Metro Silver Line Extension Opens in Loudoun County – The Piedmont Environmental Council

front of metro car with view of Dulles airport in background — Metro’s Silver Line now includes a stop at Dulles International Airport. *Photo credit Beyond DC, Flickr.*

This is worth celebrating! Metro’s six new Silver Line stops opened this week, including service to Dulles Airport and Loudoun County. This once-in-a-generation investment enables a more sustainable future in the D.C. region and Virginia by reducing car trips/vehicle miles traveled and creating opportunities for smart growth. Since the transportation sector is the country’s biggest contributor to greenhouse gas emissions, this is also a huge win in the fight against climate change.

sign kiosk with map of metro system and grand opening announcement — *Photo credit Beyond DC, Flickr.*

The Silver Line has already started to reshape land use in the region for the better but there’s still a lot of work left to do. Local governments in Loudoun and Fairfax must continue to focus development and build affordable housing around the new stations, create safe walking/biking connections and link local bus routes. Elected officials throughout Northern Virginia also need to resist pressure to expand highways and approve more sprawl.

Tuesday’s ribbon cutting represents a long process of planning at the regional and local level and an extraordinary effort to combine local, state and national resources to fund public transit infrastructure. PEC is proud to have been a partner in those efforts, both directly and through our support of the Coalition for Smarter Growth.