When Metrorail’s Silver Line opened in 2014, officials had high hopes for its ridership numbers. Though it ultimately did not meet those expectations, it fared better than other lines that have lost ridership since the Silver Line’s launch. But to understand the Silver Line’s true effect on the region, and particularly the Tysons communities it serves, we must first dissect its complicated impact on the entire Metrorail system.
The Silver Line and six Fairfax County Metro stations will reopen Aug. 16, three weeks ahead of schedule
Tysons Partnership welcomes WMATA’s announcement that all four Silver Line Metro stations in Tysons will reopen on August 16. The Tysons community depends on safe and reliable rail service to meet the mobility needs of our employers, residents and workforce.
When the rail closure was first announced on April 22, Tysons Partnership convened a response task force consisting of WMATA officials, Fairfax County government leaders, local business stakeholders and community members. Our goals were to expedite the return of rail service to Tysons and mitigate the effects of the shutdown on Tysons employers, commuters and residents. We are pleased with Metro’s announcement last week that bus shuttle service at the McLean and Greensboro Metro stations will begin on June 28 and with today’s announcement of a firm end date for the shutdown.
With Phase Three reopening beginning July 1, traffic volume in Northern Virginia is projected to return to near pre-pandemic levels. With this in mind, Tysons Partnership urges Fairfax County and the Commonwealth to consider piloting dedicated bus lanes as a way to ensure safe, reliable and frequent bus shuttle service through the planned August 16 rail reopening. As previously stated by WMATA GM and CEO Paul Wiedefeld, this will allow METRO “to cycle buses more efficiently, expanding capacity that would allow passengers to maintain social distancing.”
Tysons Partnership looks forward to continuing our productive collaboration with WMATA to meet the evolving transit and business needs of the Tysons community as the Silver Line expands and Tysons continues to grow.
In May, Sol Glasner, CEO of the Tysons Partnership, said he was disappointed and frustrated with how Metro handled the Silver Line shutdown. He argued it created a chicken-and-egg scenario for businesses trying to get back on their feet.
The Tysons redevelopment plan established a goal of achieving a residential population of 100,000 by 2050. So far, the pace of multifamily housing is construction is exceeding rapi
A recent survey released this week offers a snapshot into the many concerns people have from transit and childcare to what may be stopping people from returning to the office for work.
