It’s been a long time coming, and at times a frustrating process, but finally Tysons has rail with the opening of the Silver Line. Luminaries, both those who helped the project and those who attempted to shut it down, were in attendance at the grand opening.
While much of the focus was at the terminus in Reston at Wiehle Station, Tysons Metro Station quickly became the most popular destination. With the new plaza on level 2 open, although not yet directly connected to the metro skywalk, the weekend had plenty of music, food, and entertainment options.
The day wasn’t without drama. About an hour into service a metro driver overshot the platform at Tysons Corner Station and had to back track, causing a significant 10 minute delay (with many transit and political leaders on board). There was also an escalator malfunction (yes that’s ridiculous) at the McLean Station.
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The good news on that front? The escalators are not the same as the ones in the rest of the system, where the previous manufacturer has long since gone out of business, making escalator repair much more difficult. The escalator was able to be corrected soon after the issue.
In other drama, the crime spree has begun at Tysons as many predicted. Yesterday an intense standoff between mall goers and a fallen trash can created near pandemonium at the mall… gee I wonder why so many people are on edge?
The final numbers for Silver Line ridership were decent, but ultimately meaningless considering how many atypical riders used the system yesterday. Monday will be the first indicator on ridership, parking issues, and other operations.
I took the opportunity to see friends in Arlington who I otherwise would have used a car to visit. We want to know what did you do on your #1stRideSV ?