Reston Association is drafting a letter to send to Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority chair Charles Snelling outlining the association's support of Silver Line Phase 2.

While Phase 1, which will end at Reston's Wiehle Avenue when it opens in 2016, is nearly halfway complete, Phase 2 has been caught in limbo as authorities haggle over cost-saving measures.

In April, MWAA recommended an underground station at Dulles International Airport, adding a potential $300 million to the now $3.5 billion price tag.

MWAA officials, U.S. Secretary of Transportation Ray La Hood, reps from the Federal Transportation Administration, and Fairfax and Loudoun leaders have been meeting since June 1 to try and find solutions. A decision is expected soon. 

A meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, July 20.

July 19, 2011

 Dear Mr. Snelling: On behalf of the Reston Association (RA) and the more than 58,000 residents who are represented by theAssociation in the Reston community, I once again write to the Board of Directors of the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority (MWAA) to express RA’s continuing support for Rail to Dulles, and, more specifically, Phase 2.

 This major public works project for the Northern Virginia Region has been in discussion and on the proverbial “drawing boards” for many years.

We in Reston are  looking forward to the completion of Phase 1 and are diligently planning for the many associated benefits to the community.

However, as you and other members of the MWAA Board are fully aware, Rail to Dulles will only be completed once the terminus at Route 772 in Loudoun County is constructed.

Reston Association believes it to be absolutely vital to the Northern Virginia Region, specifically, and, more broadly, the Washington, D.C. Metropolitan Area that Phase 1 and Phase 2 of Rail to Dulles be constructed and operable within the presently advertised time frames, Winter 2013 and Winter 2017, respectively.

We would not have supported Phase 1 if Phase 2 were not to be completed as promised. We would like to acknowledge the wisdom of MWAA’s long term planning and initial vision for an underground station at Dulles.

We respectfully request that the MWAA Board focus its efforts and attention on the completion of Rail to Dulles, more specifically, Phase 2, and do it as efficiently as possible.  Thank you for your time and consideration of this request.

Please contact me at  703-476-9181  or via email at kathleendriscollmckee@gmail.com, if you have questions, comments or would like to further discuss this request.

 On Behalf of the Board of Directors of the Reston Association,

Kathleen Driscoll McKee

President