# Name That Station - NO, REALLY!



## The Davy Crockett (Feb 22, 2012)

Here is a link, to an article that has a link, to a survey about what the names of the stations on the new METRO line being built to Dulles Airport should be: http://www.wtop.com/?nid=654&sid=2756153

Confused yet? :blink: Wait till you try to sort out what the names of the four stations being built in the Tyson's Corner area should be! :wacko: :wacko:


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## Golden grrl (Feb 22, 2012)

The Davy Crockett said:


> the names of the stations on the new METRO line being built to Dulles Airport should be: http://www.wtop.com/...654&sid=2756153
> 
> Confused yet? :blink: Wait till you try to sort out what the names of the four stations being built in the Tyson's Corner area should be! :wacko: :wacko:


I just took the survey and was amazed too by the other stations beyond Tyson's. Course, I'm not really a local yet.... I think when I fly [i know, I know, that's a foul verb] I'll just choose National and hop aboard the Blue line at Rosslyn to get there - much easier, much quicker.

Once Metro's Silverline is live, I'll bet we get a lot of paraphrases of your fellow adventurer, ol' Daniel Boone: "I've never been _lost_, but I was a mite_ bewildered_ for 3 days one time."


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## benjibear (Feb 22, 2012)

I like this when you take the survey:

*PURPOSE OF STATION NAMES*

The primary purpose of a station name is to help customers plan their trips and navigate the system and region. Through our research, Metro customers have told us that station names help them locate destinations.

Long lasting names in Metro's system that have withstood the test of time have typically included the names of towns, streets, neighborhoods, and landmarks. Accordingly, Metro has a policy that requires that names be:

*Relevant*: Identify station locations by geographical features, centers of activity or be derived from the names of cities, communities, neighborhoods or landmarks within one-half mile (or walking distance) of the station;

*Brief*: Limited to 19 characters with spaces and punctuation, including both primary and secondary names;

*Unique*: Distinctive and not easily confused with other station names; and

*Evocative*: Evoke imagery in the mind of the patron.


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## fairviewroad (Feb 22, 2012)

benjibear said:


> I like this when you take the survey:
> 
> *PURPOSE OF STATION NAMES*
> 
> ...


Ha, well I guess SEPTA in Philly doesn't have the same policy since they renamed the Pattison station on the Broad St Line after a major telephone company.


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## Ryan (Feb 22, 2012)

Paging Tracktwentynine to the thread, paging Tracktwentynine.

Or we can just read this. 

http://greatergreaterwashington.org/post/9862/fairfax-silver-line-names-are-boring-and-repetitive/

I'm really glad to see that they are potentially going to consider different names, because the original ones SUCK.


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## The Davy Crockett (Feb 22, 2012)

Ryan said:


> Paging Tracktwentynine to the thread, paging Tracktwentynine.
> 
> Or we can just read this.
> 
> ...


:lol: :lol: :lol: I couldn't agree more! :lol: :lol: :lol:


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## benjibear (Feb 22, 2012)

Ryan said:


> Paging Tracktwentynine to the thread, paging Tracktwentynine.
> 
> Or we can just read this.
> 
> ...


I am not from DC but visit there a few times a year. I agree that most of the names did suck. As a tourist, I think they were long, confusing, and just not very good.


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## Anderson (Feb 23, 2012)

I ended up suggesting new names for several of the Tysons stations, and going with hyphenated ones for most of the others.  I ended up suggesting "Tysons North" for what is proposed to be "Tysons West", for example (not that my idea is a good one...it just felt more "north" than "west" when looking at the map). My biggest gripe with the survey is that they don't let you look at all four Tysons locations at once.

Just a thought, but it is just me or is having four stations within two miles seem a bit excessive? I know Tysons is busy enough to merit at least two stations, but this borders on stops-at-every-block.


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## The Davy Crockett (Feb 23, 2012)

Anderson said:


> I ended up suggesting new names for several of the Tysons stations, and going with hyphenated ones for most of the others. I ended up suggesting "Tysons North" for what is proposed to be "Tysons West", for example (not that my idea is a good one...it just felt more "north" than "west" when looking at the map). My biggest gripe with the survey is that they don't let you look at all four Tysons locations at once.
> 
> Just a thought, but it is just me or is having four stations within two miles seem a bit excessive? I know Tysons is busy enough to merit at least two stations, but this borders on stops-at-every-block.



It seems somewhat excessive to me too, but I think that the idea is to redevelop most of that area at a higher density than currently exists, much like Arlington County did along the Orange Line. For example, when the Virginia Square station first opened there was almost no reason for anyone to use it as there was very little in the immediate area, but now it has dense development all around it.


