WMATA marks one year of Silver Line service

The Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) yesterday marked the first anniversary of Silver Line rail service.

WMATA Interim General Manager and Chief Executive Officer Jack Recqua met with elected officials and business leaders in Tysons Corner, Va., to discuss the line's economic benefits.

"Thanks to the Silver Line, people are already getting out of their cars and walking to work, to eat, and to shop in Tysons and Reston,” said U.S. Rep. Gerry Connolly (D-Va.) in a statement. “And when the entire 23-mile Metrorail line is completed, I expect it will further enhance quality of life and employment options for Northern Virginians and other residents of the region."

More than 105 million square feet of new development is planned within a half-mile of Silver Line stations, including 20 development projects underway, WMATA officials said.

The new line’s first phase links downtown Washington, D.C., and Tysons Corner, Va. Work has begun on the second phase, which will add 11.4 miles and six stations, including one at Washington Dulles International Airport.

Together, both phases of the Silver Line mark the largest expansion in WMATA's Metrorail history, agency officials said.