| Wheaton | |||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Station statistics | |||||||||||
| Address | 11171 Georgia Avenue Wheaton, MD |
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| Lines | |||||||||||
| Connections | WMATA Metrobus Ride On |
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| Structure | Underground | ||||||||||
| Platforms | 2 inter-connected side platforms | ||||||||||
| Tracks | 2 | ||||||||||
| Parking | 977 spaces | ||||||||||
| Bicycle facilities | 36 racks, 20 lockers | ||||||||||
| Other information | |||||||||||
| Opened | September 22, 1990 | ||||||||||
| Accessible | |||||||||||
| Code | B10 | ||||||||||
| Owned by | Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority | ||||||||||
| Services | |||||||||||
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Wheaton is a Washington Metro station in Montgomery County, Maryland (USA) on the Red Line.
The station serves the suburb of Wheaton, and is located at the intersection of Georgia Avenue (Maryland Route 97) and Reedie Drive. This station features the longest set of single-span escalators in the Western Hemisphere, each featuring a length of 230 feet (70 m),[1] with a vertical rise of 115 feet (35 m).[2] It is the second deepest station in the system, behind Forest Glen, which has an elevator-only exit due to its depth. Wheaton's escalators travel at a speed of 90 feet (27 m) per minute (+/- 5 %) and are set at an inclination of 30 degrees.[3] The trip takes approximately two minutes and 45 seconds, though some commuters shorten the time by walking.
Another architectural feature of this station is separate tunnels and platforms for each direction, instead of the large, vaulted common room seen at most other underground stations in the Metro system. This design, which is similar to many of the London Underground's tube stations, was used to save money due to the station's depth. Forest Glen is the only other Washington Metro station to have this design.
Service at Wheaton began on September 22, 1990. It was the northeastern end of the Red Line for nearly eight years, until the Glenmont station opened in July 1998.