Four years behind schedule and $50 million over budget, the Silver Spring Transit Center will be open to bus business on September 20, 2015. Eventually, light rail will also serve the location.
According to an announcement on D.C. Metro's PlanItMetro blog, the long-overdue Silver Spring Transit Center will open Sunday, September 20 to the public, with operations launching for Metrobus, Ride On, and Shuttle-UM. Eventually, the Silver Spring Transit Center will also serve as a station on the Purple Line Light Rail route.
As for what transit users can expect this weekend, "The Silver Spring Transit Center will replace on-street bus stops with 3 stories of bus bays, taxis, a kiss and ride, and public restrooms." One hundred and twenty-five buses per hours will use the hub during peak hours. The post includes photos of various components of the new bus infrastructure as well as a schedule of the routes that will use the new station.
Luz Lazzo reported on the opening day when it was announced back in August, which was also around the same time the county of Montgomery transferred the station over to Metro. Lazzo provided this summary of the construction challenges that plagued the completion of the project: "Concerns about the strength of the concrete and the adequacy of steel supports in some areas of the facility, including persistent cracks in the concrete structure, turned the project into a major embarrassment for the county and, in the end, put the project $50 million over budget and four years behind schedule."
FULL STORY: Paul S. Sarbanes Silver Spring Transit Center Opening September 20th
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