A woman was injured on a Metro escalator Tuesday morning as she took her stroller with twins up the moving staircase.
The woman was heading up an escalator at the Bethesda station around 8:55 a.m. when she fell as she was holding a stroller with her twin sons, according to Metro spokeswoman Cathy Asato.
The woman was transported to a local hospital with injuries that were reportedly not life threatening. The twins’ father, who was with them at the time, declined medical attention for the boys, Asato said.
Metro discourages riders from taking strollers or bicycles on its escalators. But Tuesday’s incident shows that people do anyway, sometimes because they feel they have no other way if the system’s elevators are broken.
In this case, the elevator between the street and the faregate area was closed, leaving the family with few options.
They either needed to take the stroller up the escalator or get back on the train, take it to Medical Center, then request a free shuttle bus to take them to the Bethesda station. Some riders do not know about the free shuttles or cannot afford the extra time it takes.
Metro does encourage families to hold children’s hands and carry the folded-up stroller if they must take an escalator. That can be difficult, though, depending on the age of children involved, the type of stroller and the amount of baby gear they have in tow.
Even with Tuesday’s injury, more caregivers may end up taking strollers on the Bethesda escalators in the coming months. The street elevator is slated to be closed for a major rehabilitation project until Oct. 27. On July 9, the agency plans to also close the elevator between the platform and the mezzanine fare gate area for modernization, as well.
To request a free shuttle at Medical Center back to Bethesda, in the meantime, Metro says riders should see a station manager or call 202-962-1825.
