Greenbelt station

39°00′40″N 76°54′40″W / 39.011068°N 76.911011°W / 39.011068; -76.911011

Greenbelt
Greenbelt station platform in April 2019
General information
Location	5600-5717 Greenbelt Metro Drive Greenbelt, Maryland^[1]
Owned by	WMATA
Line(s)	Capital Subdivision
Platforms	1 island platform (Washington Metro) 2 side platforms (MARC)
Tracks	2 (Washington Metro) 4 (MARC/CSX)
Connections	Metrobus: 89M, C2, G12, G14, R12 RTA: 302/G TheBus: 11, 15X, 16 Shuttle-UM: 129
Construction
Parking	3,399 spaces
Bicycle facilities	60 racks, 52 lockers
Accessible	Yes^[2]
Other information
Station code	E10
History
Opened	December 11, 1993 (1993-12-11)^[3]
Rebuilt	2021
Services
Preceding station MARC Following station College Park towards Union Station Camden Line Muirkirk towards Camden Station Preceding station Washington Metro Following station College Park–University of Maryland toward Branch Avenue Green Line Terminus
Former Services
Preceding station Washington Metro Following station College Park–University of Maryland toward Huntington Yellow Line Terminus College Park–University of Maryland toward Farragut North Green Line Commuter Shortcut
Location

Greenbelt station is a Washington Metro and MARC station in Prince George's County, Maryland. The station is the northeastern terminus of the Green Line of the Washington Metro. MARC commuter rail trains on the Camden Line also stop at Greenbelt on a set of tracks parallel to the Metro tracks.

The station is located in the city of Greenbelt, at its northwestern border (near Berwyn Heights, Beltsville, and the northern part of College Park), off of Cherrywood Lane, near the Capital Beltway. It has a parking lot that contains more than 3,300 spaces,^[4] with convenient access both to the outer loop of the Beltway (Interstate 95 North) and from the inner loop of the Beltway (Interstate 95 South). It serves as a commuter station for both local residents and commuters who arrive from elsewhere — such as those who travel on the inner loop of the Beltway or south on I-95 from Baltimore. Also available at the station is a weekday express Metrobus service, the B30 route to Baltimore–Washington International Airport (BWI), allowing for connections to Baltimore's regional transit services. The Greenbelt Metro is the most accessible station for employees and visitors of NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center, who can connect to TheBus's route 15X.^[5][6]

In-between Metro's Greenbelt and College Park stations, trains pass Lake Artemesia, which was created as part of the construction of the two stations. The Greenbelt Rail Yard is also nearby, the largest storage yard in the Metrorail network.

History

 

Greenbelt station mezzanine

Metro service at Greenbelt began on December 11, 1993, coinciding with the opening of three other stations in northern Prince George's County, Maryland — the completion of 7.96 miles of Green Line rail north of Fort Totten in Washington, D.C. In 1979, before opening, the name was changed from "Greenbelt Road" to just "Greenbelt".^[7]

 

MARC train platforms at Greenbelt station in February 2007 (facing south)

.

The Greenbelt station played a role during the January 20, 2009 presidential inauguration of Barack Obama. Prior to this date, a decision was made by Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) officials not to allow private cars to park at this station in order to allow more than 1,100 charter buses to use the parking. However, only 35 such requests were made by private bus companies, and WMATA then reversed its decision, opening up 3,400 spaces to private vehicles.^[8]

On June 25, 2017, Metro's Yellow Line trains stopped serving the station due to the elimination of Rush+, which was part of major changes to the Metrorail system.^[9] On May 20, 2019, Metro announced that Yellow Line trains will be re-extended from Mount Vernon Square and Fort Totten to Greenbelt at all service hours beginning May 25, 2019.^[10]

In May 2018, Metro announced an extensive renovation of platforms at twenty stations across the system. The platforms at the Greenbelt station would be rebuilt starting on May 29, 2021 through September 6, 2021.^[11][12][13] On April 8, 2021, a COVID-19 mass vaccination site was opened in the parking lot of Greenbelt station.^[14]

Since May 7, 2023, the northeastern terminus of the Yellow Line was truncated from this station to Mount Vernon Square, following its reopening after a nearly eight-month-long major rehabilitation project on its bridge over the Potomac River and its tunnel leading into L'Enfant Plaza. Thus, it no longer services this station.^[15]

From July 22 to September 4, 2023, the Metro station was closed to improve rail system technologies, along with all other Green Line stations north of Fort Totten.^[16]

Station layout

Metro trains stop at an island platform, while MARC trains utilize two high-level side platforms. All platforms are accessible to riders with disabilities, but the MARC station is unstaffed and lacking facilities.

References

1. "MARC Station Information". MTA Maryland. Retrieved May 29, 2020.
2. "MARC Station Information". Maryland Transit Administration. Retrieved June 5, 2021.
3. Meyer, Eugene L. (December 10, 1993). "Lukewarm Thrill at End of Line". The Washington Post.
4. "Parking: Greenbelt". WMATA. Retrieved March 27, 2018.
5. "Route 15X". Prince George's County Official Website. Retrieved January 25, 2019.
6. "Bus Service from Greenbelt" (PDF). WMATA. Retrieved January 25, 2019.
7. Eisen, Jack (August 7, 1979). "Zoological Park Subway Stop Name, 9 Others Changed by Metro Board". The Washington Post.
8. "Metro opens up more automobile parking, scales back charter bus access for Inauguration" (Press release). WMATA. January 6, 2009. Retrieved March 27, 2018.
9. "June 25 Fare Service Changes Printable Brochure" (PDF). 2017.
10. "Metro to extend Yellow Line service to Greenbelt beginning May 25" (Press release). WMATA. May 20, 2019. Retrieved May 21, 2019.
11. "Metro wants to rebuild 20 station platforms over three years, creating SafeTrack-like disruptions". Washington Post. May 7, 2018. Retrieved February 19, 2019.
12. "Metro announces travel alternatives during summer platform reconstruction work | WMATA". www.wmata.com. Retrieved April 14, 2021.
13. "Alternative Travel Options Summer 2021 | WMATA". www.wmata.com. Retrieved May 29, 2021.
14. "Metro to host community vaccination clinic at Greenbelt Station | WMATA". www.wmata.com. Retrieved April 14, 2021.
15. "Metro's Yellow Line reopens Sunday with controversial turnback". WJLA-TV. Sinclair Broadcast Group. May 7, 2023. Retrieved May 7, 2023.
16. "Enhanced Maintenance Work during Summer 2023 to focus on custom and reliability upgrades to modernize | WMATA". www.wmata.com. Retrieved July 23, 2023.

External links

  Media related to Greenbelt (WMATA station) at Wikimedia Commons

• WMATA Greenbelt station page

• Entrance from Google Maps Street View