Tenleytown–AU station

Tenleytown–AU is a subway station on the Red Line of the Washington Metro in Washington, D.C. Located in the Upper Northwest neighborhood, it is the last station on the Red Line heading outbound wholly within the District of Columbia; the next stop, Friendship Heights, lies within both the District and the state of Maryland.

Tenleytown – AU
rapid transit station
Location	4501 Wisconsin Avenue, NW, Washington, D.C.
Coordinates	38°56′53.1″N 77°4′45.9″W
Owned by	WMATA
Platforms	1 island platform
Tracks	2
Connections	Metrobus: 30N, 30S, 31, 33, 37, 96, D32, H2, H3, H4, M4, N2, W45, W47 AU Shuttle
Construction
Structure type	Underground
Parking	17 spaces (parking meters)
Bicycle facilities	20 racks, 20 lockers
Disabled access	Yes
Other information
Station code	A07
History
Opened	August 25, 1984
Previous names	Tenley Circle Tenleytown
Passengers
2017	5,357 daily[1]  2.12%
Services
Preceding station Washington Metro Following station Friendship Heights toward Shady Grove Red Line Van Ness–UDC toward Glenmont

Location

Platform-level faregate

The southernmost station underneath the Wisconsin Avenue NW corridor, Tenleytown–AU station lies within the neighborhood of the same name in the Upper Northwest portion of the city. More specifically, it lies north of Tenley Circle, for which the area is named, below Wisconsin Avenue NW at its intersection with Albemarle Street NW. Nearby are several educational institutions, the most notable of which are: American University (AU, which is over one mile away from the station, albeit connected by a shuttle); Sidwell Friends School (famous for being the school of choice of presidential children); Woodrow Wilson High School; the high school of Georgetown Day School; and the affiliated National Cathedral School and St Albans Schools.[2] In addition, Fort Reno Park and the Washington National Cathedral are located close to the station.[2]

History

Originally to be called Tenley Circle, in February 1980 the Metro Board officially changed its name to Tenleytown.[3] The station opened on August 25, 1984.[4][5] Its opening coincided with the completion of 6.8 miles (10.9 km) of rail northwest of the Van Ness–UDC station and the opening of the Bethesda, Friendship Heights, Grosvenor and Medical Center stations.[4][5][6] In May 1989, although objected to by several community groups, the Metro Board officially changed its name to Tenleytown–AU due to its proximity to American University.[7] The $63,500 cost of changing the names on signs, pylons and maps throughout the system was paid for by the District government.[7]

Station layout

This station uses the four-coffer arch design found at most underground stations on the western side of the Red Line. It is one of 11 stations constructed using rock-tunneling methods and it is much deeper underground than other stations in the system. [8]

Two entrances on either side of Wisconsin Avenue meet at an upper mezzanine, converging into a set of three long escalators that travel down to the fare control. An elevator adjacent to the eastern surface entrance travels down directly to the platform, with a single fare gate and ticket machine to access the platform proper.

G	Street level	Exit/entrance, buses
	Upper mezzanine	Escalator landing
M	Mezzanine	Fare gates, ticket machines, station agent
P Platform level	Westbound	← toward Grosvenor–Strathmore or Shady Grove (Friendship Heights)
	Island platform
	Eastbound	→ toward Silver Spring or Glenmont (Van Ness–UDC) →

References

1. "Metrorail Average Weekday Passenger Boardings" (PDF). WMATA. May 2017. Retrieved February 11, 2018.
2. "Tenleytown–AU Station Vicinity Map" (PDF). WMATA. Retrieved February 11, 2018.
3. Staff Reporters (February 15, 1980). "Metro station to be named Tenleytown". The Washington Post. p. A6.
4. Staff Reporters (August 25, 1984). "Red Line adds 6.8 miles; Opening ceremony for new segment set for today at Friendship Heights". The Washington Post. p. B1.
5. Brisbane, Arthur S. (August 26, 1984). "All aboard; Metro festivities welcome latest Red Line extension". The Washington Post. p. A1.
6. "Sequence of Metrorail openings" (PDF). Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority. 2017. p. 3. Retrieved February 11, 2018.
7. Staff Reporters (May 12, 1989). "Metro names change". The Washington Post. p. C4.
8. "See some of the reasons why Metrorail is hard to maintain". Washington Post. Retrieved 6 February 2021.

External links

• WMATA Tenleytown–AU station page

• The Schumin Web Transit Center: Tenleytown–AU Station
• Albemarle Street entrance from Google Maps Street View
• West side of Wisconsin Avenue entrance from Google Maps Street View