Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMTA) has inaugurated the 18.3 km Silver Line extension served by six new stations which provides connection to the Washington Dulles International.
WMTA Chief Executive Officer Randy Clarke, the U.S. Department of Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg and other federal, state, and local officials attended the grand opening ceremony at Washington Dulles International Airport Station on November 15, 2022. The event was followed by an inaugural train ride with nearly 100 passengers.
“The Silver Line extension is going to make life more affordable, give people better access to jobs throughout the region, reduce the time that drivers sit in traffic on our roads, and provide a level of convenience getting to Dulles Airport that has been a long time coming,” Pete Buttigieg.
The extension is crossing the Reston, Va., and eastern Loudoun County. The opening also marks the completion of the Silver Line project, one of the largest infrastructure investments in Northern Virginia.
The extension also includes a new rail maintenance and service facility, located on 36.4 ha of the Washington Dulles International Airport property. The Dulles rail facility is the largest of the Washington metro system and employs approximately 450 people.
The Silver Line provides high-quality, high-capacity transit service between the Dulles corridor and Downtown D.C. expanding the existing regional rail system.
“The completion of the Silver Line fulfills the promise of connecting communities, connecting trains and planes, and creating better places to live, work and play,” Metro Board Chair Paul Smedberg said.
With 420,000 people living within 8 km of the new stations, the Silver Line extension improves mobility and provides greater access to jobs, entertainment, and shopping destinations. It will also offer a fast, reliable and sustainable transport for the passengers transiting Washington Dulles International Airport, where more than 600 flights arrive and depart each day.
The extension opening follows nearly five months of testing, training and safety certification efforts by Washington Metro.
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