New east entrance opens at Medical Center Station

A new high-speed elevator entrance to Medical Center Station has opened on the east side of MD 355/Rockville Pike. This entrance, along with additional circulation improvements inside the station that include a new elevator and staircase between the station mezzanine and platform, is part of the MD 355/Rockville Pike Crossing Project.

The new station entrance was built to the latest safety and operating standards, providing two elevators in case one is out of service, and incorporating an area of refuge in the event of an emergency.

“Metro stands ready to welcome customers back as the region continues to recover from the pandemic, and I know everyone who uses Medical Center Station will appreciate the improved access and safety these upgrades provide,” said Metro General Manager and Chief Executive Officer Paul J. Wiedefeld. “I thank our partners at the Montgomery County Department of Transportation for their coordination of this important project, and extend my gratitude to the community served by this station, including the public servants conducting groundbreaking medical research at NIH to protect our nation.”

The MD 355 Crossing Project was managed by the Montgomery County Department of Transportation (MCDOT) in partnership with WMATA, U.S. Department of Defense, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Maryland State Highway Administration and Federal Highway Administration. The project also included a pedestrian underpass, roadway and surface improvements such as a traffic signal, pavement resurfacing, sidewalk/bike path, median work, and storm water management.

Wiedefeld today joined local, state, and federal officials to dedicate the project and officially name the pedestrian underpass after the late Phil Alperson, a former MCDOT employee who worked for years to coordinate the project.