The mood was festive as politicians and fans of all things transit gathered in Reston for the much-anticipated opening of the Metro’s Silver Line. The white tent where the official program was to take place was crammed so full that latecomers — or those without the right connections — were pushed to overflow seating.
The largest infrastructure project ever built in the Washington region was more than a year late and more than $100 million over budget. But on July 26, 2014, all of that was forgotten. As the first Silver Line train pulled out of Wiehle-Reston East station, there were cheers and smiles.
But the celebration would be short-lived. To make room for the line, Metro reduced service on the Blue Line, angering thousands of riders. New rail cars set to arrive before the line opened did not — leaving fewer trains in reserve when older cars broke down. The result? Worsening service disruptions systemwide. Adding to Metro’s woes, ridership was well below projections.
