MWAA: WMATA Silver Line to open in 2014

Revenue service for Phase One of Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA)'s Silver Line won't commence until early 2014, news radio station WTOP said Wednesday, June 13, 2013. Service was to begin late this year.

Sam Carnaggio, director of the Dulles Corridor Project at Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority (MWAA), made the revelation during a presentation at the Action Committee for Transit on Tuesday, June 12, WTOP said.

“The project from the contractor is expected to be completed by the end of September or in early October, so we’re now projecting January 2014,” he says.

Carnaggio said construction work is about 94% complete.

“We have to do station finishing work, to be able to complete the ceilings, the walls, to do some painting. Just like you would in your home or office building,” said Carnaggio. “We also have systems work to make sure all the wiring and cabling will operate safely and function correctly so that (Metro) can operate the trains.”

Carnaggio said Jan. 1, 2014, likely was the earliest launch date. He also noted Phase Two should begin work nest month, with visible construction evidence beginning in early 2014. Phase Two will extend Metrorail into Loudoun County past Dulles Airport, and should be completed in five years.

Last month MWAA awarded the first of three-design-build contracts for Phase Two to Capital Rail Constructors, a joint venture of Clark Construction Group and Kiewit Infrastructure South with Parsons acting lead designer.

When completed, the Silver Line, also known as the Dulles Corridor Metrorail project, will stretch 28 miles through three Virginia counties, integrating with existing portions of WMATA’s Orange Line within the District of Columbia. Construction cost is estimated at $6.8 billion.