Herndon station

File:Herndon Station.jpg

In anticipation of a future mass transit route in the Dulles Access Road median, in 1999 Fairfax County constructed a $20 million park and ride facility which includes a Fairfax Connector station that serves most bus lines in the Herndon and Reston areas as well as buses carrying commuters to the {{wmata|West Falls Church}} or other Metro stations daily. The existing facility is served by direct westbound on-ramps and eastbound off-ramps to SR 267. The existing parking garage has 1,750 spaces. The garage has drawn criticism because of alleged construction flaws.{{cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/01/26/AR2008012601981.html|title=Authorities Cringe as Va. Garage Crumbles|newspaper=Washington Post|first=Bill |last=Turque|date=January 27, 2008|access-date=December 19, 2009}} The garage has expanded to 3,500 spaces for the Metro station. In the meantime, the Town of Herndon has initiated transportation oriented development of the land on the north side of the station. On November 10, 2009, the town government designated commercial, industrial and multi-unit rental residential properties within the town boundaries for inclusion in a special tax district to fund the construction of Phase II of the Silver Line.{{cite web |title=Fund 40120 Dulles Rail Phase II Transportation Improvement District |url=http://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/dmb/fy2015/advertised/volume2/40120.pdf |access-date=July 1, 2016}}

The Silver Line was developed in the 21st century to link Washington, D.C., by rail to Washington Dulles International Airport and the edge cities of Tysons, Reston, Herndon, and Ashburn.{{Cite web |title=Silver Line Activation Plan |url=http://www.wmata.com/about_metro/board_of_directors/board_docs/110413_4ASilverLineActivationPlan.pdf |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140209145054/http://www.wmata.com/about_metro/board_of_directors/board_docs/110413_4ASilverLineActivationPlan.pdf |archive-date=February 9, 2014 |access-date=June 28, 2014 |website=WMATA}} It was built in two phases; the first phase, linking Washington, D.C., to {{wmata|Wiehle–Reston East}}, opened in 2014.{{Cite news |last1=III |first1=Ashley Halsey |last2=Aratani |first2=Lori |last3=Duggan |first3=Paul |date=July 26, 2014 |title=All aboard! Metro's new Silver Line rolls down the tracks for the first time. |language=en-US |newspaper=Washington Post |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/trafficandcommuting/all-aboard-metros-new-silver-line-rolls-down-the-tracks-for-the-first-time/2014/07/26/238aaa68-14cc-11e4-8936-26932bcfd6ed_story.html |access-date=November 16, 2022 |issn=0190-8286}} The funding and planning of Phase 2 through Dulles Airport continued while Phase 1 was being constructed. In 2012, the Loudoun County Board of Supervisors voted 5 to 4 to extend the line to Dulles Airport and into the county.{{Cite news |last=Jacobson Moore |first=Erika |date=July 3, 2012 |title=Loudoun's In: Split Board Backs Silver Line Extension |publisher=Leesburg Today Media Services |url=http://www.leesburgtoday.com/news/article_7a418094-c51d-11e1-a10e-001a4bcf887a.html |url-status=dead |access-date=July 9, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120708010943/http://www.leesburgtoday.com/news/article_7a418094-c51d-11e1-a10e-001a4bcf887a.html |archive-date=July 8, 2012}} On April 25, 2013, the Phase 2 contract was issued at a cost of $1.177 billion.{{Cite press release |title=Airports Authority Intends to Award Phase 2 Construction Contract to Capital Rail Constructors |date=April 25, 2013 |url=http://www.mwaa.com/about/airports-authority-intends-award-phase-2-construction-contract-capital-rail-constructors |access-date=March 22, 2014}}

