Farragut North and West May One Day Connect By Tunnel

If there was a tunnel between Farragut North and Farragut West Metro stations, two stations that are only 400 feet apart, then the number of daily transfers at Metro Center would drop to around 78,000 by 2030, less than today's numbers of almost 85,000 daily transfers. Without the tunnel, transfers are expected to skyrocket to over 100,000 by 2030. Greater Greater Washington went into detail about the plans for an underground connection between the two stations, plans which have existed since 2004. The fair-paid tunnel will be located between the eastern mezzanine at Farragut West on 17th Street NW to the southern end of Farragut North. New staircases would be built between the central/south mezzanine at Farragut North to handle the added traffic. The eastern and western ends of the mezzanines at Farragut West would also be extended, while the fare vending machines and faregates would be reconfigured.

Greater Greater Washington reported that these changes would reduce travel time between the Farragut Metro stations from six minutes and 14 seconds via Metro Center or seven minutes and 51 seconds via 17th Street to three minutes and 19 seconds. The tunnel is expected to cost between $70 and $73 million, while the Farragut North improvements would cost around $23 million, and the Farragut West improvements would cost around $36 million; the total would be around $130 million. Greater Greater Washington anticipates the opening of the tunnel by 2030. No funding has been identified yet.

· Metro wants to connect Farragut North and West with a tunnel [Greater Greater Washington]
· Farragut North and Farragut West Improvement Concepts [WMATA]