Metro riders will be able to access Dulles International Airport and Loudoun County on the Silver Line for the first time starting Nov. 15, the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority announced in a release Monday.
Officials will open six new Silver Line stations in Reston Town Center, Herndon, Innovation Center, Washington Dulles International Airport, Loudoun Gateway and Ashburn after officials pushed back the new stations’ opening dates due to construction delays and low ridership during the COVID-19 pandemic. The opening of the stations also follows the Washington Metrorail Safety Commission’s approval of WMATA’s revised Metro safety plan last week, which will restore the 7000-series railcar service after more than one year without the full fleet.
“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,” WMATA General Manager and CEO Randy Clarke said in the release.
The opening of the Silver Line stations also caps off a two-phase Silver Line expansion plan that began construction in 2009, with phase one consisting of six additional stops in Virginia’s Fairfax County that officials completed in 2014. This year’s expansion also includes a new rail maintenance and service yard on Washington Dulles International Airport property.