NoMa–Gallaudet U station
Template:Short description Template:For Template:Use American English Template:Use mdy dates Template:Infobox station NoMa–Gallaudet U station is an elevated, island platformed station on the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority's (WMATA) Metro system. It is located on the same embankment as the Amtrak tracks into Union Station. It serves the Red Line, and is situated between Union Station and Rhode Island Avenue–Brentwood stations. With an average of 6,593 daily entries in 2023, NoMa–Gallaudet U was the ninth-busiest station in the Metro system and the busiest elevated stop.<ref name="Data" />
NoMa–Gallaudet U is located near the intersection of New York Avenue and Florida Avenue in Northeast Washington, D.C. The station is within the NoMa neighborhood, which is both residential and commercial, and the station itself is in a commercial district on Florida Avenue. The station opened under the name New York Ave–Florida Ave–Gallaudet U on November 20, 2004, as both the system's first infill station before Potomac Yard in 2023 and the first to be built with a mix of public and private funds. Additionally, a portion of the Metropolitan Branch Trail was completed as part of its construction.<ref name="Update"/>
History
The station was not originally built with the rest of the Red Line; the segment of the Red Line containing the site of this station opened in 1976. By 1996, however, the idea of a Metro station at New York Avenue was being proposed as part of greater improvements of New York Avenue between Downtown Washington at the Maryland state line.<ref name="September 16, 1996">Template:Cite news</ref> In February 1999, the major property owners in the vicinity of the proposed station agreed in principle to contribute approximately $25 million in private financing for the project.<ref name="February 19, 1999">Template:Cite news</ref> The money would be collected from all commercial property owners within Template:Convert radius of the proposed station by being charged special tax assessments.<ref name="February 19, 1999"/> With an estimated cost of $84 million to complete in October 2000, the federal government approved $25 million for its construction.<ref name="October 12, 2000">Template:Cite news</ref> The remaining costs would be split with $34 million coming from the District and $25 million coming from special tax assessments for the surrounding commercial properties.<ref name="October 12, 2000"/> With funding secured, physical construction could commence.
The groundbreaking for the station occurred on December 16, 2000, with Mayor Anthony A. Williams and D.C.'s Congressional Delegate Eleanor Holmes Norton present for the festivities.<ref name="December 17, 2000">Template:Cite news</ref> In May 2002, Metro awarded a design–build contract to the joint venture of Lane Construction/Slattery/Skanska for the design and construction of the station.<ref name="Update">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Since it was constructed along an existing line, its construction resulted in some delay for trains traveling on the Red Line during the construction of a double crossover switch.<ref name="Update"/> While still under construction in January 2004, the station name was changed from New York Ave to New York Ave–Florida Ave–Gallaudet U.<ref name="Name"/> The change was made to reflect its location near both Florida Avenue and Gallaudet University.<ref name="January 9, 2004">Template:Cite news</ref>
On November 20, 2004, the station opened as the 84th station, and first infill station, on the Metro system within four weeks prior to the opening of Morgan Boulevard and Largo stations.<ref name="MetroOpen">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref name="November 21, 2004">Template:Cite news</ref> The final cost was $103.7 million with the federal government and private land owners each contributing $25 million and the D.C. government contributing $53.7 million.<ref name="MetroOpen"/> Its construction has catalyzed new development and redevelopment of the NoMa neighborhood.<ref name="November 18, 2004">Template:Cite news</ref> The station was renamed to NoMa–Gallaudet U on November 3, 2011,<ref name="WMATA 2011 station renamings">Template:Cite press release</ref> and formally christened with the new name on June 13, 2012.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>
Future improvements
There are plans to construct a pedestrian tunnel from the north entrance under the embankment to the east side of the tracks, and construction is scheduled to begin in 2028.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>
Station layout
NoMa–Gallaudet U is located near the intersection of New York Avenue and Florida Avenue in Northeast Washington. The station is within and named for the NoMa neighborhood, which is both residential and commercial. The station itself is in a commercial district on Florida Avenue.<ref name="StationGuide">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Its design differs from that of previous stations and is indicative of the lessons learned by Metro over its years of operation in several respects. Its canopy consists of white-painted, steel plate trusses and glass sheathing rather than concrete.<ref name="November 27, 2004">Template:Cite news</ref> Instead of having a single elevator as found at older stations, it contains two.<ref name="November 27, 2004"/> This was done so if an elevator breaks down, service is provided to the station without having to offer shuttle service from another station.<ref name="November 18, 2004"/><ref name="November 27, 2004"/>
South of the station, Shady Grove bound trains goes underground and remains underground until Grosvenor-Strathmore.
The station also provides ten racks and 28 lockers for bicycle users, carsharing with Zipcar and connections to several Metrobus routes.<ref name="StationGuide"/>
Public art
The station is notable for its artistic elements incorporated into its design as part of MetroArts, Metro's Art in Transit Program.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>
Journeys
Created by sculptor Barbara Grygutis, The 2nd Street entrance contains a Template:Convert tall aluminum sculpture of a leaf from a scarlet oak.<ref name="April 11, 2005">Template:Cite news</ref><ref name="Journeys">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> On each side of the sculpture is a poem entitled "Journeys" composed by Dolores Kendrick, Washington's poet laureate. The poem reads: "Go slowly in taking the steps, and fast when counting stars."<ref name="April 11, 2005"/> Grygutis also created the Template:Convert steel fence outside the station studded with glass leaves of various hues.<ref name="April 11, 2005"/><ref name="Journeys"/> Its design was inspired by Washington's dense tree canopy in addition to the scarlet oak being the official tree of the District.<ref name="April 11, 2005"/>
Notable places nearby
- McKinley Technology High School, a DCPS high school
- District of Columbia Public Schools central office
- Gallaudet University
- Union Market
- Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives headquarters
- Equal Employment Opportunity Commission headquarters
References
External links
- The Schumin Web Transit Center: NoMa–Gallaudet U Station
- M Street entrance from Google Maps Street View
- 2nd Street entrance from Google Maps Street View
- Pages with broken file links
- Railway stations in the United States opened in 2004
- Stations on the Red Line (Washington Metro)
- Washington Metro stations in Washington, D.C.
- 2004 establishments in Washington, D.C.
- Near Northeast (Washington, D.C.)
- Railway stations in Washington, D.C., at university and college campuses