Dulles International Airport station

Washington Dulles International Airport station
Company type	Washington Metro station
Industry	Public transportation
Founded	November 15, 2022; 3 years ago
Headquarters	Loudoun County, United States
Area served	Washington metropolitan area
Products	Metro rail service (Silver Line)

Washington Dulles International Airport station—often referred to as Dulles International Airport or simply Dulles Airport—serves as a Washington Metro stop located at Dulles International Airport in Loudoun County, Virginia. It operates on the Silver Line. Despite several postponements, the station commenced operations on November 15, 2022. Originally designed to be an underground facility, the final construction resulted in an elevated platform positioned next to daily parking garage 1.

Access between the station and the airport terminal is facilitated by an existing pedestrian tunnel that connects parking zones and garage 1 to the baggage claim area, equipped with moving walkways for passenger ease.

History

Plans for a Metro station serving Dulles date back to 1969, with a 1971 report proposing an underground stop beneath a parking lot. Official planning efforts began in 2002, and construction on the first phase started in 2004.

The Silver Line was developed during the early 2000s to link Washington, D.C., with Washington Dulles International Airport as well as major suburban centers such as Tysons, Reston, Herndon, and Ashburn. This project unfolded in two segments, with Phase 1 connecting Washington, D.C., to Wiehle–Reston East and opening in 2014.

Construction

While Phase 1 progressed, planning for Phase 2 extending through Dulles Airport continued. On April 6, 2011, the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority (MWAA) board voted 9–4 to construct an underground station approximately 550 feet from the terminal at an added cost of $330 million, pushing back the opening to mid-2017. Yet, on July 20, 2011, MWAA reversed this decision under pressure from state and local officials aiming to cut expenses, approving instead an elevated station situated about 1,150 feet from the terminal.

In 2012, the Loudoun County Board of Supervisors narrowly passed the extension of the line to include Dulles Airport and parts of Loudoun County. The contract for Phase 2 was awarded on April 25, 2013, valued at $1.177 billion. Initial designs featuring a single-side platform were altered to a center platform configuration to comply with Metro standards and accommodate possible future westward expansions.

The Virginia Historic Preservation Office expressed concerns regarding how an above-ground station might affect the visual integrity of the Eero Saarinen-designed terminal. However, consultants estimated that constructing an elevated station would reduce building expenses by approximately $640 million.

The pedestrian tunnel linking the terminal with parking areas was closed in January 2016 for modifications to integrate access to the upcoming Metro station and reopened in November 2018.

Opening

In April 2015, officials announced a delay in the station’s opening until late 2019 due to more stringent stormwater regulations and late-stage additions to automated train control systems. By August 2019, completion was anticipated by mid-2020; however, openings were subsequently postponed first to early 2021 and then late that year. In February 2021, Metro revealed plans for a five-month testing phase for Phase 2. MWAA aimed for substantial completion by Labor Day 2021 but did not meet this target.

In November 2021, MWAA declared the rail extension "substantially complete," while WMATA projected an additional five months of testing before commencing passenger service. Simulated service trials began in October 2022. The second phase officially launched on November 15, 2022.

External links

WMATA – Washington Dulles International Airport