As many can see, construction continues on Phase II of the Silver Line, the extension of METRO to Loudoun County. Phase II will include six stations along 11.4 miles from the Wiehle-Reston East Station to Ashburn. Locations are:
Reston Town Center Station is in the median of the Dulles Toll Road/Dulles Airport Access Highway just west of the Reston Parkway overpass (at grade).
Herndon Station is in the median of the Dulles Toll Road/Dulles Airport Access Highway near the existing Herndon-Monroe Park and Ride lot (at grade).
Innovation Station is in the median of the Dulles Toll Road/ Dulles Airport Access Highway east of Route 28 near the Center for Innovative Technology (at grade).
Dulles Airport Station is along Saarinen Circle across from the terminal (aerial).
Route 606 Station is along Route 606 on the west side of Dulles Airport in the median of the Dulles Greenway (at grade).
Route 772 Station is in the median of the Dulles Greenway at Route 772/Ashburn Village Boulevard (at grade).
A lot of activity is happening simultaneously along the corridor, with progress being made at each of the planned METRO stops and the construction of numerous overpasses and track alignments within the corridor.
Specifically, the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority (MWAA) re-ports that 96% of all design packages have been completed (390 out of 406), and that 87% of these have been issued for construction. Guideway and station design-build activities include these upcoming tasks:
Reston Station – Steel piles for the foundation are being set and work continues on the tunnel for utility installation;
Herndon Station – Mass excavation continues as does the construction of the station foundation and utility drilling for the sanitary sewer lines;
Innovation Station – Foundation work continues and recast element placement;
Dulles Station – Foundation preparation for the tower crane and crane placement are underway, foundation and aerial guideway substructures are under construction as is demolition of existing walkway and the tie in to the existing pedestrian tunnel;
Aerial Guideway – Continued construction of columns, pier caps, decks and girder installation is underway.
Construction on the Dulles Airport rail yard is also underway. When completed the rail yard will be the largest facility in the METRO system, capable of holding more than 160 train cars. The rail yard is being constructed near the Route 606 on the airport property.
For more information about Phase II of the METRO Silver Line construction, visit the Dulles Corridor Metrorail Project website at www.dullesmetro.com.