Silver Spring (Washington Metro)

Infobox Station
name = Silver Spring

logo_size = 50px

---

image_size =
image_caption =
address = 8400 Colesville Road (Metro)
1170 Bonifant Street (MARC)
Silver Spring, MD 20910
line =
other = MARC:rail color box|system=MARC|line=Brunswick
platform = 1 island platform
tracks = 2
parking = 715 spaces (leased) (for Metro and MARC)
bicycle = 26 racks, 30 lockers
passengers =
pass_year =
pass_percent = http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Silver_Spring_%28Washington_Metro%29&action=submit
pass_system =
opened = February 6, 1978
rebuilt =
ADA = Yes
code = B08
owned = Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority
zone =
services =
mpassengers =

Silver Spring is a Washington Metro station in Montgomery County, Maryland on the Red Line. It is the first station in Maryland on the eastern end of the line and is the most-used station in Maryland.

The station serves the suburb of Silver Spring, and is located at Colesville Road (U.S. Route 29) and East-West Highway. A MARC station straddles the Metro station, with the two halves of the MARC station connected by a pedestrian bridge. Trains from Grosvenor-Strathmore terminate here during midday. Service began on February 6, 1978.

Prior to the opening of the Forest Glen station on September 22, 1990, the Silver Spring Station was the terminus for the eastern end of the Red Line. Trains would either be run into the station on the inbound track for restarting in the opposite direction, or the train would arrive on the outbound track and go out of service, whereupon it would be run into the pocket track just beyond the station, the operator would walk back to what was the tail end of the train, and use the console at that end to restart the train in the reverse direction, and return to the station on the opposite track. This latter move is what is presently done when Red Line trains terminate at Silver Spring in regular service.

Like Brookland-CUA station, the platform at Silver Spring is slightly curved, with convex mirrors located on the inbound side of the platform to aid train operators in making sure the area is clear before closing the doors.

This station is planned to be one of the Metro stations on the Purple Line system, formerly known as the Bi-County Transitway.

Several Metrobuses and Ride On buses serve this station.

Paul S. Sarbanes Transit Center

Construction has started on the proposed transit center which will sit on the site of the current Silver Spring Metro Center. The new three-floor, urban, modal, state-of-the-art facility will feature 34 bays for Metro, Ride-on Buses, University of Maryland Shuttle, Kiss and Ride access, Metrorail and MARC train service. The increased capacity it provides will ease the possible implementation of the "Bi-County Transitway," better known as the Purple Line. The first phase of construction on the transit center began in June 2007 with the addition of a new entrance on the south side of the station, the creation of a bus turning lane, improved traffic signals and pedestrian crosswalks. [http://www.silverspringdowntown.com/spring.php?pid=358] The transit center will be named for former U.S. Senator Paul Sarbanes (D-MD). For information on the construction of the Paul S. Sarbanes Transit Center and the operation of bus service during construction [http://www.montgomerycountymd.gov/mcgtmpl.asp?url=/content/DOT/projects/sstc/index.asp click here] .

Artwork

The Silver Spring station is also home to "Penguin Rush Hour", a 100x8 ft. mural painted by Sally Callmer, depicting penguins as Metro customers during rush hour. [http://wmata.com/about/artwork/red/silver_1.html] Although originally intended to be a temporary exhibit, the mural placed at the station in the early 1990s has become a symbol of the downtown area of Silver Spring. In 2004, the Silver Spring Regional Center, a part of Montgomery County Government, commissioned the original artist to restore the mural, which was damaged by the elements and missing sections, for approximately $30,000. In 2004-2005, most of the mural was removed for the restoration, with the promise that it would be returned by the end of 2005. [http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/03/04/AR2006030401015.html] As of February 2008, the mural has not returned to its rightful place and most likely will not be returned until the completion of the current WMATA project [http://www.montgomerycountymd.gov/mcgtmpl.asp?url=/content/DOT/projects/sstc/index.asp "Paul S. Sarbanes Transit Center"] is completed sometime in 2010. [http://www.gazette.net/stories/121306/silvnew173946_31980.shtml]

Notable places nearby

* City Place - shopping mall [http://www.silverspringdowntown.com/go/city-place-mall City Place Mall]
* AFI Silver Theater
* National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
** National Weather Service headquarters
* Discovery Channel headquarters
* Downtown Silver Spring [http://www.silverspringdowntown.com Downtown Silver Spring]

Bus routes

Metrobus
* 70, 71
* 79
* F4, F6
* J1, J2, J3
* J4
* J5
* Q2
* S2, S4
* Y5, Y7, Y8, Y9
* Z2
* Z6
* Z8
* Z9, Z29
* Z11, Z13Ride On Bus
* 1, 11
* 2
* 3
* 4
* 5
* 8
* 9
* 12
* 13
* 14
* 15
* 16
* 17
* 18
* 19
* 20
* 21
* 22
* 28
* Z2

External links

* WMATA: [http://www.wmata.com/metrorail/Stations/station.cfm?station=31 Silver Spring Station]
* StationMasters Online: [http://www.stationmasters.com/System_Map/SILVERSP/silversp.html Silver Spring Station]
* Montgomery County Department of Transportation [http://www.montgomerycountymd.gov/mcgtmpl.asp?url=/content/DOT/projects/sstc/index.asp Paul S. Sarbanes Transit Center]
* The Schumin Web Transit Center: [http://transit.schuminweb.com/rail/washington/red-line.asp?station=B08 Silver Spring Station]