Riding D.C. Metro's Silver Line: the Great Suburban Retrofit

CityLab provides an in-depth analysis of the planning efforts surrounding the D.C. Metro's forthcoming Silver Line in Tysons Corner, Virginia. At stake, according to the article: "the future of the American suburb as we know it."

1 minute read

June 11, 2014, 7:00 AM PDT

By James Brasuell @CasualBrasuell


Chris Klimek focuses on Tysons, which adopted a Comprehensive Plan Amendment for the Tysons Corner Urban Center. "What makes Tysons' 40-year urbanization plan of national interest," according to Klimek, "is the area's sheer size and car-centric character."

"The current plan for Tysons, adopted in 2010, envisions 100,000 residents and twice as many daytime workers by 2050," so "[in] other words, the 40-year plan is less a facelift than a full-body transplant."

To undergo this radical transformation, "Fairfax County has said it wants at least three-quarters of new development planned for Tysons to occur within a half-mile of one of its four Silver Line stations. Another 45 million square feet of construction is planned for the coming decades, one of the largest construction projects on the East Coast."

Tuesday, June 10, 2014 in CityLab

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I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

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