Foggy Bottom–GWU station

Foggy Bottom–GWU station is a Washington Metro station in the Foggy Bottom neighborhood of Washington, D.C., United States. The island-platformed station was opened on July 1, 1977, and is operated by the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA). Providing service for the Blue, Orange, and Silver Lines, the station is located on I Street on the George Washington University (GWU) campus. It is the last westbound station in the District of Columbia on these lines before they dive under the Potomac River to Virginia.

Foggy Bottom–GWU Kennedy Center
Platform of the Foggy Bottom-GWU station view in August 2021 with a Vienna-bound Orange Line train departing
General information
Location	890 23rd St NW Washington, D.C., U.S.
Coordinates	38°54′03″N 77°03′02″W
Owned by	WMATA
Platforms	1 island platform
Tracks	2
Connections	Metrobus: 31, 32, 33, 36, 38B, 80, X2 DC Circulator: Georgetown–Union Station MTA Maryland Bus: 901, 909, 950 Kennedy Center Shuttle
Construction
Structure type	Underground
Bicycle facilities	Capital Bikeshare, 10 racks and 20 lockers
Accessible	Yes
Other information
Station code	C04
History
Opened	July 1, 1977; 47 years ago (July 1, 1977)
Passengers
2023	10,080 daily[1]
Rank	2 out of 98
Services
Preceding station Washington Metro Following station Rosslyn toward Vienna Orange Line Farragut West toward New Carrollton Rosslyn toward Ashburn Silver Line Farragut West toward Downtown Largo Rosslyn toward Franconia–Springfield Blue Line
Location

History

The station opened on July 1, 1977.^[2] Its opening coincided with the completion of 11.8 miles (19.0 km)^[3] of rail between National Airport and RFK Stadium and the opening of the Arlington Cemetery, Capitol South, Crystal City, Eastern Market, Federal Center SW, Federal Triangle, L'Enfant Plaza, McPherson Square, National Airport, Pentagon, Pentagon City, Potomac Avenue, Rosslyn, Smithsonian and Stadium–Armory stations.^[4] Orange Line service to the station began upon the line's opening on November 20, 1978.^[5]

Station layout

Foggy Bottom–GWU uses a simple island platform layout: one platform with a track on each side. Track C1 carries eastbound trains to New Carrollton and Downtown Largo whilst track C2 is used by westbound trains to Vienna, Franconia–Springfield, and Ashburn.^[6] As with all stations on the Metro, there are platform edge lights to warn passengers of incoming trains.

In 2008, WMATA installed red-colored LED lights at Foggy Bottom–GWU and other busy stations after a successful pilot at Gallery Place.^[7] There is a 22 coffer "waffle vault" ceiling at Foggy Bottom–GWU as it was one of the first stations to be built in the system; later underground stations abandoned this design for a simpler concrete arch.

There is a single mezzanine located at the center of the platform.^[8] Escalators from here allow passengers to descend to platform level or to the sole entrance and exit of the station at the northwestern corner of I and 23rd Streets.^[9] A total of two elevators and six escalators (three between the street and mezzanine and three between the mezzanine and platform) are currently in use at the station.^[10]

Location

Foggy Bottom–GWU serves the neighborhood of Foggy Bottom and the campus of George Washington University. It is also the nearest station to the Georgetown neighborhood. The station is located at 23rd and I streets in Northwest, just south of Washington Circle, and at the front entrance to the George Washington University Hospital.

Service began on July 1, 1977. The World Bank is located one block south and eight blocks east at Pennsylvania Avenue and 18th Street and The Watergate is slightly more than .75 miles (1.2 km) southwest of the station.^[9] Slightly south of The Watergate is the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts.^[9]

Notable places nearby

• George Washington University Hospital
• Golden Triangle
• School Without Walls
• Harry S Truman Building (United States Department of State)

  

  A crowded Foggy Bottom after the July 4th festivities in 2024 with Vienna-bound Orange Line train servicing the station.

• Lincoln Memorial
• Georgetown
• Downtown
• Washington Circle
• West End
• George Washington University
• Kennedy Center

References

1. "Metrorail Ridership Summary". Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority. Retrieved January 10, 2024.
2. Feaver, Douglas B. (July 1, 1977), "Today, Metro could be U.S. model", The Washington Post, p. A1
3. "Sequence of Metrorail openings" (PDF). WMATA. 2017. p. 3. Archived from the original (PDF) on July 2, 2018. Retrieved March 30, 2018.
4. "Metro's newest stations: Where they are, what's nearby", The Washington Post, June 24, 1977
5. Eisen, Jack; John Feinstein (November 18, 1978), "City-County fanfare opens Orange Line; Ceremonies open new Orange Line", The Washington Post, p. D1
6. "John R Cambron track maps". Archived from the original on September 2, 2014. Retrieved September 11, 2008.
7. "Metro installing more red platform edge lights" (Press release). WMATA. Retrieved March 30, 2018.
8. "Blue line". NYCSubway. Retrieved September 11, 2008.
9. "Station Vicinity Map: Foggy Bottom–GWU" (PDF). WMATA. Retrieved March 30, 2018.
10. "Elevator & Escalator Service Status". Retrieved March 30, 2018.

External links

• WMATA Foggy Bottom–GWU station page

• The Schumin Web Transit Center: Foggy Bottom–GWU Station
• 23rd Street entrance from Google Maps Street View