Watch: WMATA Silver Line Extension now ready to go
Written by David C. Lester, Editor-in-Chief
WMATA
On Oct. 24, RT&S reported that the Silver Line Extension of Washington, D.C.'s Metro line would, according to officials, be open in time for the Thanksgiving holiday travel weekend.
Opening day is [now] set for the Silver Line Extension – Tuesday, Nov. 15 – connecting Metrorail customers to Washington Dulles International Airport and Loudoun County for the first time. The announcement came from Metro Board Members and employees in a video touting “We’re Ready,” marking the opening for customers and culmination of the largest expansion of Metrorail since the system’s inception.
“We appreciate our partners at MWAA, FTA, WMSC, Fairfax and Loudoun Counties who have worked collaboratively with us for several years to reach this moment,” said Metro General Manager/CEO Randy Clarke.
The extension completes the final phase of the full 23-mile expansion that began construction in 2009, opening the first segment five years later. This final segment provides a long-awaited connection to Washington Dulles International Airport giving visitors a direct connection to destinations around the region and will be a short walk from the baggage claim via an underground tunnel in less than five minutes.
The Silver Line Extension includes a brand-new rail maintenance and service yard, located on 90 acres of the Washington Dulles International Airport property. The Dulles Rail Yard is the largest rail yard in the Metro system and employs approximately 450 people.
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