Foggy Bottom–GWU station

Template:Short description Template:Use American English Template:Use mdy dates Template:Infobox station Foggy Bottom–GWU station is a Washington Metro station in the Foggy Bottom neighborhood of Washington, D.C., United States. The island-platformed station was opened on July 1, 1977, and is operated by the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA). Providing service for the Blue, Orange, and Silver Lines, the station is located at the intersection of 23rd & I Streets on the George Washington University (GWU) campus. It is the last westbound station in the District of Columbia on these lines before they dive under the Potomac River to Virginia.

History

The station opened on July 1, 1977.<ref name="July 1, 1977">Template:Citation</ref> Its opening coincided with the completion of Template:Convert<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> of rail between National Airport and RFK Stadium and the opening of the Arlington Cemetery, Capitol South, Crystal City, Eastern Market, Federal Center SW, Federal Triangle, L'Enfant Plaza, McPherson Square, National Airport, Pentagon, Pentagon City, Potomac Avenue, Rosslyn, Smithsonian and Stadium–Armory stations.<ref name="June 24, 1977">Template:Citation</ref> Orange Line service to the station began upon the line's opening on November 20, 1978.<ref>Template:Citation</ref>

Station layout

Foggy Bottom–GWU uses a simple island platform layout: one platform with a track on each side. Track C1 carries eastbound trains to Template:Wmata and Largo whilst track C2 is used by westbound trains to Template:Wmata, Template:Wmata, and Template:Wmata.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> As with all stations on the Metro, there are platform edge lights to warn passengers of incoming trains.

In 2008, WMATA installed red-colored LED lights at Foggy Bottom–GWU and other busy stations after a successful pilot at Gallery Place.<ref>Template:Cite press release</ref> There is a 22 coffer "waffle vault" ceiling at Foggy Bottom–GWU as it was one of the first stations to be built in the system; later underground stations abandoned this design for a simpler concrete arch.

File:12-07-14-wikimania-wdc-by-RalfR-37 (cropped).jpg

Station entrance at I and 23rd Streets in July 2012

There is a single mezzanine located at the center of the platform.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Escalators from here allow passengers to descend to platform level or to the sole entrance and exit of the station at the northwestern corner of I and 23rd Streets.<ref name="map">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> A total of two elevators and six escalators (three between the street and mezzanine and three between the mezzanine and platform) are currently in use at the station.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

In 2007, WMATA released a report detailing the potential to add a second entrance to the east side of the platform, serving the intersection of 22nd and I streets.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> No further action has been taken to construct this entrance, through the land proposed to host the surface aspect remains unbuilt upon.

Location

File:Aerial view of Washington Circle, with Foggy Bottom station entrance in foreground (cropped).jpg

Aerial view of Washington Circle, with station entrance at bottom right, 1992

Foggy Bottom–GWU serves the neighborhood of Foggy Bottom and the campus of George Washington University. It is also the nearest station to the Georgetown neighborhood. The station is located at 23rd and I streets in Northwest, just south of Washington Circle, and at the front entrance to the George Washington University Hospital.

Service began on July 1, 1977. The World Bank is located one block south and eight blocks east at Pennsylvania Avenue and 18th Street and the Watergate complex is slightly more than .75 miles (1.2 km) southwest of the station.<ref name="map" /> Slightly south of The Watergate is the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts.<ref name="map" />

Notable places nearby

• George Washington University Hospital
• Golden Triangle
• School Without Walls
• Harry S Truman Building (United States Department of State)

  File:Foggybottomjuly4th.png

  A crowded Foggy Bottom after the July 4th festivities in 2024 with a Vienna-bound Orange Line train servicing the station.

• Lincoln Memorial
• Georgetown
• Downtown
• Washington Circle
• West End
• George Washington University
• Kennedy Center

External links

• The Schumin Web Transit Center: Foggy Bottom–GWU Station
• 23rd Street entrance from Google Maps Street View