Repairs to Reston Parkway’s bridge over the Dulles Toll Road will be part of a Virginia Department of Transportation’s (VDOT) $5.6 million project next spring.
VDOT says it will be performing preventative maintenance projects on bridges on Monroe Street, the Herndon-Monroe Park and Ride Ramp and Reston Parkway in advance of Metro’s Silver Line Phase 2, which is currently under construction.
The main purpose of the project is eliminating and closing the bridge deck joints above the Silver Line tracks. Doing it before Phase 2 opens in 2019 will save VDOT money in the end, the department says.
“Future construction of the tracks in the median of Route 267 (the Dulles Toll Road) will limit the access to the bridge existing piers,” VDOT said in a statement. “The cost of performing any future repairs to the bridge piers would need to include cost of coordination with Metro, which would significantly increase future repair costs.”
The Reston Parkway dual bridges over the Toll Road are 385-foot.-long, six-simple- span, steel plate girder bridges.
The northbound bridge was constructed in 1959 and widened and deck-replaced in 1989. The northbound total bridge width is 42.33 feet and consists of a 1.66-foot raised median, one-foot shoulder, three 12-foot traffic lanes, two-foot shoulder and 1.66-foot barrier.
The southbound bridge was constructed in 1976 and widened in 1989. The southbound total bridge width is 51.66 feet and consists of a 1.66-foot raised median, one-foot shoulder, three 12-foot.traffic lanes, three-foot shoulder, 1.66-ft. barrier, 8.33-foot. path and one-foot curb with pedestrian fence.
The Monroe Street/Van Buren Street dual bridges over the Toll Road are 378-foot-long, six-single-span, steel plate girder bridges. There is a 38-foot gap between the northbound and southbound bridges. The northbound bridge was constructed in 1963, and the deck was milled and overlaid in 1989. The southbound bridge was constructed in 1989.
The Herndon-Monroe Park and Ride Ramp bridge is a 613-foot-long, seven-single-span, steel plate girder bridge. The bridge was constructed in 1999.
Here is more cost and scheduling info:
Monroe Street/Van Buren Street Bridge Joint Closures
Anticipated Schedule
Advertisement for construction – March 2016
Construction – May 2016
Estimated Costs
Preliminary engineering – $180,000
Construction – $530,000
Total – $710,000
Herndon-Monroe Park and Ride Ramp Bridge Joint Closures
Anticipated Schedule
Advertisement for construction – March 2016
Construction – May 2016
Estimated Costs
Preliminary engineering – $168,000
Construction – $500,000
Total – $668,000
Reston Parkway Bridges Deck Mill and Overlay and Barrier Repair
Anticipated Schedule
Advertisement for construction – March 2016
Construction – May 2016
Estimated Costs
Preliminary engineering – $132,000
Construction – $1.4 million
Total – $1.5 million
Reston Parkway Bridge Joint Closures
Anticipated Schedule
Advertisement for construction – March 2016
Construction – May 2016
Estimated Costs
Preliminary engineering – $200,000
Construction – $2.5 million
Total – $2.7 million
Photo: Bridge over Dulles Toll Road/Credit: VDOT
It could be a long afternoon rush hour on “Traffic Tuesday” — even on public transportation.
Just after 2 p.m., Metro said it is having problems on the Blue, Orange and Silver lines and that it has suspended train service on part of those lines.
Trains are not servicing stations between the Smithsonian and Farragut West stops. Crews were already single tracking in that area due to track work. But a train had a brake problem at the McPherson Square station and became disabled, causing the bigger delay.
As of 2:30 p.m., crews were working to move the disabled train off the line at McPherson Square. Metro says expect delays of at least 20 minutes in both directions.
“Traffic Tuesday” usually refers to the day after Labor Day, when most school buses return to the roads and commuters return in full force after staggered weeks of summer vacation.
New Faces At Forest Edge ES — Forest Edge Elementary School has a new principal and assistant principal. Leona Smith-Vance will replace Kim Price as principal. Current assistant principal Jon Mitchell will be transferring to South County MS. New assistant principal is Rochelle Proctor from Hutchinson ES. The school is holding a “Popsicles on the Playground” event today at 5 p.m. for families to meet the new administration.
