Silver Line Phase 1/2 (Arlington, Reston, Herndon: 2014, lease, employment)

[athensvaasi]

According to wikipedia,

http://http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/...hington_Metro)
Silver Line Phase 1 is supposed to go up to Reston – Wiehle Avenue by 2013.

Is that still the plan for Phase 1 -- upto Reston/Wiehle Ave with date of 2013? Where has the line or station progress been most evident?

I have read arguments about whether Loudon will participate in Silver Line, but I guess that is with regard to Phase 2? In any case, what is the status of Phase 2? Partially confirmed to go on, nothing confirmed, ....?

Than you!

[tysonsengineer]

Originally Posted by athensvaasi

According to wikipedia,

http://http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/...hington_Metro)
Silver Line Phase 1 is supposed to go up to Reston – Wiehle Avenue by 2013.

Is that still the plan for Phase 1 -- upto Reston/Wiehle Ave with date of 2013? Where has the line or station progress been most evident?

I have read arguments about whether Loudon will participate in Silver Line, but I guess that is with regard to Phase 2? In any case, what is the status of Phase 2? Partially confirmed to go on, nothing confirmed, ....?

Than you!

I'll play along, even though there are a half dozen threads already about this.

The silver line connects to the existing orange line at Arlington, runs of 66 up the 267 onramp, down 267 until it gets to the 123 exit where it veers into Tysons Corner. In Tysons Corner there are 4 stations all well into the architectural stage where they are beginning to appear above ground. The metro is nothing but visible in Tysons where it runs above ground (love it or hate or feel nothing about).

It leaves Tysons Corner at route 7 near the existing 300' sheraton building and turns back up 267 where it runs down the middle of the road until it reaches the final station of Phase I, wiehle avenue (which if you are not familiar with the streets around here... something that I keep telling metro and FFX officials that most people are not) is basically southeastern Reston. Its not quite in the town center, and its not walkable from there, but its bikeable and its a short drive to where they are planning a multi-thousand parking garage.

Thats phase I

Phase II is in limbo. It was thought to be a sure thing last year when logistically the jurisdictions and MWAA came to a verbal agreement to move forward, but has hit a log jam of obstructionism by residents. The many objections are the possible future toll road prices to help fund the project... something that many believe is being used as a scare tactic. Others object it out of ideological issues against union labor or any government spending on anything (something that if you followed the logic would end with toll rate prices that would skyrocket since the line will eventually be going in like it or not to Dulles Airport).

Phase II (to Dulles Airport) is still basically going to happen no matter what, really whats being discussed right now is what the scope of it will be? Will it include loudoun stations? Will it include Floris station in Fairfax? Who will be responsible for the construction of the metro parking lots?

Even in the worst case scenario I believe MWAA will be building atleast the Reston Town Center, Herndon Monroe, Route 28, and of course Dulles Airport stations.

Phase I will be done next year end of 2013, ON TIME btw, and ON BUDGET btw... something that VDOT, and non-union labor has never been able to attain. I dont want to go on a tangent, but if you look at the wage and benefits of VDOT employees, they EXCEED those typical with construction union workers by a lot... I don't hear people complaining about these guys even though when they are doing a repaving project, messing up, traffic flow just before winter after which the roads will return to being crack and potholed... weird how that works.

Phase II construction is likely going to begin spring of 2014, and would be a 36 month to 42 month construction period (depending on scope), which means we would finally have a region with metro to our international airport by 2017.

[Lucky★]

I guess it was inevitable-

http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lc...9/ed-1/seq-16/

[tysonsengineer]

Originally Posted by Lucky★

I guess it was inevitable-

The Washington times. (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, August 09, 1912, LAST EDITION, Page 16, Image 16 - Chronicling America (The Library of Congress)

I have no idea what you are posting

[FindingZen]

Originally Posted by tysonsengineer

I have no idea what you are posting

Assuming you can see the archived article clearly, scroll to the top middle of it.

[athensvaasi]

Originally Posted by tysonsengineer

I'll play along, even though there are a half dozen threads already about this.

The silver line connects to the existing orange line at Arlington, runs of 66 up the 267 onramp, down 267 until it gets to the 123 exit where it veers into Tysons Corner. In Tysons Corner there are 4 stations all well into the architectural stage where they are beginning to appear above ground. The metro is nothing but visible in Tysons where it runs above ground (love it or hate or feel nothing about).

It leaves Tysons Corner at route 7 near the existing 300' sheraton building and turns back up 267 where it runs down the middle of the road until it reaches the final station of Phase I, wiehle avenue (which if you are not familiar with the streets around here... something that I keep telling metro and FFX officials that most people are not) is basically southeastern Reston. Its not quite in the town center, and its not walkable from there, but its bikeable and its a short drive to where they are planning a multi-thousand parking garage.

Thats phase I

Phase II is in limbo. It was thought to be a sure thing last year when logistically the jurisdictions and MWAA came to a verbal agreement to move forward, but has hit a log jam of obstructionism by residents. The many objections are the possible future toll road prices to help fund the project... something that many believe is being used as a scare tactic. Others object it out of ideological issues against union labor or any government spending on anything (something that if you followed the logic would end with toll rate prices that would skyrocket since the line will eventually be going in like it or not to Dulles Airport).

