Community Corner
Silver Line Opening Delayed — Again
MWAA head says construction delays will push Metro rail line back by eight weeks, making January opening unlikely.
Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority CEO Jack Potter said on Wednesday construction on the Silver Line could delay the anticipated opening of the Metro line by up to eight weeks.
Potter's comments came at a meeting of the MWAA board's Dulles Corridor Committee.
“There’s a real question now on when it will be complete,” Potter told the Washington Post.
The rail line, which will run from Falls Church to Reston's Wiehle Avenue, was originally slated to open in December, though MWAA officials never gave an exact date.
Last month, an official said the opening could be delayed by a few weeks, which would put the first passengers on the trains in January.
However, the next day, Potter said the $2.6 billion project was on schedule to be turned over to Metro in September for testing, but that issues with testing could delay the turnover date.
"The additional time is needed to accommodate further testing to assure the safety and performance of the systems and equipment before it is transferred to Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority," MWAA said in a statement Wednesday.
An eight-week delay could make the January opening doubtful.
See also:
- Silver Line May Not Open Until January
- Photos of the Day: Silver Line Stations Almost Done
- Photos: Behind The Scenes at McLean Silver Line Station
- How Much Will It Cost to Ride the Silver Line?
“Our main goal has always been safety and quality – it supersedes all else,” Potter said in a release. “Any project this large and complex is inevitably going to encounter unexpected issues that require additional tests and adjustments. With Phase 1 of the Silver Line nearly complete, there isn’t sufficient time in the schedule to recover from recently identified matters within the original plan.”
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