Largo Town Center (Washington Metro)
Encyclopedia
Largo Town Center is an island platform
ed Washington Metro
station
in Largo
, Maryland
, United States
. The station was opened on December 18, 2004, and is operated by the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority
(WMATA). Providing service for the Blue
Line, it is the eastern terminus of the Blue Line, and serves the town of Largo and The Boulevard at the Capital Centre
. It is the first station in Prince George's County
outside the Capital Beltway
, and is located about a mile from FedExField
, the home of the Washington Redskins
. Largo Town Center is also a major commuter station, with two parking garages, containing a total of 2,200 spaces, connected by a bridge at the top level.
and other local legislators introduced legislation to study the feasibility of constructing an additional 47 miles (75.6 km) to the original 103 miles (165.8 km) network. Included in this request was a previously considered 13 miles (20.9 km) extension of the Blue Line through Largo en route to a proposed terminus at Bowie
.
In October 1996, the proposed routing for the extension of the Blue Line to Largo received a favorable environmental impact statement
thus allowing for the project to move forward. The plan represented the first expansion to the original 103 miles (165.8 km) Metro network and would include both the then named Summerfield and Largo stations. The station gained approval from Congress as part of the extension in February 2000 with the federal government contributing $259 million towards its construction.
Construction began in 2001, and the station opened on December 18, 2004. Its opening coincided with the completion of 3.2 miles (5.1 km) of rail east of the Addison Road station and the opening of the Morgan Boulevard station. The final cost of building it, its sister station and rail extension was $456 million.
Island platform
An island platform is a station layout arrangement where a single platform is positioned between two tracks within a railway station, tram stop or transitway interchange...
ed Washington Metro
Washington Metro
The Washington Metro, commonly called Metro, and unofficially Metrorail, is the rapid transit system in Washington, D.C., United States, and its surrounding suburbs. It is administered by the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority , which also operates Metrobus service under the Metro name...
station
Metro station
A metro station or subway station is a railway station for a rapid transit system, often known by names such as "metro", "underground" and "subway". It is often underground or elevated. At crossings of metro lines, they are multi-level....
in Largo
Largo, Maryland
Largo is an unincorporated area and census designated place in Prince George's County, Maryland, in the United States. The population was 8,408 at the 2000 census....
, Maryland
Maryland
Maryland is a U.S. state located in the Mid Atlantic region of the United States, bordering Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware to its east...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. The station was opened on December 18, 2004, and is operated by the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority
Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority
The Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority is a tri-jurisdictional government agency that operates transit service in the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area, including the Metrorail, Metrobus and MetroAccess...
(WMATA). Providing service for the Blue
Blue Line (Washington Metro)
The Blue Line of the Washington Metro in the United States consists of 27 rapid transit stations from Franconia–Springfield to Largo Town Center. It has stations in Fairfax County, Alexandria and Arlington, Virginia, the District of Columbia, and Prince George's County, Maryland...
Line, it is the eastern terminus of the Blue Line, and serves the town of Largo and The Boulevard at the Capital Centre
The Boulevard at the Capital Centre
The Boulevard at the Capital Centre is an open-air shopping center located on the site of the former Capital Centre, which opened in December 1973 and was demolished in December 2002...
. It is the first station in Prince George's County
Prince George's County, Maryland
Prince George's County is a county located in the U.S. state of Maryland, immediately north, east, and south of Washington, DC. As of 2010, it has a population of 863,420 and is the wealthiest African-American majority county in the nation....
outside the Capital Beltway
Interstate 495 (Capital Beltway)
Interstate 495 is a Interstate Highway that surrounds the United States' capital of Washington, D.C., and its inner suburbs in adjacent Maryland and Virginia. I-495 is widely known as the Capital Beltway or simply the Beltway, especially when the context of Washington, D.C., is clear...
, and is located about a mile from FedExField
FedExField
FedExField is a football stadium located in an unincorporated area near the Capital Beltway in Prince George's County, Maryland, United States, near the site of the old Capital Centre . FedExField is the home of the Washington Redskins football team...
, the home of the Washington Redskins
Washington Redskins
The Washington Redskins are a professional American football team and members of the East Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team plays at FedExField in Landover, Maryland, while its headquarters and training facility are at Redskin Park in Ashburn,...
. Largo Town Center is also a major commuter station, with two parking garages, containing a total of 2,200 spaces, connected by a bridge at the top level.
History
In 1980, Herbert HarrisHerbert Harris
Herbert Eugene Harris, II was a Democratic member of the U.S. Representative from Virginia. His district included part of Fairfax County.-Early life:Born in Kansas City, Missouri, Harris attended St...
and other local legislators introduced legislation to study the feasibility of constructing an additional 47 miles (75.6 km) to the original 103 miles (165.8 km) network. Included in this request was a previously considered 13 miles (20.9 km) extension of the Blue Line through Largo en route to a proposed terminus at Bowie
Bowie, Maryland
Bowie is a city in Prince George's County, Maryland, United States. The population was 54,727 at the 2010 census. Bowie has grown from a small railroad stop to the largest municipality in Prince George's County, and the fifth most populous city and third largest city by area in the state of...
.
In October 1996, the proposed routing for the extension of the Blue Line to Largo received a favorable environmental impact statement
Environmental impact statement
An environmental impact statement , under United States environmental law, is a document required by the National Environmental Policy Act for certain actions "significantly affecting the quality of the human environment". An EIS is a tool for decision making...
thus allowing for the project to move forward. The plan represented the first expansion to the original 103 miles (165.8 km) Metro network and would include both the then named Summerfield and Largo stations. The station gained approval from Congress as part of the extension in February 2000 with the federal government contributing $259 million towards its construction.
Construction began in 2001, and the station opened on December 18, 2004. Its opening coincided with the completion of 3.2 miles (5.1 km) of rail east of the Addison Road station and the opening of the Morgan Boulevard station. The final cost of building it, its sister station and rail extension was $456 million.
External links
- WMATA: Largo Town Center Station
- StationMasters Online: Largo Town Center Station
- The Schumin Web Transit Center: Largo Town Center Station