Friendship Heights station
| Company type | Washington Metro station |
|---|---|
| Industry | Public transportation |
| Founded | August 25, 1984 |
| Headquarters | Washington, D.C. , United States |
Area served | Washington Metro area |
| Owner | Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) |
Friendship Heights station is a stop on the Washington Metro's Red Line, positioned along the boundary between Washington, D.C. and Montgomery County, Maryland, United States. Managed by the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA), it commenced operations on August 25, 1984.
Location
Located at the 5400 block of Wisconsin Avenue, Northwest, this station caters to the communities of Chevy Chase and Friendship Heights. The vicinity is recognized as a prominent commercial shopping and broadcast media hub. Friendship Heights also serves as a transit interchange, linking Montgomery County Transit's Ride-On bus network with the Washington Metro system. Nearby lies the Western Division Metrobus facility situated on 44th Street and Harrison Street NW.
Notable places nearby
- Headquarters of GEICO
- Lisner-Louise-Dickson-Hurt Home
- Retail centers including The Shops at Wisconsin Place, Chevy Chase Pavilion, among others
- Radio broadcasters such as WSBN, WMAL-FM, WLVW, WTOP-FM, and WFED
History
Opening its doors on August 25, 1984, Friendship Heights station was inaugurated alongside the extension of rail northwest from the Van Ness–UDC station. This expansion also introduced the stations at Bethesda, Grosvenor, Medical Center, and Tenleytown.
Station layout
The station exhibits the characteristic four-coffer arch architecture typical of western Red Line underground stations; however, it is distinct in featuring mezzanines at both ends of the platform. Its wall contours are notably more curved compared to counterparts like Van Ness-UDC and Tenleytown-AU.
Built through rock tunneling methods, Friendship Heights lies deeper underground than most stations in the Metro system, with its platform positioned over below the northern entrance. The escalator connecting these levels stretches , ascending approximately above the mezzanine. Passengers typically spend around ninety seconds traveling from the north entrance's common area to the platform level.
Entrances are available at both extremities of the station: on the south side, four high-speed elevators provide access from street level at Wisconsin Avenue and Jenifer Street NW; these were constructed in 1985. The northern end consolidates four street-level entry points into an upper mezzanine that leads down via three escalators to the platform. Two of these entrances are located on Maryland’s side of Western Avenue, while two others are on the District’s side. The principal entrance is situated beneath the Chevy Chase Metro Building bus terminal; additional access points connect to what was formerly the C-level of Mazza Gallerie and Chevy Chase Pavilion. Between 2011 and 2022, a newer entrance adjacent to The Shops at Wisconsin Place replaced an earlier access route linked to a former Hecht's store.
External links
- The Schumin Web Transit Center: Friendship Heights Station
- Western Avenue entrance – Google Maps Street View
- Jennifer Street entrance – Google Maps Street View