Center Platform Stations

Metro customers who rely on elevators can take advantage of center-platform stations to circumvent out-of-service elevators.

Metro stations have either side or center platforms. Side platforms are separated by the track; moving from one side to the other requires going up to the mezzanine level, crossing over, and coming down on the far side. Center platforms have the tracks on either side of the platform, so crossing from one side to the other can be done without leaving the track level.

Here's an example:

• A customer in a wheelchair arrives at McPherson Square (a side-platform station) and finds the elevator to the mezzanine level out of service. Unable to reach the mezzanine by elevator, he cannot exit the station, nor can he reach the operating elevator on the opposite side of the tracks.
• The customer boards the next train and proceeds to Metro Center, which he knows to be a center-platform station. There he crosses the platform, boards a train bound in the opposite direction and rides one stop to McPherson Square.
• Leaving the train at McPherson Square platform, the customer is now on the side with the working elevator, which he uses to reach the mezzanine and proceed to the street level.

If you find an elevator out of service, you can also go to the next station and ask the station manager for shuttle service back to your destination. However, our customers tell us that the strategy outlined in the example above typically gets you on your way significantly faster than waiting for a shuttle to be dispatched.

Finally, avoid being surprised by out-of-service elevators by monitoring our elevator status page, station announcements, and outages displayed on station platform displays and kiosk whiteboards.

This list of stations with center platforms is provided to help customers circumvent out-of-service elevators.