Parks Survey — The Fairfax County Park Authority needs your help to gauge its Twitter effectiveness. Take a survey here. [Survey Monkey]
Magic in the Park — Reston Community Center’s Family Fun Series continues Saturday with Magic by Geo at Town Square Park at Reston Town Center. The free show begins at 10 a.m. [RCC]
Tysons Silver Line Ridership Misses Mark — The Silver Line has been open a year, Why is ridership from the Tysons Stations so much lower than expected? [WAMU]
Happy first birthday to Metro’s Silver Line, which transported its first passengers on July 26, 2014.
Since then, Wiehle-Reston East has become the most popular station on the young line, spurring development — as well as a few traffic headaches — nearby. Metro, meanwhile, is about to start airing TV commercial (see above) starring “Alan,” whose life was changed by rail service here.
Take our poll and tell us whether rail in Reston has impacted you a little, a lot or not at all.
A year ago yesterday, the Silver Line’s first train rolled into Wiehle-Reston East.
After years of talk, political maneuvering, construction, construction delays and budget busting, Reston was finally connected to Washington, D.C. by rail.
Phase 1 of the Silver Line has five stations that run from Tysons Corner to Reston. Additional stations will be part of Phase 2, which will stop at Reston Town Center, Herndon, Route 28, Dulles International Airport and Ashburn.
However, Wiehle-Reston is the end of the line until at least 2019. It is the only Phase 1 station with parking (3,300 spaces at the Comstock-Fairfax County garage). That makes it by far the busiest of the five stations.
It only took a few weeks for the Reston stop to exceed expectations after it opened July 26. 2014. By mid-September, Wiehle-Reston East was counting more than 8,000 entries daily, surpassing first-year ridership goals. Overall Silver Line ridership was about 60 percent of where Metro expected it to be after a full year.
Wiehle-Reston East is now seeing more than 9,100 entries daily. Other stations: McLean, 1,842; Tysons Corner, 3,423; Greensboro, 1,185; and Spring Hill, 1,441 (17,088 Silver Line entries daily).
“Wiehle-Reston East continues to be the Silver Line’s commuting powerhouse, surpassing first-year ridership projections with nearly 9,200 boardings, or 18,400 weekday entries and exits last month,” a Metro spokeswoman said.
There have been some growing pains, though. Many commuters have complained the Silver Line saves them neither time nor money; Metro service in general suffers delays and issues daily; and the addition of the Silver Line may have slowed Metro service overall.
There has also been criticism of faulty timed lights getting in and out of the Wiehle-Reston East garage, as well as a poorly designed kiss-and-ride area.
Still, it has had an impact on the Reston economy. Greater Reston Chamber of Commerce CEO and President Mark Ingrao says his organization has seen a 22- percent increase in membership from new businesses or businesses new to Reston in the last year. The chamber itself also moved its headquarters from the Reston Town Center area to within walking distance of Wiehle-Reston East.
Jerry Gordon, President and CEO of the Fairfax County Economic Development Authority, says the Metro’s economic impact can be seen countywide.
“We have direct evidence that two companies that are in Tysons Corner are there because of the Silver Line,” Gordon told Reston Now. “Instelsat moved from DC, and they told us ‘no Silver Line, no Intelsat.’ The county was also able to retain Cvent in Tysons. Without the Silver Line, Cvent undoubtedly would have left.” Read More
This is a promoted post from Metro.
Metro’s Silver Line is turning one.
Join us at the Wiehle-Reston station as we celebrate with a big screen family movie night under the stars! Bring your friends. Bring your kids.
We will be showing Despicable Me. The fun begins at 6:15 p.m., and the movie starts at 8:45 p.m.
And don’t forget some cozy blankets and chairs. We’ll even have free popcorn on hand to make this a true theater experience. Food will be available for purchase, though you’re welcome to bring your own goodies, too. Please, just no glass bottles/containers, alcohol or cooking on Metro property.
The show will go on — rain or shine. If mother nature throws a fit, we’ve got an indoor space ready to go. But fingers crossed it’s a warm and starry summer night.
Here’s what you need to know:
WHAT
Silver Line Birthday Celebration & Movie Night
WHERE
The Plaza @ Wiehle-Reston Metro station
11389 Reston Station Blvd.
Reston, VA 20190
WHEN
Sunday, July 26
6:00 p.m. (event)
8:45 p.m. (movie)
Metro will be making repairs to several lines this weekend, which will cause a Silver Line service interruption.
Silver Line trains will operate every 20 minutes throughout the weekend. On Saturday and Sunday, trains will operate between Wiehle-Reston East and East Falls Church only.