In April 2015, project officials pushed back the opening date for the station to late 2019, stating that stricter requirements for stormwater management caused much of the delay. Per officials, the line also had to incorporate improvements to the system's automated train controls that were a late addition to the project's first phase.{{Cite web|last=Goldberg|first=The Associated Press, Jeff|date=April 28, 2015|title=Final phase of Silver Line to Dulles delayed until 2019|url=https://wjla.com/news/local/final-phase-of-silver-line-to-dulles-delayed-until-2019-113562|access-date=December 13, 2020|website=WJLA}} In August 2019, project officials reported that they expected construction on the second phase of the Silver Line to be completed by mid-2020.{{Cite web|last=Roussey/ABC7|first=Tom|date=August 6, 2019|title=Airports Authority: Silver Line could be completed by April 2020|url=https://wjla.com/news/local/silver-line-complete-2020|access-date=December 13, 2020|website=WJLA}} The opening date was postponed to early 2021,{{Cite web|last=Roussey (ABC7)|first=Tom|date=February 20, 2020|title=Second phase of Metro Silver Line delayed again, will open spring 2021 at the earliest|url=https://wjla.com/news/local/second-phase-metro-silver-line-delayed-again-spring-2021|access-date=December 13, 2020|website=WJLA}} then to late 2021.{{Cite web|title=Second phase of Metro's Silver Line now expected to be delayed again, to fall 2021|url=https://wjla.com/amp/news/local/second-phase-of-metros-silver-line-now-expected-to-be-delayed-again-to-fall-2021|access-date=December 13, 2020|website=wjla.com}} In February 2021, Metro announced that it would need five months to test the Phase 2 extension.{{cite web |url=https://www.wmata.com/about/board/meetings/board-pdfs/upload/3C-Silver-Line-Phase-2-Update.pdf |title=Silver Line Phase 2 Update |date=February 11, 2021 |website=WMATA |access-date=September 6, 2021 }}{{cite news |url=https://www.bizjournals.com/washington/feature/silver-line/index.html?page=all |title=Silver Line |date=February 3, 2014 |work=Washington Business Journal |author=Cushman & Wakefield Research |access-date=September 6, 2021 }} The Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority (MWAA) then announced that the Phase 2 extension should be substantially complete by Labor Day 2021,{{Cite web|url=https://wtop.com/local/2021/03/silver-line-extension-expected-to-be-ready-for-metro-takeover-by-labor-day/?fbclid=IwAR1N-y0hLvy7MBIhB7Tpr1uMfM3X9AkTpk913liH5jcYGw_OScyjYFnBPIU|title = Silver Line extension expected to be ready for Metro takeover by Labor Day|date = March 5, 2021}} although MWAA subsequently missed this deadline.{{Cite web|url=https://www.restonnow.com/2021/07/02/mwaa-will-miss-labor-day-deadline-for-silver-line-phase-2-likely-pushing-back-opening/|title=MWAA will miss Labor Day deadline for Silver Line Phase 2, likely pushing back opening|date=July 2, 2021}}

MWAA declared the work on the rail line to be "substantially complete" in November 2021. However, WMATA estimated that it could take five months of testing and other preparations before passenger service could begin.{{Cite news |title=Silver Line extension to Dulles inches closer to completion after years of delay |language=en-US |newspaper=Washington Post |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/transportation/2021/11/04/silver-line-dulles-loudoun-metro/ |access-date=November 16, 2022 |issn=0190-8286}} Simulated service testing began operating along the Phase 2 tracks in October 2022.{{cite web |date=September 8, 2022 |title=Simulated service for Silver Line Phase Two to begin next month but opening date uncertain |url=https://www.ffxnow.com/2022/09/08/simulated-service-for-silver-line-phase-two-to-begin-next-month-but-opening-date-uncertain/ |access-date=October 7, 2022 |website=FFXnow |language=en}}{{cite web |title=Your new Silver Line stations coming soon with a new Metrorail map |url=https://www.wmata.com/about/news/New-Silver-Line-Extension-Map.cfm |access-date=October 7, 2022 |website=www.wmata.com |publisher=WMATA}}{{cite web |title=Next Phase of Silver Line to Open Soon |url=https://www.nbcwashington.com/news/local/transportation/next-phase-of-silver-line-to-open-soon/3175081/ |access-date=October 7, 2022 |website=NBC4 Washington}} Phase 2 formally opened on November 15, 2022.{{cite press release |url=https://www.wmata.com/about/news/Silver-Line-Grand-Opening.cfm |publisher=Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority |title=Metro launches Silver Line Extension with opening ceremony; welcomes customers to #RideSilver to six new stations |date=November 15, 2022}}

{{Reflist}}

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• [http://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/fcdot/pdf/parkride/Herndon_Monroe.pdf Diagram of pre-existing facility]
• [http://www.herndon-va.gov/departments/community-development/planning-policy/metrorail-planning Town of Herndon, VA : Metrorail Planning]

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