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## Golden grrl (Feb 24, 2012)

The Davy Crockett said:


> It seems somewhat excessive to me too, but I think that the idea is to redevelop most of that area at a higher density than currently exists, much like Arlington County did along the Orange Line. For example, when the Virginia Square station first opened there was almost no reason for anyone to use it as there was very little in the immediate area, but now it has dense development all around it.


George Mason University law school, FDIC, and DARPA now are all in one block of Virginia Square exit. A 19-story apartment building sits atop it, with four other 8- to 20-story apartment/condo buildings within two blocks. Most, if not all, of these residences were built since 2000. There's no lack of Metro riders. And racks for 20 of those red "rent-a-bikes" were installed here this week.

Clarendon, next station east of VA Square-GMU, has just had major redevelopment of high-rise apartments and condos, at least two just completed within the 6 to 8 months. Plus major office buildings.

Ballston, next station west of VA Square-GMU station, is full of even taller high-rises, with an urban mall about two blocks away. It has a completely urban look at the Metro stop. Besides, a lot of Metro buses feed riders into the system at Ballston, so that station is always crowded.

As the crow flies, it is less than a mile from Ballston to Clarendon.

After picking up commuters at these three stations, it's pretty much "Orange Crush" into DC every workday.

Seeing this in Arlington, I have to agree with Davy's insight. Considering the already existing growth around Tyson's Corner, I'd expect those close-together stations will generate even further growth and still more need for public transit to alleviate road traffic. Building the stations now may be costly, but acquiring the facilities _after_ added development would be even costlier, especially if there is a need for extra land for bus transfer points and parking lots.


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## Tracktwentynine (Feb 27, 2012)

Ryan said:


> Paging Tracktwentynine to the thread, paging Tracktwentynine.
> 
> Or we can just read this.
> 
> ...


Sorry, did I hear my name?

First off, I'm glad Metro is asking the riders what they think. But don't expect them to listen to what they say. Riders have been saying for years that they hate the long names, and the Board just keeps lengthening them.

And even if the Board does go with short names, within 15 years, they'll all be something like:

*Tysons Corner/Retail District-Route 123/VT-UVA/UMD-UMBC/University of Phoenix-Adams Morgan*


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## sechs (Feb 27, 2012)

They don't seem to realise that the name does not have to completely describe everywhere you can get to from the stop.


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## DET63 (Mar 26, 2012)

> The primary purpose of a station name is to help customers plan their trips and navigate the system and region. Through our research, Metro customers have told us that station names help them locate destinations.


It took research to figure that out?


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## johnny.menhennet (Mar 26, 2012)

DET63 said:


> > The primary purpose of a station name is to help customers plan their trips and navigate the system and region. Through our research, Metro customers have told us that station names help them locate destinations.
> 
> 
> It took research to figure that out?


Haha I couldn't agree more!!!


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## afigg (Apr 5, 2012)

Update on the saga of deciding on names for the new Silver Line stations in Fairfax county. The county staff has recommended names to the Fairfax County board. Overall, in my opinion, much better names, although Innovation for the station near Rt. 28 sounds odd.

Several links:

Greater Greater Washington blog with the list of recommended names.

Washington Post's Dr. Gridlock column (which may be locked to non-subscribers).

The recommended names in order are:

(Phase 1)

McLean

Tysons Corner

Greensboro Park

Spring Hill

Wiehle-Reston East

(Phase 2)

Reston Town Center

Herndon

Innovation

The 3 outer stations at Dulles Airport, Rt. 606, Rt. 772/Ryan Road are in Loudoun County, so they are not part of the Fairfax county naming process.


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## sechs (Apr 5, 2012)

I think that there's a pretty good argument for calling it "Innovation Road," rather than just "Innovation."


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## Ryan (Apr 5, 2012)

I think you mean "Innovation Ave".

http://g.co/maps/e5nbq


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## sechs (Apr 6, 2012)

I stand corrected.


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## afigg (Apr 11, 2012)

The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors has settled on station names for the Silver Line stations in Fairfax County that they will recommend to the WMATA board. They made 2 changes from the staff recommendations: Greensboro Park becomes just Greensboro, Innovation to Innovation Center.

The recommended names now are:

•McLean

•Tysons Corner

•Greensboro

•Spring Hill

•Wiehle-Reston East

•Reston Town Center

•Herndon

•Innovation Center

Innovation Center sounds odds to me, but people will get used to it. Good part is they dropped Rd, Ave, St from all of the names. Keep it short and easy to remember. If the WMATA board agrees to the names, and Phase 2 is built on schedule without Virginia politics throwing a delay into the project, then by 2017, people will be able to go from Innovation Center to NoMa! Somehow that is appropriate for DC.


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