More People Are Walking To Metro, Though Not As Many In Bethesda

Metrorail

More people are walking to Metro stations, according to results from the transit system’s 2012 passenger survey, but Bethesda’s station lags behind those in other highly developed areas when it comes to what WMATA has dubbed “walk access.”

The number of Metrorail passengers walking to stations each morning grew by 15 percent between 2007 and 2012, far more than the overall growth in ridership over the same time.

The growth, according to the survey, is strongest among those who have less than half-a-mile to walk to their closest station, which reflects the growing trend of developing residential areas around transit centers.

Despite a batch of new apartments and residential development in downtown Bethesda, a total of 1,738 people reported walking to its metro station, which ranks it 17th in Metro’s system. According to the survey, 1,070 of those people said they walk half-a-mile or less to the Bethesda Metro station each morning.

Columbia Heights had the most Metro riders who walk to the station in the morning (4,047), followed by Crystal City (3,417) and Silver Spring (3,274). Five Arlington Metro stations were in the top seven when it came to most pedestrians who walk to stations.

Friendship Heights was No. 11, with 2,257 pedestrians each morning. Grosvenor-Strathmore had 1,289 riders respond that they walk to the station, White Flint had 762 and Medical Center, which primarily serves workers heading to NIH and Walter Reed Military Medical Center, had just 381.

For more, visit Metro’s planning blog.

Image via PlanItMetro

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