Board of Supervisors Sends Metro Names to WMATA

At its meeting on Tuesday, the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors recommended names for the eight Metrorail stations that are part of the Dulles Metrorail Project. 

The names will be submitted for approval to the Washington Metro Transit Authority board of directors. Hunter Mill Supervisor Cathy Hudgins is also the chair of the WMTA board.

The recommended station names are:

• Tysons-McLean
• Tysons I & II
• Tysons Central
• Tysons-Spring Hill Rd
• Reston-Wiehle Ave
• Reston Town Center
• Herndon-Reston West
• Herndon-Dulles East

The Board of Supervisors pointed out that each proposed station name connotes a community: Tysons, Reston, Herndon, or McLean. Some include street names while others include the name of shopping malls and a town center.

There was some discussion at the meeting that the names could change at some point after the stations are open.

The Reston Town Center name has received some criticism from citizens because the station will not actually be at the Reston Town Center, but several blocks away. However, developers say that the town center may eventually be built out to reach the station, and there are also plans in the works for walkways, paths and other infrastructure that will make the station and the town center feel more connected.

The 23-mile transit line will run from Tysons to Dulles International Airport to the rest of the region, and the project comprises a total of 11 Metrorail stations, eight of which are located in Fairfax County.

The four stations in Tysons, as well as Reston-Wiehle Ave., are set to be operational in late 2013. Groundbreaking on the 2,300-space parking garage at Wiehle will be next week. .

Phase II - the remaining stations - should be open by 2016.