Passengers traveling to/from stations east of East Falls Church will need use Orange Line trains to complete their trip, says Metro. Schedules are coordinated so the wait time for transferring passengers at East Falls Church is about five minutes or less.
Note:
Traveling FROM new Silver Line stations TO Arlington & DC — Transfer to an Orange Line train at East Falls Church for continuing service
Traveling TO new Silver Line stations FROM Arlington & DC — Board an Orange Line train destined to Vienna. Exit the Orange Line train at East Falls Church and wait for a Wiehle-bound Silver Line train
Service adjustments begin at 10 p.m. Friday.
Metro is investing $5.5 billion to install new rail, ties, platforms, escalators, signals, lighting, communication systems, and more. It represents the largest capital investment and work effort since the system’s original construction in the early 1970s.
There will also be service changes on the Red, Yellow, Orange and Blue lines. Visit Metro’s website to see more details.
Metro’s Silver Line will take a big step toward the future on Monday when Fairfax County Officials will break ground at Innovation Center South, a 1.6-million-square-foot mixed use development in Herndon.
The development will be located adjacent to the Innovation Center Metro Station and the 2,100-space parking garage built by the county at Route 28 and the Dulles Toll Road.
Phase 2 of the Silver Line will run from Reston’s Wiehle Avenue to Loudoun County, with stops at Reston Town Center, Herndon, Innovation Center, Dulles International Airport and Ashburn. It is expected to be completed in 2019.
This groundbreaking will make the start of construction on common infrastructure at the 15-acre site, including stormwater management, new roads, street lights, and landscaping.
When complete, the development will include a 190-room hotel; 104,000 square feet of retail; 501,000 square feet of office; and about 1,005 apartments spread across seven buildings.
In July of 2014, shortly after Phase 1 of the Silver Line opened, the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors approved a contract for the $57 million garage.
Fairfax County committed to building the garage as part of the agreement reached three years ago to pay for the Silver Line’s second phase. In November, the county approved a $115 million bond sale that will help pay for the garage, as well as parking at the Herndon station.
Innovation Center is being built as part of a partnership between Rock Engineering Company and Nugget Joint Venture.
The land for Innovation Center is currently undeveloped. The county agreed to share the cost for common infrastructure needed on the 14.68-acre site, along with a pocket park and a one-acre, landscaped plaza surrounding the entrance to the Metro station. The pocket park will be used to filter and retain stormwater from the entire site.
Rendering: Innovation Center South/Fairfax County
While the Silver Line is having an impact on how younger workers get to Reston, it is not necessarily expected to attract them to live in Reston.
That is what several real estate developers said at a forum “The Future of Reston and Herndon” organized by e-news company Bisnow in Reston on Tuesday.
The Silver Line opened its first phase last July, and Wiehle-Reston East, the end of the line until Phase 2 opens in 2019, immediately became one of Metro’s highest-traveled stations. Metro officials say people are taking public transportation both to Reston and from Reston to other workplaces in Arlington, Tysons Corner and D.C.
But they still can’t take Metro around Reston, which is what Millennials (people ages 18 to 35) want.
“A lot of people are saying ‘this is it’ when talking about the Silver Line,” said Greg Trimmer, Principal with The JBG Companies. “But JBG’s position is the Silver Line is not really the panacea. It is a great thing to have, but it is really a commuter line. It presents some challenges as well. People are not going to take the Metro three stops to get some lunch. We will see people taking it 5 or 6 stops to get to a job.”
JBG has four mixed use projects under development: Reston Heights, RTC West, 1831 Wiehle Ave. (in application process) and at Fairway Apartments. There are also multifamily developments either planned or under construction at Wiehle-Reston East (Comstock’s BLVD and the new Bozzuto/Charles Veatch building) and Lake Anne/Crescent (Lake Anne Development Partners), among others.
Several panelists said the residents of other recently-built residential buildings such as The Harrison and The Avant are trending older.
“We are seeing a huge boom in multifamily construction,” said Trimmer. “But the population of millennials in Reston has actually dropped. We are seeing growth in Reston in people in their 40s and 50s and retirees.”
Trimmer said if Reston properties try to compete with buildings in the District “it is not a fight Reston is going to win.”
Said Randall Scott, Principal, Coretrust Capital Partners commercial real estate: “We view Reston as a new town, edge city type place. In our experience, millennials will gravitate to an urban core such as D.C. initially. It remains to be seen whether they will stay there or be where there are open spaces and great schools eventually. Our view is we will get terrific inflow and outflow on the Silver Line.”
