Startup Will Help Cull Deer Here  — A Richmond startup is marketing its services for private-property deer hunts in Fairfax County. The county has a deer management program to cull deer in county parks. A few Reston homeowners have also received permission from RA in the last few years to control population with contracted hunters on their own property. [Fairfax Times]

More Hunter Mill Talk — Here is some of the feedback residents gave to Fairfax County Department of Transportation Officials at a recent meeting about Hunter Mill Road backups. [Connection]

Silver Line On Track — Metro officials say construction on Silver Line Phase 2 is now “35 to 40” percent complete. The six new stations, including at Reston Town Center and Herndon, are on schedule to open in early 2020. [WTOP]

Photo: September sunset in Reston/Credit: Joy Every

The flurry of construction you see in the median of the Dulles Toll Road near Reston Parkway isn’t all the Reston Town Center Metro Station.

Designers of the Silver Line’s Phase 2 are planning way ahead — perhaps decades from now — when a possible new road will take vehicle traffic under rather than over the toll road.

Crews have started construction of a so­-called “land bridge structure” in the median. The bridge will enable the future connecter — a four-lane highway linking Town Center Parkway to Sunrise Valley Drive — to be built without disrupting the toll road, said Dulles Corridor Metrorail Project spokeswoman Marcia McAllister.

The structure is being built in the median of the toll road near mile marker 4.8, approximately 500 feet west of the future Reston Town Center Station. That station is slated to open in early 2020.

The bridge was requested by Fairfax County as an element of the Board of Supervisors’ Six Year Transportation Priorities for FY2015 to FY2020. The county pledged $8.7 million for the $157 million underpass project in late 2014.

Building the bridge­-like structure in advance would minimize any impact to Silver Line Phase 2 service during future construction of the planned roadway, McAllister said.

Graphic: Rendering of land bridge on Dulles Toll Road/Credit: Dulles Corridor Metrorail Project

Metro may be closing the rail system additional weekend hours in order to affect ongoing safety issues that led to the derailment of a Silver Line train near East Falls Church station on July 29, Metro General Manager/CEO Paul J. Wiedefeld said Wednesday.

Metro is in the midst of a 10-month SafeTrack project to fast track needed maintenance and safety repairs. That has led to rolling Metro section shutdowns — as well as closings at midnight (weekdays) and 10 p.m. (weekends) — in order to make repairs.

But issues continue, including the July derailment, which was likely caused by faulty interlockings on the track, Metro said. There were no major injuries, but the Silver and Orange line were disrupted for several days.

“Safety trumps service, now more than ever at Metro.  The SafeTrack program is intended to make our tracks safe and reliable, and I have re-instructed the team to ensure we are addressing every issue out there, including interlockings,” Wiedefeld said in a statement. “I will continue to notify our riders of any service changes as quickly as possible, but we are not backing off of safety over service.”

Following the derailment at East Falls Church, Wiedefeld ordered a new round of inspections for all interlockings conducted by rail maintenance supervisors with track engineers participating. Those inspections have identified several interlockings that require work.

As a result, SafeTrack Surge No. 7 now includes a complete shutdown this weekend between Grosvenor and Shady Grove Stations so the interlocking at Twinbrook can be repaired.  The track maintenance team is reviewing the remaining SafeTrack schedule and will consider additional weekend shutdowns during Surges 8-15 to address conditions identified by the latest inspections.

Metro is also taking several steps to improve track safety and will upgrade inspection procedures and training of personnel. Read about those changes  on Metro’s website.

A rail tie issue was the probable cause for last week’s Orange/Silver Line derailment, Metro said on Monday.

The derailment of a train bound for Wiehle-Reston East occurred Friday morning near the East Falls Church station. Parts of the line remained closed through Sunday, but reopened on Monday.

Those rail ties had not yet been replaced under Metro’s SafeTrack program.

While the investigation is ongoing, Metro released the following preliminary findings:

Metro’s safety department has made a preliminary assessment that the causal factor in the derailment is a track condition, specifically a condition where the two rails on which trains run were too wide as a result of deteriorated rail ties.

Other possible contributing causal factors, including car equipment, weather, temperature and other factors remain under review.

At this time there is no evidence of train operator error.

