College Park–University of Maryland station

College Park–University of Maryland station is a Washington Metro and MARC station located in College Park, Maryland, near the University of Maryland, College Park campus. It is served by the Metro Green Line and limited service on the MARC Camden Line. The light rail Purple Line is planned to begin service at the station in 2027.

College Park–University of MD
The Metro platform in September 2021
General information
Location4931 Calvert Road &
7202 Bowdoin Avenue[1]
College Park, Maryland
Coordinates38°58′42″N 76°55′42″W / 38.9784°N 76.9282°W / 38.9784; -76.9282
Owned byWashington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority
Line(s)Capital Subdivision
Platforms1 island platform (Washington Metro)
2 side platforms (Capital Subdivision)
Tracks4 (2 for each service)
Connections
Construction
Structure typeElevated
Parking1,870 spaces
Bicycle facilities81 racks, 40 lockers
AccessibleMetro only[1]
Other information
Station codeE09
History
OpenedDecember 11, 1993 (December 11, 1993)
Rebuilt2021
Passengers
20221,352 daily[2] (Metro)
Rank58th (Metro)
Services
Preceding station MARCFollowing station
RiverdaleCamden LineGreenbelt
Preceding station Washington MetroFollowing station
Hyattsville CrossingGreen LineGreenbelt
Terminus
Former services
Preceding station Washington MetroFollowing station
Hyattsville Crossing
toward Huntington
Yellow LineGreenbelt
Terminus
Hyattsville CrossingGreen Line Commuter Shortcut
Future services
Preceding station Maryland Transit AdministrationFollowing station
Baltimore Avenue–UMD
toward Bethesda
Purple LineRiverdale Park North–UMD
Location
Map

Station layout

MARC platforms at College Park in 2018

The station is located on the south side of Campus Parkway, about 1 mile (1.6 km) southeast of the campus center and adjacent to the College Park office park. The two-track Capital Subdivision (used by MARC) and the two-track Metro E Route run north-south through the station area, with the Capital Subdivision on the west side. An island platform serves Metro trains, with entrances from both sides of the rail lines leading to the underground fare concourse. Two small side platforms serve MARC trains; they have an entrance from the west side and an underpass crossing under the Metro tracks. The Metro platform is accessible, but the MARC platforms are not.

A 1,345-space parking garage and a bus plaza are located on the east side of the station. The station is served by Metrobus, The Bus, Laurel Connect-a-Ride, and a university shuttle route.

History

The Baltimore and Ohio Railroad (B&O) opened its Washington Branch, now the Capital Subdivision, in 1835. A station served the 1856-opened Maryland Agricultural College (now University of Maryland, College Park) by 1878.[3] B&O Baltimore–Washington commuter service was taken over by MARC as the Camden Line in the 1980s.

Metro service at College Park began on December 11, 1993, with the extension of the Green Line to Greenbelt.[4] The parking garage opened on June 25, 2005.[5] In May 2012, the station became the first Metro station to feature a "Bike & Ride" bike station. A mesh enclosure built into the adjacent parking garage, the facility can hold up to 120 bikes and has 24-hour access.[6][7]

Metro Yellow Line service was extended to Greenbelt, serving College Park, during peak hours from June 18, 2012, to June 25, 2017, as park of the "Rush+" program.[8][9] It was again extended to Greenbelt at all times on May 25, 2019.[10] From March 26 to June 28, 2020, the station was closed due to the 2020 coronavirus pandemic.[11][12] The Metro station was closed from May 29 to September 6, 2021, while the platform was rebuilt.[13][14] Yellow Line service was suspended from September 10, 2022, to May 7, 2023. It was cut back to Mount Vernon Square upon reopening, no longer serving College Park.[15][16] From July 22 to September 4, 2023, the Green Line north of Fort Totten (including College Park) was closed for maintenance work.[17]

The Purple Line, a light rail line, is under construction and planned to open in 2027.[18] It will have a platform on the east side of the Metro tracks. In May 2024, the Federal Transit Administration awarded the MTA $1.4 million for design and engineering work to make the MARC station accessible. The new platforms would be 600 feet (180 m) long.[19][20]

References

Media related to College Park–University of Maryland station at Wikimedia Commons