Silver Line extension project to Dulles Airport reaches substantial completion

WASHINGTON (FOX 5 DC) - The Metrorail Silver Line extension project, which will provide access to Dulles International Airport, has reached substantial completion on Phase 2, according to the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority.

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The work is a key component of the project to extend the region’s Metrorail public transit system to Dulles International Airport and beyond.

Substantial completion means major construction is complete and allows operational readiness testing to begin, during which the project team will demonstrate the project’s functionality, as a key step toward delivering the new rail line.

"This is a significant step toward completing the 11.5-mile extension that will provide rail service for residents in Reston, Herndon and eastern Loudoun County and give Metro riders direct access to Dulles Airport," said Jack Potter, president and CEO of the Airports Authority. "In addition to providing new public transportation options, the Silver Line is a major catalyst for jobs and economic development in the National Capital region." 

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The project also includes a 90-acre rail maintenance yard at Dulles International Airport, being built by Hensel Phelps, which is also nearing completion under a separate contract.

Phase 1 of the Silver Line opened in 2014, extending Metrorail service from East Falls Church to the eastern edge of Reston and triggering major transformations in the Tysons Corner and Wiehle Avenue areas.

Those same trends are beginning along Phase 2, with changes already underway along the Dulles Corridor in Reston, Herndon and Ashburn, and at Dulles International Airport.

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The Silver Line’s goal is to help ease traffic congestion by providing alternative routes and easier commuting times, access to regional entertainment, shopping and Dulles Airport.