DC Metro Changing 5 Station Names In Virginia, Maryland

FALLS CHURCH, VA — DC Metro riders in Northern Virginia and Maryland will notice five new station names starting Sunday.

Metro announced five station names will change on Sunday: White Flint, Largo Town Center and Prince George's Plaza in Maryland and West Falls Church and Tysons Corner in Virginia.

On the Red Line, White Flint station will become North Bethesda. The Blue and Silver Line's Largo Town Center station will be renamed Downtown Largo. On the Green and Yellow Lines, Prince George’s Plaza will become Hyattsville Crossing.

On the Silver Line, Tysons Corner will be shortened to Tysons. The Orange Line's West Falls Church will have its secondary name changed from VT/UVA to VT.

The name changes were requested by each local jurisdiction and previously approved by the Metro board of directors. The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors had sought renamings for Tysons and West Falls Church station. The removal of UVA from the West Falls Church name reflects the University of Virginia's departure from Falls Church. Tysons Corner becomes Tysons to reflect Fairfax County's branding efforts. The county secured approval from the U.S. Postal Service in 2015 to change the census-designated place from Tysons Corner to Tysons.

White Flint's name change was requested by Montgomery County Executive Marc Elrich, according to Bethesda Magazine. Due to the demise of the White Flint Mall, North Bethesda was chosen as a new name.

In Prince George's County, the name changes to Downtown Largo and Hyattsville Crossing are also part of rebranding efforts, according to DCist.

The name changes will be shown on digital maps throughout rail stations, and on bus displays, the Metro website, Trip Planner, and Next Arrivals. Static maps will be gradually updated once Metro opens its new Silver Line stations and Potomac Yard station. Signage has already started changing at White Flint and Largo Town Center. Metro is working with local jurisdictions to coordinate name change rollouts to avoid confusion with riders.

Under Metro's station naming policy, jurisdictions requesting the change must fund it. New names must also identity geographical features, centers of activity, names of cities, communities, neighborhoods or landmarks within one-half mile.