Metro Silver Line service to resume Aug. 16

Metro will resume Silver Line service and reopen six Fairfax County stations on Aug. 16, the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority announced Wednesday.

The six stations are the five “west-of-Ballston” Silver Line stations (McLean, Tysons Corner, Greensboro, Spring Hill and Wiehle-Reston East) plus one Orange Line station: West Falls Church. The remaining three west-of-Ballston stations (Vienna, Dunn Loring, and East Falls Church) are expected to reopen around Labor Day.

Metrorail ridership continues to be down about 90% compared to last year, due to the COVID-19 pandemic and construction projects.

“We appreciate the patience of our customers and the business community as we have worked to complete these projects as quickly and safely as possible,” said WMATA CEO Paul J. Wiedefeld. “By combining the schedules of our two biggest capital priorities in Virginia during a time of historically low ridership, we believe we have positioned Metro and the region for a strong recovery.”

“I am excited by the news of the earlier reopening of the Silver Line and the West Falls Church station this summer,” said Fairfax County Board of Supervisors Chairman Jeffrey C. McKay. “As our COVID-19 case data improves, we need to be able to approach reopening the region in a safe and sustainable way, while also supporting the needs of the business community.”

Free shuttle buses will continue to connect Vienna, Dunn Loring, and East Falls Church to the Metrorail system after Aug. 16; however, Vienna and Dunn Loring customers will be able to connect to Metrorail at West Falls Church, rather than Ballston. Construction activity will be ongoing at Orange Line stations, even following station reopenings.