Second Longest Escalator in the Western Hemisphere Makes Its Debut
With a rise of 106 feet, it's not for the faint of heart.
— -- This Metro escalator in Bethesda, Maryland is not for the faint of heart:
Nauseous yet?
With a rise of 106 feet and a length along the diagonal of 212 feet, it's the second longest escalator in the Western Hemisphere, according to the Washington Metro Area Transit Authority (WMATA), which debuted the new moving staircase today after a nine-month renovation period.
The longest escalator is in the system's Wheaton Station, according to the WMATA.
The ride down in Bethesda is just under three minutes.
“This is a significant improvement for our customers at Bethesda Station,” Metro said in a statement. “This first new entrance escalator will provide more reliable service for the thousands of passengers who travel through the station each day.”
The station -- which services nearly 11,000 commuters each weekday, according to WMATA -- is undergoing a multi-million dollar renovation, which includes the new escalators and improvements to lighting.