Metro General Manager/CEO Wiedefeld today ordered a special supervisory inspection of all tracks.

“While Metro and the outside experts continue their review, we are requiring supervisors to conduct a specialized track inspection to look for any other similar conditions that must be immediately addressed,” said Wiedefeld.

Metro has taken additional corrective actions, including: pre-inspecting interlockings (NoMa-Gallaudet, Silver Spring & Takoma) used on the Red Line prior to this morning’s implementation of SafeTrack Surge #6; requiring a supervisory pre-inspection of all interlockings that are required to be used to facilitate SafeTrack closures; and quality assurance audits of all these inspections.

The Friday morning derailment of a Reston-bound Silver Line train near East Falls Church will continue to impact Metro into Saturday, Metro officials said.

Metro says Orange and Silver service between West Falls Church/McLean and Ballston stations will remain suspended at least through the end of the day Saturday to allow for further investigation, removal of derailed cars, and repairs to infrastructure that was damaged during the incident.

Customers traveling to or from stations west of Ballston are encouraged to use alternate travel modes if possible, Metro said. Metro will continue to provide free shuttle buses between Ballston, East Falls Church, West Falls Church and McLean stations until rail service is restored. Read More

Update, 10 a.m.: Metro officials said there will be interrupted service for the rest of the day. That means no Silver Line between McLean and Ballston or the Orange Line between West Falls Church and Ballston.

Original story: Metro Orange and Silver lines are seeing major disruptions and delays Friday morning after a westbound train derailed at East Falls Church.

East Falls Church station is closed as of 6:59 a.m., and one passenger is being evaluated for injuries; shuttle bus service being established, Metro officials said.

Metro officials said 75 people were aboard the train when it derailed about 100 feet from the station 6:15 a.m.

Metro officials are telling Orange/Silver customers west of Ballston to use alternate travel options this morning.

A rider told a WJLA reporter the derailed train was a Silver Line train to Reston.

There is no Silver Line service from McLean to Ballston and no Orange Line service from West Falls Church to Ballston.

That stretch of the Orange and Silver Line is in the last days of single tracking for a safety surge to make repairs.

Construction on Phase 2 of Metrorail’s Silver Line is now 30 percent complete, Dulles Corridor Metrorail Project officials say.

The line, which will stretch from Wiehle-Reston East to a Reston Town Center station, then stops at Herndon, Route 28, Dulles International Airport and two in Ashburn, is scheduled to open in early 2020.

That 2020 date is about 13 months later than originally forecast. Metro officials announced about a year ago that design modifications for safety and reliability would delay the project by a little over a year. It would also add cost to the project, according to The Washington Post.

If you have driven down the Dulles Toll Road lately — or looked to the Reston sky, where cranes are seemingly everywhere — you will see crews at work on the $5.6 billion extension. More than 2 million hours have been spent so far constructing Silver Line Phase 2, officials said.

Here is what is coming up around here in the next two months:

Dulles Toll Road/Airport Access Highway: Lane shifts, paving and striping will continue.

Reston Town Center Station: Concrete foundation and concrete barrier wall construction.

Herndon Station: Pre-cast building ongoing.

Innovation Center Station (Route 28): Ongoing steel work and assembly of pedestrian bridges begins.

Dulles Airport Station: Column construction continues; pre-cast erection will begin.

Additionally, at Dulles Airport:

• Station column construction continues.
• Cross girder installation will be ongoing.
• Pre-cast erection will begin.
• Fiber support steel will be installed.
• Removal of the pedestrian tunnel roof will start.
• Girder installation and deck construction is scheduled to return to Autopilot
• Drive at the Dulles Airport and continues south through the cargo area.
  34.5kV duct bank work continues along Rudder Road and moves to Autopilot Drive and the cargo area.

Metro is about to undertake Safety Surge No. 5, and that will affect Silver Line riders until the end of the month.

The Safety Surge — part of Metro’s 10-month Safe Track project to make much-needed safety improvements in a short time span — has involved the shutdown, single tracking or other changes that impact riders on various lines at various times.

