Community Corner

Silver Line's Coming - But Does Everyone Know About It?

Market survey shows many Metro riders unsure of where the Silver Line stops and whether they will ride it.

By Karen Goff

Metro unveiled it's new map on Thursday - featuring the stops on the Silver Line, which will run from Tysons Corner to Reston's Wiehle Avenue.

But are enough people aware of the new rail line? Maybe not. The Washington Post reports that a Metro market research survey showed that only 45 to 55  percent of riders in the Washington region are aware of the rail addition.

"That leaves some transportation and land-use experts skeptical of whether — and when — the Silver Line will meet its ridership expectations," the Post reported. "As one of the country’s most expensive transportation projects underway, the Silver Line is seen as an important test of whether drivers will abandon their cars and ride a transit line."

Wiehle-Reston East will be the end of the line for Phase I of the $6 billion Silver Line project. Phase I is expected to open in early 2014. Phase II - from Reston to Dulles International Airport and into Ashburn - is expected to open in 2018.

Wiehle - Reston East is the only Phase I station with parking. More than 3,000 spots will be located in the seven-story underground parking garage at Reston Station.

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The Silver Line is expected to add 17,000 new riders to the Metro system on an average weekday, Metro projects But those ridership figures assume that there’s “100 percent awareness” of the rail line “among potential customers,” officials said.

Many riders surveyed said they were “aware” of the Silver Line, but they added that they were confused about where the five new stations along the first part of the Silver Line are located. They were also confused about where the Silver Line ends. Many “wrongly believe it will serve Dulles Airport in the first phase,” according to a a presentation that is expected to be delivered to Metro’s board Thursday and reported in the Post.

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