopy at the station, Metro began running trains through the center track even though it had not been constructed for standard operations, and on January 20, 2003, a Blue Line train derailed at the switch. No injuries resulted, but the accident delayed construction by a number of weeks.^[2]

[edit] Renaming controversy

The station retained its original name after the airport was renamed in 1998 after former President Ronald Reagan. In early 2001, a letter signed by 24 members of Congress requested WMATA rename the station to conform. However, according to a Metro policy adopted in 1987, groups seeking to rename a station were required to pay the cost of replacing signs and maps. The Arlington County government, which could have made the change, demurred—the price was estimated at $400,000—and WMATA subsequently declined to rename the station on April 19, 2001.^[3] In response, Republican Congressman Bob Barr of Georgia threatened to withhold federal funding from the agency unless the station was renamed.^[3] Congress ultimately voted to require the renaming on November 30. According to then-General Manager Richard A. White, Metro paid to complete the renaming.^[4]

During the 2003-2004 renovation of the station, new signage was installed. Similar signage can be found at the Gallery Place-Chinatown, New York Avenue, Morgan Boulevard, and Largo Town Center stations.

[edit] References

^ ^a ^b Feaver, Douglas B. (July 1, 1977). "Today, Metro could be U.S. model". The Washington Post: p. A1.
^ Layton, Lyndsey (February 27, 2003). "Metro track blamed in derailment - Section not made for regular use". The Washington Post: p. A1.
^ ^a ^b Layton, Lyndsey (April 21, 2001). "Riders rail at cost of 'Reagan' Metro stop". The Washington Post: p. B2.
^ LunchTalk Online transcript, June 17, 2005