The Silver Line, has, however, been a great work perk, even after just 10 months.
Reston was planned all along to be a transit-oriented community, with offices and residential, an urban-style town center and walkability. That puts it ahead of the game when it comes to Tysons Corner, said Sonny Small, CEO of Renaissance Centro, which built the recently-opened The Harrison apartments. The Harrison is also seeing older residents, many of whom are moving from other properties such as single-family homes within Reston.
“The Silver Line is a fabulous amenity,” he said. “Reston has the original bones already. The interesting part will be how neighborhoods other than Reston Town Center evolve.”
Tony Womack of Tishman Speyer commercial real estate said he has clients looking at Reston office space that were not looking here prior to the Silver Line.
“The younger workforce can get out here,” he said. “Older executives are already out here.”
Photo: The Avant apartments at Reston Town Center
The Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority said on Monday that design modifications for safety and reliability of Metro’s Silver Line will delay the opening of Phase 2 for about 13 months.
Phase 2, which will run from Wiehle-Reston East to Dulles International Airport and into Loudoun County, was most recently projected to open in late 2018. This means it might not open until late 2019.
MWAA constructed Phase 1 of the Silver Line, which opened in July 2014 (about six months behind schedule). Phase 1 has five stops from Tysons Corner to Reston. It is also building Phase 2, which is projected to cost $2.7 billion and will expand the line from Wiehle-Reston East to Reston Town Center, Herndon, Route 28, Dulles International Airport and Ashburn.
More than 150 modifications have been made and integrated into the design for Phase 2, says MWAA. Many of these modifications parallel design changes made in the latter stages of Phase 1 and will enhance the safety and reliability of Phase 2. The modifications, when combined with associated weather and construction delays, have extended the Phase 2 construction schedule by about 13 months, MWAA officials said.
“Over 100 design changes were made in Phase 1 — a large number of them ordered in the final months of the construction process — requiring additional design, engineering, construction, management and oversight work,” Charles Stark, the Airports Authority’s executive director of the Silver Line project, said in a statement.
“For consistency, many of these same safety and reliability modifications needed to be incorporated into Phase 2 of the project, which then impacted the schedule.”
MWAA announced late last year that the entire 11-mile Phase 2 would need changes to comply with new stormwater regulations.
Meanwhile, MWAA said remaining work done to finalize Phase 1 of the project will add $76 million, or about 2.6 percent, to the previously announced Phase 1 cost of $2.8 billion.
The new Phase 1 cost of $2.982 billion remains within the original federally approved Phase 1 budget and toll rates on the Dulles Toll Road will not be affected, MWAA said. Toll rates will remain at current levels through 2018.
From MWAA:
A recently concluded global settlement with the construction contractor for Phase 1, Dulles Transit Partners, along with the resolution of other outstanding matters – including the close-out of Virginia permits which allowed Phase 1 work within Routes 7 and 123 in Tysons Corner, and the execution of contracts to supplement certain Phase 1 work, as required by WMATA – has allowed the Airports Authority to project a final Phase 1 close-out cost of $2.982 billion, which represents an additional cost of about $76 million, and to move to the final close-out of the Phase 1 project.
The majority of the remaining work on Phase 1, which opened for business in July 2014, will be completed by the end of this year, including the delivery of 64 new rail cars at a cost of $189.4 million to expand the Metrorail fleet. Final close-out of Phase 1 is expected to occur in 2016.
“The Phase 1 global settlement is an important milestone in the Silver Line project, following its successful launch in July 2014,” Airports Authority CEO Jack Potter said. “It gives us closure on the most substantial cost component of Phase 1, ensures we will achieve the project’s federal budget targets and allows us to maintain the existing toll schedule for the Dulles Toll Road.”
The ultimate impact of the Phase 1 additional costs may be reduced or even eliminated if the contingency budget for Phase 2 of the Silver Line project is not fully used and the total project, both Phases 1 and 2, comes in at or under the overall project budget.
The Airports Authority also announced an update to the construction schedule for Phase 2 of the Silver Line project, which will extend service from the terminus of Phase 1 in Reston, Virginia, through Washington Dulles International Airport and into Loudoun County, Virginia.
Potter said, “The added costs arising from Phase 2 design modifications will remain within the Phase 2 contingency budget of $550 million and will have no effect on the toll rates on the Dulles Toll Road. With our project partners, we are committed to limiting future design changes. Phase 1 is already experiencing ridership beyond expectations, and significant construction and development is underway along its path in the Dulles Corridor. We are confident that Phase 2 will experience similar success.”
