D.C.’s transit authority is renaming several of its Metro stations, with the most dramatic alteration being the New York Ave-Florida Ave-Gallaudet U stop in Northeast D.C. now going by NoMa-Gallaudet U. Why the change? Well, apparently “NoMa” sounds cool, kind of like “SoHo .” The problem is that some people have no clue what it means.
The name refers to an area, north of Massachusetts Avenue to R Street; right between First Street NW and Fourth Street NE. While it's been tossed around for years, lifelong metro riders and people unfamiliar with the name aren’t happy with the change, and took to Metro customer surveys to voice their opinions.
Some riders don’t mind the change, as one U.S. attorney’s office intern views it as an opportunity to circulate this “hipster-sounding” name. Does the name of a metro stop need to be cool, though? Regardless, the name will change, along with many others as the District plans service alterations over the next two years.
The station will continue to carry New York Ave. as another name for at the least the next year, but in the meantime, Metro will try to make the name NoMa happen before the change becomes official in June.
[via The Washington Post]
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