U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood today committed $900 million in U.S. Department of Transportation funds through 2016 to the $3.1 billion Wiehle Avenue Extension of the Dulles Corridor Metrorail Project.
The 11.7-mile heavy rail line will be an extension to the existing Metrorail system just east of the West Falls Church station through Tysons Corner to its terminus at Wiehle Avenue in Reston, Va.
The Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (MWAA) will operate the line from the Stadium-Armory station in Washington to Wiehle Avenue. MWAA plans to design and construct a second phase, which will extend the line beyond Dulles Airport into Loudoun County.
When complete, this project will consist of five new stations, improvements to an existing rail yard, 64 new rail cars, and 2,300 parking spaces at the Wiehle Avenue station. The Metrorail project would expand capacity to and from Reston and the Tysons Corner regional activity centers, and provide a direct rail link for commuters from northwest Fairfax and Loudoun Counties to employment opportunities in Tysons Corner, the Rosslyn-Ballston corridor, and downtown Washington.
The extension is projected to serve 85,700 daily riders by 2030, including an estimated 10,000 new daily transit riders.
For the official press release, click here.
