One of D.C.'s Largest Infrastructure Projects Gets the Go-Ahead

The narrow vote was crucial to securing the extension of Metro's Silver Line to some of Northern Virginia's fastest growing suburbs, and to D.C.'s only airport not served by rail. "Without Loudoun's commitment to contribute nearly $270 million toward construction costs, the second part of the long-planned project would have been in jeopardy," writes Caitlin Gibson.

"For a once-rural community that has become one of the fastest-growing counties in the nation, it is a significant step for Loudoun - one that has been championed by many Loudoun residents and business leaders and especially by young adults, who have said that access to the District is a key factor for 20- and 30-something professionals looking to settle in the suburbs."

"When completed, at a projected cost of $6 billion, the Silver Line will span 23 miles of rail between East Falls Church and Ashburn, providing Loudoun with a rail link to the rest of the metropolitan area."