Drivers passing the six Silver Phase 2 stations under construction can see that much of the exterior work appears complete – in fact, construction has reached the 92 percent completion point – however, much interior work remains before the contractor, Capital Rail Constructors, and the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority turn the system over to Metro for testing, training and programming prior to opening for public service.
Now it’s easy to see how the stations and their connecting pedestrian overpasses will connect to the pavilions on the north and south sides of the toll road corridor.
Work crews in yellow vests and hard hats continue to dot the stations, track, pavilions, pedestrian bridges and tracks along the Phase 2 alignment, but over the next few months, more and more of those workers will be heading to interior work stations to run utility lines, install equipment and test all of the facilities.
Capital Rail Constructors, a joint venture of Clark Construction and Kiewit Corp., is building the station, tracks and supporting facilities. The following are updates on the three new stations that will serve Fairfax County:
Reston Town Center Station
While Reston Town Center itself is not immediately adjacent to an entrance pavilion, it seems a lot closer through a camera lens.
The Reston north pavilion. The concrete pavement is part of the bus bays adjacent to the pavilion. The pedestrian bridge is on the left side of the photo.
The pedestrian bridges to the station and across Sunset Hills road bring focus to the connectivity of existing town center structures and adjacent buildings that are home to a variety of companies, including Bechtel Corp. New construction coming to the area adds to the pedestrian-friendly conclave developing near the station, including the 4.8 million-square-foot Reston Gateway development to the north of the station and the 4.1 million-square-foot Reston Crescent complex to the south. Upcoming work includes:
- Concrete work around the north pavilion is complete. Work continues along the north side of Sunset Hills Road.
- The shaft for the pier that will support a pedestrian bridge to connect with new development is complete.
- Widening of Sunset Hills Road continues.
- Signal work surrounding the Boston Properties site has begun and will continue for three weeks in January.
- Utility relocations are ongoing on the south side of the station.
- Work continues to progress on a roundabout near the south pavilion.
Herndon Station
Work continues at Herndon Station to the north and south. On the south side, pavilion work continues within the existing Herndon-Monroe Park and Ride facility. Fairfax County continues to work on a new parking garage that will expand the capacity from 1,950 spaces to 3,500. Sidewalks around the pavilion have been finished and the last bridge span was set in December. Along the north side, work crews have focused on the pavilion work, which took over a portion of an existing parking lot. In addition, workers are constructing a connection from that pavilion to Herndon Parkway.
Ongoing work includes:
- Finishing sewer and stormwater facilities to the north
- Finish tying in utilities on the north side, anticipated to be complete at the end of January
- Construction of a retaining wall on the north side
- JBG started construction on a parking garage for the south side in January.
- Fairfax County will repave the park and ride facility
Innovation Center Station
Innovation Center Station sits near the Center for Innovative Technology and near the front door of Washington-Dulles International Airport. Innovation was the first station under construction and is the furthest along. Rocks Engineering is building a 2,000-space parking garage for Fairfax County on the south side of Innovation, along with a 1.5 million-square-foot mixed use development. On the north side, a mixed-use community known as the Hub has been approved. Much of the sidewalk work on the north side has been finished. On going work at Innovation Center includes:
- Continued work on sound wall on the north side
- Landscape installation will begin on the south side
The purpose of Dulles Metrorail is to provide high-quality, high-capacity transit service in the Dulles Corridor and to provide a transit connection between the corridor and downtown Washington.
Coat Drive
Dusty Smith of the Dulles Corridor Metrorail Project and Suzanne Miller of Capital Rail Constructors organized the delivery of dozens of coats to supervisor Cathy Hudgins office that were distributed to people who would otherwise have not had a coat this winter. Numerous project employees donated brand new or gently used items, including hand-knitted hats and scarves.
Photo by Pam Bolls/MWAA
Pictured at top: The Reston Town Center Station looking westerly along the Westbound Dulles Toll Road. The pedestrian bridge connects to the north pavilion.
Photos by Phil Deleon/Dulles Corridor Metrorail System
