Explore the legacy of Massimo Vignelli, the visionary designer behind the Washington Metro’s iconic look. Discover how his philosophy of simplicity and functionality shaped the visual identity of D.C.’s public transit system.
Ballston Metro Station: The linchpin in Ballston’s journey from a fading strip to a bustling urban center. Dive into its transformative tale.
WMATA spent $69,000 for the sample station in May 1968. After just a few weeks of construction, it measured 64 feet in width, 30 feet in height, and just 17 feet in length. It marked a key milestone in the capital subway project – a massive planning and engineering effort that started in the 1950s.
Washington’s Metro opened on March 27, 1976, with 4.6 miles of track between Rhode Island Avenue and Farragut North. All rides were free.
The proposals were published to convince transit officials that the 19-mile system authorized by Congress within the city – part of a 25-mile network extending into the suburbs -would be inadequate by 1985.
Near the end of World War II, there was an interesting proposal to build a subway in the District to alleviate post-war traffic.
Take a look back in time with these amazing photos of Metro Center under construction in 1973. Don’t miss these other great old Metro photos showing Dupont Circle!
Washington DC almost has a subway started in 1912, well before WMATA and Metro opened in 1976. Learn about what almost was built in the District.
Explore a Metro map done with braille and discover its date. This map stops at Silver Spring, so it’s some time before 1990, when Forest Glen was built. Find out more in this blog post.
Vintage photos from Metro’s own archives document the decade-long construction of the Washington subway system before it opened in 1976.
