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Massimo Vignelli: The Visionary Behind the Washington Metro's Iconic Design
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-MU station in Arlington, Virginia, photographed late at night.
Metro Magic: How Public Transit Sparked Ballston's Revival
Ballston Metro Station: The linchpin in Ballston's journey from a fading strip to a bustling urban center. Dive into its transformative tale.
"Full size mockup of partial Metro station 1968" from Harry Weese Associates' 1994 book describing Metro's early plans.
Metro's 17-Foot Long "Experimental Station" in 1968
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.
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When Did Metro Open in D.C.?
Metro in Washington DC opened on March 27th, 1976. All rides were free that day on the 4.6 miles of tracks.
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Mid-1960s Vision for Washington's Metro System
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.
Proposed D.C. subway system
Proposed D.C. Subway During World War II
Near the end of World War II, there was an interesting proposal to build a subway in the District to alleviate post-war traffic.
Photo of Metro Center in 1973
Take a Look Back in Time: Photos of Metro Center Under Construction in 1973
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!
proposed underground streetcar system - 1912
Original Subway Planned for Downtown D.C. in 1912
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.
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Exploring a Metro Map Done with Braille – What Date is This?
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.
Nov 1982 | Crews work to complete the building of the tunnel near Forest Glen Station.
Revisiting the Construction of the Washington DC Metro
Take a look back in time at the construction of the Washington DC Metro with photos from the Metro's Facebook page. See the work that went into building the tunnel near Forest Glen, emergency stairs, Silver Spring station, Gallery Place-Chinatown and Archives.

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