Silver Line project completion delayed due to testing, D.C. airports authority says

Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority (MWAA) officials announced yesterday that more testing is needed on the Silver Line extension’s first phase, which will result in additional delays in turning the line's operation over to the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA).

The additional testing will focus on software updates related to the Automatic Train Control System, MWAA officials said in a press release. The contractor is in the process of making the changes to ensure the proper performance of the train control system, they said.

Once completed, the contractor will report the changes for review and approval by WMATA and the authority. Then, re-testing will be performed to make sure the system is functioning properly and meets performance specifications, MWAA officials said.

"This is why we test," said Pat Nowakowski, executive director of the Dulles Corridor Metrorail Project. "Our guiding principle throughout this process has been safety first and we remain committed to that principal. We will not do anything that might compromise safety or create unsafe conditions for the traveling public."

The delay was the second to occur in the past few months. In summer, the MWAA announced a two-month delay in completing the project, which extended the completion timeline from September to November.

The Silver Line project is a 23-mile extension of WMATA's Metrorail system into Loudon County, Va.  Phase I will run from East Falls Church to Wiehle Avenue on the eastern edge of Reston, Va.