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Metro tells Cheverly: solar carport online; bus network redesign to launch June 29
Summary
WMATA officials told Cheverly council ridership is recovering and that a new solar carport at the station generates the equivalent of electricity for about 280 homes; Metro previewed a June 29 regional bus network relaunch and changes to rail service patterns.
Charlie Scott, Metro government relations, briefed Mayor and Council on recent Metro projects and regional service changes.
Scott said system ridership has rebounded since the pandemic and highlighted four solar carport projects, including the Cheverly installation. He said the Cheverly carport is generating electricity equivalent to about 280 average homes and provides additional lighting and security cameras for the station's parking area. Scott described the projects as public‑private partnerships: private vendors financed and installed the carports and Metro receives lease payments and a share of ongoing revenue under 25‑year agreements. "We're selling back into the grid," Scott said, explaining that electricity generated at a station is fed to the grid and not metered directly to adjacent homes.
On transit operations, Scott previewed a major bus network redesign to be launched June 29, with new route names and simplified routing intended to improve reliability; customers will see new route numbers and updated trip planning tools in the weeks leading up to launch. He also said some rail service patterns will change (the Silver Line will split so half the trains will run to New Carrollton and half to Downtown Largo) to balance demand on two spurs. Scott noted planned summer maintenance and short closures elsewhere in the system and said Metro will run free shuttle service during temporary station closures.
Council members pressed Metro on local benefits and follow‑through: how the town or nearby residents will benefit from solar carports, fencing and landscape restoration around stations, vendor identity and contract details for the solar work, and opportunities for partnerships such as Capital Bikeshare at the station. Scott said the vendor paid construction costs and Metro receives lease payments and revenue shares; he committed to follow up with vendor identity and additional materials and to work with town staff on communications about the June 29 bus network changes.
Why it matters: the carport adds shade, lighting and cameras for station users and is part of a broader Metro push to modernize infrastructure and route networks. The June 29 network relaunch will change bus service local riders use; the town asked for materials to explain changes to residents.
