Airports Authority Issues Notice to Proceed; Begins Silver Line Phase 2

Design/Build package scheduled to be completed July 2018

Yesterday, the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority issued a Notice to Proceed to Capital Rail Constructors, a joint venture of Clark Construction Group and Kiewit Infrastructure South, to begin construction of Phase 2 of the Dulles Corridor Metrorail Project.

“This is an important milestone,” said Airports Authority President and CEO Jack Potter. “The Notice to Proceed allows Capital Rail Constructors to get to work making rail to Dulles a reality. This means crews will soon be in the field surveying, performing site preparations and making geological assessments while they finalize permits and other design work. Actual construction work using heavy equipment and cranes will likely begin in spring of 2014.”

The Notice to Proceed initiates the contract, previously awarded to Capital Rail Constructors on May 14, for construction of six stations in Fairfax and Loudoun counties, 11.4 miles of track and guideways and wayside components. The stations are Reston Town Center, Herndon, Innovation Center near Route 28, Washington Dulles International Airport, Route 606 and Route 772/Ashburn. The notice sets a construction completion period of 60 months, targeting completion in July 2018.

“Ten years ago rail to Dulles and beyond was still just a hopeful idea,” said Airports Authority Chairman Michael Curto. “Today it is on its way to becoming a reality as we formally initiate Phase 2 of rail to Dulles. There is still much work to be done on both Phase 1 and Phase 2, but this Notice to Proceed represents an important milestone toward increased transportation connectivity for the region.”

The announcement comes as the Airports Authority and its Phase 1 contractor Dulles Transit Partners are 94 percent complete with construction of Phase 1 of the Silver Line from East Falls Church, through Tysons Corner, to Wiehle Avenue on the eastern side of Reston. Phase 1 will have five stations, including four in the Tysons Corner area.

According to the MWAA press release, construction of Phase 2 is expected to have significant positive impacts on the local economy. Phase 1 generated as many as 1,800 construction jobs during peak periods. In addition, 60 percent of all procurements for the project were with subcontractors based in the metropolitan Washington, D.C. region.

The Silver Line project is being undertaken in partnership with Loudoun and Fairfax counties, the Commonwealth of Virginia and the U.S. Department of Transportation.

Read a related article "Rail to Loudoun: One Year Later" from the Loudoun Times.

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