Metro Transit police report that serious crime on the Metro has fallen to a five-year low and that the addition of the Silver Line has not had much of an impact on incidents on and near Metro, its bus lines and parking lots.
Stats also show no crimes were reported to Metro authorities at Reston-Wiehle East in the first five months of operation.
Metro Transit Police released it 2014 annual security report earlier this week. The report said that in 2014, Part I (serious incidents such as robbery, aggravated assault, larceny homicide and forcible rape) crime was down 27 percent — or about 5.2 crimes per million riders compared to the same 12-month period in 2013.
Metro Transit Police attributed the reduction to several factors, including increased customer awareness and outreach, officer deployment tactics, improvements in technology and intelligence sharing with law enforcement partners, said Metro spokesman Dan Stessel.
“I am pleased that our efforts last year resulted in a significant reduction in crime,” Metro Transit Police Chief Ronald Pavlik said in a statement. “While we must still remain vigilant and never forget that one crime is one too many, it is important to thank our officers for their hard work, as well as Metro’s employees and customers for being part of the solution.”
There were three significant areas in which Metro saw the biggest decrease:
- Snatch theft of mobile devices – down 52 percent
- Bicycle theft – down 22 percent
- Robberies – down 35 percent
Additionally, sexual harassment complaints were down 13 percent in 2014, Metro said.
On the Silver Line, which opened July 26, 2014, there were seven reported crimes reported at the five new Silver Line stations between opening day ay Dec. 31, 2014, said Stessel.
None of the incidents were at Wiehle-Reston East in that time frame, though a simple assault was recently reported on Jan. 6, Stessel said.
At other Silver Line Stations:
McLean
Sept. 4: Theft
Spring Hill
Aug. 12: Robbery
Dec. 27: Disorderly Conduct/Drunk in Public
Greensboro
None
Tysons Corner
July 31: Simple Assault
Sept. 5: Possession of Marijuana
Dec. 10: Armed Robbery
Dec. 18: Carrying an Open or Concealed Weapon
“We are very pleased with the low crime rates we are seeing at the five new stations,” Stessel said. “Metro Transit Police, working together with our partners at Fairfax County Police, will continue our efforts to keep crime low.”
Photo: Law enforcement officers at Wiehle-Reston East Silver Line Station
Remember last summer’s television spots that showed people gleefully dancing around Reston in anticipation of the Silver Line’s opening?
It turns out that those three TV spots did not come cheap. Washington City Paper reports that the three 15-second spots cost nearly a half-million dollars to produce and air.
The TV commercials were part of a package of products to promote the Silver Line, including bags, tiny flashlights, pennants, lanyards and cloths (featuring a map of the Metro system) for cleaning eyeglasses.
Metro’s also spent $22,548.61 for focus groups to study how to pitch the Silver Line, and $53,196.96 for Silver Line street teams to hand out items, says City Paper.
But the commercials — which promised some sad sacks better things ahead such as a richer social life and a great new job once the Metro opened — were by far the costliest.
Says City Paper:
But Metro’s biggest–and priciest–push came in the form of dozens of dancers boogieing to the Wiehle-Reston East location. Backed up by a song from Australian power poppers Architecture in Helsinki, a conga line of joyful commuters make their way to the station.The message: Metro’s so great, people in Reston will start spontaneously dancing. That ad ran the cash-strapped system a hefty $483,320.42, according to Metro records.
Whatever you think of the ads, they worked–or something. Three months after the Silver Line launch, the new stations were approaching their end-of-year ridership goals. No word yet on how much of that can be attributed to the dancers.
How’s your Silver Line experience been so far? Do YOU feel like dancing? Or mainly just getting from Point A to Point B without incident?
Developer JBG Companies is planning a new development at Sunset Hills and Reston Parkway that will bring Reston Town Center-type amenities closer to where the future Reston Parkway Metro Station will be located.
The developer is seeking a special exception in order to add retail, restaurant and food stores to the 13-acre site that currently houses three office buildings.
The new development will be called RTC West. The area is bordered by the W & OD Trail on the side of Reston Town Center, Town Center Parkway, Sunset Hills Road and the complex that currently houses Chipotle, Potbelly, Chick-fil-A, Carrabba’s and Extended Stay America.
