McLean, Tysons Corner, Greensboro, Spring Hill, Wiehle-Reston East, and West Falls Church are set to re-open with the Silver Line Metro on August 16.
Metro ridership is currently down 90 percent, which has enabled big strides in new construction. The Silver Line is reaching farther into Loudoun County, and the point of connection between the Silver and Orange lines is being renovated. And all of it is happening faster than expected due to drastically decreased passenger loads.
Previously, the Silver and Orange lines were scheduled to reopen on Labor Day, but the new plan is to reopen three weeks earlier on August 16.
McLean, Tysons, Greensboro, Spring Hill, and Wiehle-Reston stations on the Silver Line, and West Falls Church on the Orange Line, are projected to open first on August 16.
Vienna, Dunn Loring, and East Falls Church stations on the Orange Line will reopen around Labor Day.
Orange Line stations will have some ongoing construction activity even after they reopen. Free shuttle buses will continue to connect Vienna, Dunn Loring, and East Falls Church to the Metrorail system after August 16—but Vienna and Dunn Loring customers will be able to connect to Metrorail at West Falls Church instead of Ballston.
What Metro Management Says
“Metro’s commitment to customers is to restore service as soon as it is safe to do so, even if the project is not 100 percent completed at that time,” Metro said in a release. “With Phase Three reopening beginning July 1, traffic volume in Northern Virginia is projected to return to near pre-pandemic levels. Bus lanes will allow Metro to cycle (shuttle) buses more efficiently, expanding capacity that would allow passengers to maintain social distancing.”
Metro General Manager Paul Wiedefeld said he appreciated riders’ and the business community’s patience.
“By combining the schedules of our two biggest capital priorities in Virginia during a time of historically low ridership, we believe we have positioned Metro and the region for a strong recovery.”
Are you excited to hear the Metro is opening sooner? Will you be using it? Comment below!