Here is what starts this week:

• From July 20 until July 31, Orange and Silver line trains will continuously single track between East Falls Church and Ballston.
• On weekdays, Orange Line trains between Vienna and Ballston will operate every 18 minutes.
• Additional Orange Line trains will operate between Ballston and New Carrollton only
• Silver Line trains will operate every 18 minutes
• At 10:00 p.m. all trains will operate every 20 minutes

Trains from Vienna to Ballston and Wiehle-Reston East to Ballston are likely to be extremely crowded, especially during rush-hour periods, says Metro.

Customers at Ballston should consider using the additional train service that originates at Ballston and will board on the opposite platform from through-train service. This may lengthen departure time, but will give riders the best opportunity to find space, says Metro.

And again, Metro riders who have the ability to do so should consider alternate travel options and avoid traveling during rush hour if possible, Metro says.

Carpooling, slugging, biking and the use of Fairfax Connector express bus service to Arlington, with connections to Washington D.C., is strongly encouraged.

Thinking of biking to work? Consult these maps.

Orange Line Connections I Map (PDF)

Silver Line Connections I Map (PDF)

Surge No. 5 Key Express Bus Connections

• Herndon & Reston > Pentagon > Washington D.C.
• Vienna Metrorail Station > Pentagon
• East Falls Church > Rosslyn > Washington D.C.

There are more than 4,000 parking spaces available at various Park-and-Ride facilities across Fairfax County that are open to carpoolers and sluggers, and provide convenient express or regular bus service to Arlington and Washington, D.C. Most Park-and-Ride facilities also offer bike lockers and rooms, and all Fairfax Connector buses feature bike racks for easy transfer from trails to transit. For details on these facilities and a list of bus connections and schedules, visit www.fairfaxcounty.gov/safetrack.

Two years ago this month, the Silver Line — after years of discussion, rising costs and many construction delays — finally opened, bringing long-awaited rail service to Reston.

But ever since, Metro has been plagued by problems — track issues, smoke and fire, near-constant single tracking, and now, the SafeTrack project to fix them.

Is it the new Silver Line to blame for Metro’s issues? A Washington Post story Sunday laid out the case:

To make room for the line, Metro reduced service on the Blue Line, angering thousands of riders. New rail cars set to arrive before the line opened did not — leaving fewer trains in reserve when older cars broke down. The result? Worsening service disruptions systemwide. Adding to Metro’s woes, ridership was well below projections.

After the January 2015 tunnel fire near L’Enfant Plaza, which left one passenger dead, things got worse, the post points out.

Metro blamed the chronic breakdowns on its inability to keep up with much-needed maintenance that had been neglected for years and said it needed more money to catch up. Some observers — and Metro to a degree — blamed the Silver Line, saying the new line placed too much of a burden on the system’s infrastructure. Some riders and others argued that the transit agency should have invested in rebuilding instead of expanding.

Several transportation consultants quoted in the article have mixed opinions. One says Metro would likely have the same problems it does with or without the Silver Line; another says adding a new line to a broken system was “beyond idiotic.”

The article also points out that the ridership on the Silver Line has not met projections. While Wiehle-Reston East — the end of the line until Phase 2 opens in 2020 — has met projections, but at the one-year mark, the average of 17,000 weekday boardings is far short of the 25,000 the line was projected to have after its first year.

Rep. Gerry Connolly (D-Va. 11th), who was a crucial advocate in bringing Metro to Reston (he formerly served as chair of the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors), and the current chair, Sharon Bulova, are urging residents to stick with the Silver Line as the benefits will be felt in the decades to come.

Read the entire piece on Washingtonpost.com.

It’s only a drill: Metro Transit Police and Fairfax County will conduct a full-scale response exercise Sunday at the Greensboro Metro Station.

The drill will allow emergency personnel to practice the evacuation of a train during a simulated smoke and fire incident.

The exercise, which will take place inside the tunnel between Greensboro and Tysons Corner stations, will simulate real-world conditions to test coordination and communication between on-scene responders, Metro operations staff, Metro Transit Police and support personnel.

Metrobus operations staff will also use this drill as an opportunity to activate and test an agreement with Fairfax County to provide shuttle bus service via Fairfax Connector between Greensboro and Spring Hill stations.

The exercise will begin at 8:30 a.m. and is expected to conclude no later than 11 a.m. More than 100 emergency responders from various agencies, as well as volunteers, are expected to participate.

Customer Information

Free shuttle buses will replace Silver Line trains between Greensboro and Spring Hill stations Sunday until approximately 2 p.m.