“The development vision includes the upgrade of the first one or two floors within the office buildings to be more suitable to retail uses, and extensions of the retail program in specific areas of the site,” says JBG materials included in a Fairfax County Planning Commission Staff Report.
“This development will transform RTC West into a retail destination with a vibrant pedestrian-friendly environment to complement the existing office components.”
JBG’s application to the planning commission says the project will have 40,100 total square feet of retail stores, eating establishments, quick service food stores, and fast food restaurants.
JBG says it plans to convert 15,100 square feet of office space to retail/restaurant space and add 25,000 square feet of new retail/restaurant space (on the southwest corner of the site) within an existing office campus on three parcels. JBG says it will convert the first two floors of each building to turn office in to retail.
The plan includes:
Connecting an existing walkway to the adjacent trails along the public roadways and adding two new crosswalks across Town Center Parkway, as well as connecting the development to the W & OD trail, which runs on the northern part of the property. One development condition for JBG is working with the Northern Virginia Regional Park Authority (NVRPA) and Dominion Virginia Power to establish an easement for a pedestrian connection between the site and the W&OD trail.
Adding 1,538 parking spaces to the current 1,600 that already exist.
Leaving 15 percent open space (90,000 square feet) as per zoning requirements.
Closing the existing exit-only driveway on Town Center Parkway and to construct new signalized access point about 440 feet north of the intersection at Sunset Hills Road. Constructing an entrance in this location will require the relocation or closure of an existing entrance for the property across Town Center Parkway to avoid an unsafe intersection, JBG says. JBG will have to work out an agreement with Boston Properties, which owns that parcel, as a condition of development.
Other development conditions in the county staff report:
More road improvements, including a new turning lane on Reston Parkway, and pedestrian improvements.
Attention to keeping existing trees and planting new ones and meeting underground stormwater management standards.
See the entire staff report on the Fairfax County Planning website.
The plan will go before the Fairfax County Planning Commission in a public hearing Feb. 4.
The Silver Line is experiencing delays of about 30 minutes this morning after smoke was reported in the Metro tunnel in Arlington between the Ballston and Virginia Square Stations.
Metro says trains are single tracking in that area as a result.
The large emergency response comes after Monday’s fatal Metro incident outside the L’Enfant Metro station, in which smoke filled a disabled Metro train in a tunnel.
Keep up with the situation on ARLnow.com.
Fairfax County closed on a $403 million federal loan on Thursday, ensuring that the county will be able to pay for its portion of Phase 2 of Metro’s Silver Line.
Fairfax County, which obtained the loan through the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Transportation Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act (TIFIA) loan program, received the second- lowest interest rate in the history of the federal TIFIA loan program — a 2.73 percent interest rate.
The loan will also help keep tolls stable for Dulles Toll Road users through 2018. Without it, there was fear a greater portion of rail costs would be borne by toll road users.
The first phase of the Silver Line, which opened in July, runs from McLean to Reston’s Wiehle Avenue. The second phase of the $5.6 billion project, set to open in 2018, will have stops at Reston Parkway, Herndon, Route 28, Dulles International Airport and Ashburn.
The loan will cover about 45 percent of the county’s total estimated $915 million share for building Silver Line Phase 2. It offers a competitive interest rate and flexible repayment terms. The county may defer payments for five years after the project is finished. Because the Silver Line is expected to be completed in 2018, the county anticipates making payments starting in 2023.
“With Phase 1 on track to meet or even exceed ridership projections, I am very pleased to have approved low-interest federal financing for Phase 2,” Fairfax County Board of Supervisors Chair Sharon Bulova said yesterday.
“The funds made available through the TIFIA loan keep the project on target for completion in 2018 and reduce costs for toll road users and taxpayers. The Silver Line is vital to the economic growth of Fairfax County, the region and the Commonwealth, and I am proud of the work we’ve done to make it a reality.”
Fairfax plans to use two county sources to repay the loan: money from the Dulles Rail Phase 2 Transportation Improvement District and Commercial and Industrial Tax Fund. The county will apply $218.2 million from this voluntary tax district and $185.1 million in commercial and industrial taxes.
Loudoun County also closed on its $195 million TIFIA loan on Thursday. In August, the metropolitan Washington Airports Authority closed on its $1.28 billion portion.
“Today marks another significant milestone for Rail to Dulles as we finalize a very complex financing package for the project,” Sen. Mark Warner said in a statement. “I congratulate all of our partners on this successful step. Now we can shift our focus to completing construction as soon, as efficiently and as safely as possible.”
