WASHINGTON — Have you ever been in a Metro station and found yourself getting lost looking for where to go when it comes to catching your train? Well, this pilot program is hoping to change that.
Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) has announced the Wayfinding Pilot Program with a rollout at the L'Enfant Plaza Metro Station. The program is aiming to improve commuters ability to navigate the Metrorail system and then help easily find your way to the next station.
WMATA said that the decision is a direct result of customer feedback in surveys. In March 2023, they surveyed a random sample of riders and made some discoveries, including 39% of them saying they took the wrong station exit on at least one occasion. Another 29% of people surveyed said they ended up on the wrong platform.
As a part of the surveys, people were asked to compare and decide on a new design or keep the old one -- resulting in out with the old.
"Accordingly, in September, we acted on the feedback we received from our customers and are pilot-testing the totem below at the L'Enfant Plaza Station entrance/exit closest to the Smithsonian Air & Space Museum," WMATA stated.
People are still able to provide feedback on the new designs with an online poll. Click here for more information.