Greensboro Station will be closed to the public from 7 a.m. until approximately 2 p.m. Metro will notify customers when the station reopens via email, text message and social media.

Members of the public in the area of Greensboro Station may notice a large number of emergency vehicles on site.

Is the Herndon Metro Station area moving towards development of the mixed-use amenities that are expected to be built nearby?

The Washington Business Journal reports that commercial real estate broker Colliers International recently began seeking buyers for 575 Herndon Parkway, a 4.8-acre office building site immediately adjacent to the future Herndon Metro station.

Herndon Station, which will be located near the current Herndon-Monroe Park and Ride, is part of Metro’s Silver Line Phase 2. It is expected to open in 2020.

There is a 135,000-square-foot building now on the site. The site has an anchor tenant: Booz Allen Hamilton. However,the property could yield roughly 906,400 square feet of additional mixed-use development. Booz Allen’s lease expires in four years, says the WBJ. Read More

Monday is the first workday under Metro’s second Safety Surge.

While Surge No. 1 wrapped up single tracking that affected Silver Line trains on the route to/from Wiehle Reston East, it doesn’t mean the ride is totally clear for riders originating or disembarking in Reston. Surge No.2 — one of 15 safety projects from Metro over the next 10 months — will affect Blue Line Riders in Arlington, as well as Silver Line riders in DC. Read More

Metro is investigating a derailment of a piece of track equipment in the work zone between Ballston and East Falls Church stations that occurred shortly after midnight Tuesday. There were no injuries.

The derailment may have been caused by a passing Silver Line train, Metro says.

There is equipment on the tracks because of Metro’s SafeTrack project, the first phase of which began June 4 and will continue on the Silver, Blue and Orange lines until later this week. Metro plans 15 “Safety Surges” over the next 10 months to do necessary repairs.

From Metro:

The track machine that derailed is described as a “spiker,” measuring approximately 21 feet long by 10 feet wide, that is used to install new rail spikes into wooden ties to hold the rail in place. The derailment was reported at approximately 12:05 a.m.

A passing Silver Line train that was in the area at the time reported possibly making contact to the mirror of the track equipment. That train was stopped, inspected, deemed safe and continued to East Falls Church, where passengers were transferred to a different train to continue their trip.

The operator of the track equipment, as well as other employees directly involved, have been temporarily removed from service during the investigation. In addition, overnight work in the area was suspended to allow for a safety review.

The incident did not affect passenger service on Tuesday morning.

Silver Line trains/file photo

Imagine a Reston without the Silver Line. Not that difficult, since it has only been open for less than two years and the extension from Reston Town Center to Loudoun County won’t open until 2020.

A Washington Post reporter says it should never have been built. In an opinion column published Wednesday, Fredrick Kunkle summarized what a lot of area residents have been thinking this week: Metro should have fixed what it had before embarking on this $2.9 billion project.

Silver Line riders were among the most affected as Metro rolled out its SafeTrack program this week. The program, which aims to complete three years work of needed repairs in about 10 months, will involve 15 “Safety Surges,” which means single tracking, delays and other shutdowns.

The first surge means delays, crowded cars and other general chaos from Wiehle-Reston East (Silver) to Ballston (Silver/Orange/Blue) and beyond until June 16.

Writes Kunkle: “The argument goes that Metro’s leadership should have focused instead on overhauling and upgrading the nearly 40-year-old system before adding a new line in Northern Virginia. The Silver Line was a project either years before its time — or too late. And now there are plenty of people around eager to say, I told you so.”

He points out that Silver Line ridership has been below predictions and construction blew its budget, among other issues.

Among those disagreeing with him: Fairfax County Supervisor Chair Sharon Bulova, who says the Silver Line has not been a drag on Metro’s other resources. She adds that there were plans for the line going back to the 1960s; that funding came from wide resources (not just local taxpayers); and that it has sparked commercial and residential growth in the county (including a major boom in Reston).

Washingtonian also points out the flaws in The Post’s reasoning in this piece.

“There’s a lot about the Silver Line that could have been handled differently — the timing, the quality of the construction work, the ridership expectations. But ditching it entirely? That would be the greatest error,” writes Washingtonian’s Benjamin Freed.