Phase II (to Dulles Airport) is still basically going to happen no matter what, really whats being discussed right now is what the scope of it will be? Will it include loudoun stations? Will it include Floris station in Fairfax? Who will be responsible for the construction of the metro parking lots?

Even in the worst case scenario I believe MWAA will be building atleast the Reston Town Center, Herndon Monroe, Route 28, and of course Dulles Airport stations.

Phase I will be done next year end of 2013, ON TIME btw, and ON BUDGET btw... something that VDOT, and non-union labor has never been able to attain. I dont want to go on a tangent, but if you look at the wage and benefits of VDOT employees, they EXCEED those typical with construction union workers by a lot... I don't hear people complaining about these guys even though when they are doing a repaving project, messing up, traffic flow just before winter after which the roads will return to being crack and potholed... weird how that works.

Phase II construction is likely going to begin spring of 2014, and would be a 36 month to 42 month construction period (depending on scope), which means we would finally have a region with metro to our international airport by 2017.

Thanks engineer for a detailed response. Very useful.

Does google map search for: Reston – Wiehle Avenue (WMATA station)
show the correct location for the last station on the Phase 1 Silver Line?

Google shows 2.4 miles from above location to Reston Town center. Sounds about right?

Also, looks like the next stop in Phase 2 would be Reston Town center. Correct?

[tysonsengineer]

Bingo bango, that sounds right.

About the news article. Interesting find, imagine what the city would be like without metro now and days. Nothing but parking lots and 400,000 people rushing over too few bridges, 800,000 people shuffling around within the city, and a lot more street rage/expensive parking. WIthout metro, I would say that its likely no one would have been able to live in Virginia and work in DC because parking costs and traffic times would be prohibitively expensive. Which means the Fairfax and Montgomery county economic powers they have become never would have been.

Hmmmm strange seems like this sentiment could be applied to Arlington as well, which was in an era of massive decline in corporate draw until metro.... hmmmm and what other massive employment and tax revenue base could this apply to I wonder

Its so tough to think... empirical data is soooooo difficult to interpret

Oh well one thing is for sure, Silver line will only benefit the developers. Yep, just the developers. No chance that Fairfax, residents, commuters, and businesses will benefit. Because developers make money in a vacuum devoid of others benefit of course. They can charge high rent because they enslave and make others poor. They can get Class A lease rates for offices because they are ruining an area. Retail ideas will not be spurred by the concept of 100,000 people living within 1 mile.

Nope these are all just lies people! THey are pulling the wool over your eyes with this urban mumbo jumbo I can feel it in my gut.

[looktowindward]

Engineer - is there a chance that phase 2 will be designed with any omitted stations set up as "in fill" stations later on, when the benefit is obvious?

[tysonsengineer]

It is my belief if Virginia/Loudoun/Fairfax do not come to an agreement on helping the funding of MWAA. Reston Town Center will move forward with a special tax district similar to Tysons for RTC developers and with higher toll rates. I would assume the section between Greenway and 495 would be more in line with Greenway prices immediately, so 4.50 is likely going to be the new reality in this scenario. I think its inevitable that the toll price is going to 4.50 anyways though inline with the Greenway and 495 HOT (which will likely be closer to 10-15 dollars each way), this situation would simply ensure it happening immediately after the decision.

MWAA is going to Dulles, and there is no serious recourse for the state or jurisdictions to stop this due to the way the MWAA agreements were created ensuring Phase II connection (though not funding). I believe their plans to Dulles can occur without any new property. They have the median of Toll Road all the way to the Airport station. The difficulty is how they would negotiate getting to Reston town center, though I think they will find a way to do so without VDOT right of way (likely still around the area of Sunset Hills). The cost of this project would likely be around 1.3-1.5 billion without the other stations and the extension to Loudoun but would not be set up for future in-fill additions in anyway.

Therefore, in the future if the stations were to come in, the total cost will likely end up being well over 3 billion, instead of 2.7, to tie into this type of system (part of the problem of any phased system is the increased cost due to having to maintain operations during the next phases as well as additional demolition required to tie into the original phases).

It could happen, I think it would be a real shame to lose out on the Herndon stations because areas of Monroe and Coppermine are corporate hubs and dense residential already and could help save time and money for 25,000 to 35,000 residents within walk/bike range.

I think after the votes, Loudoun will opt out because they are now controlled by a GOP which thinks that cost cost cost is everything, but doesnt see the benefit, revenue, and cost saving involved in proper balance of mass transit (yada yada yada). Fairfax will vote it through because there is just too much on the line for the county. And Virginia has already given 300 million to the project (though that is likely in jeopardy due to the union arguement as well as the BS ear marks they snuck into that bill that give VDOT control over the future of Fairfax County). Fairfax will ensure Reston has a special tax district in line with Tysons, Tysons will likely increase taxes as it was assumed they would, a slightly larger amount will come from the County general fund, and the balance will be covered by 4.50 tolls.

We'll find out April 10th though :P

I'll be reporting and likely live discussing it on my website if you still are interested then, you can come check it out

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