Construction is underway, but testing has been halted, on Phase 2 of the WMATA Silver Line, which will eventually include six stations, including one at Dulles International Airport, and will for the first time extend Metro into Loudoun County.
Lori Artani reports bad news for Phase Two of the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (Metro) Silver Line, after officials requested that testing of trains ceases due to safety concerns.
Construction of the new Silver Line is being managed by Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority (MWAA), but Capital Rail Constructors (CRC) is doing the building. The second phase of the project is already a year behind schedule. Phase One opened with four stations in Tysons and one in Reston on July 26, 2014.
"For months, MWAA and its contractors, which also include Hensel Phelps, have been grappling with a growing list of problems on the $5.8 billion project, including rail ties with too much curvature in them to meet Metro standards, defective concrete panels at several stations that must be treated with special sealant, and contamination in the ballast that supports the track in the new rail yard," according to Artani.
The latest bad news was revealed when CRC revealed that they'd been ordered by Metro to halt testing. MWAA, as Artani reports, has been sticking to positive messaging about the progress of construction on the project. Metro and MWAA are not on the same page here.
FULL STORY: Metro has ordered Silver Line builder to stop running test trains because of construction flaws
D.C. Metro Plans Ambitious Expansion Despite Financial Woes
Facing a $750 million ‘fiscal cliff,’ the agency says it’s important to continue looking forward to ‘visionary’ future plans.
5 Transit Projects to Watch in the D.C. Region in 2020
Light rail, bus rapid transit, subway cell service, and more.
Congressman Proposes Bill to Rename DC Metro “Trump Train”
The Make Autorail Great Again Act would withhold federal funding to the system until the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA), rebrands as the Washington Metropolitan Authority for Greater Access (WMAGA).
Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.
Chicago’s Ghost Rails
Just beneath the surface of the modern city lie the remnants of its expansive early 20th-century streetcar system.
Amtrak Cutting Jobs, Funding to High-Speed Rail
The agency plans to cut 10 percent of its workforce and has confirmed it will not fund new high-speed rail projects.
Ohio Forces Data Centers to Prepay for Power
Utilities are calling on states to hold data center operators responsible for new energy demands to prevent leaving consumers on the hook for their bills.
MARTA CEO Steps Down Amid Citizenship Concerns
MARTA’s board announced Thursday that its chief, who is from Canada, is resigning due to questions about his immigration status.
Silicon Valley ‘Bike Superhighway’ Awarded $14M State Grant
A Caltrans grant brings the 10-mile Central Bikeway project connecting Santa Clara and East San Jose closer to fruition.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
Caltrans
City of Fort Worth
Mpact (founded as Rail~Volution)
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
City of Portland
City of Laramie