Metro Board Member Proposes Scrapping Silver Line Expansion from Reston: Report

As Metro grapples with a budget crisis and a huge SafeTrack maintenance effort, one board member has suggested cancelling the $5.8 billion Silver Line extension westward from Reston that is scheduled to open in 2020, according to a report.

The Washington Post reports that Corbett A. Price, the District's representative on the board, received stiff opposition from Virginia officials who said such a proposal would result in breaking contracts and result in lawsuits, and probably wouldn't save much money as the line is already well under construction.

Instead of a serious proposal, it may be more of a move to put pressure on Virginia suburbs to contribute more money to Metro, the report notes.

Metro is not actually on the hook for the Silver Line, which is being paid for by federal, state and local funds, with Dulles Toll Road drivers paying for 70 percent of the project.

The second phase of the Silver Line would include six stations, including stations at Herndon and Dulles Airport. The project is about 47 percent complete, and construction has begun at five of six stations.

Image via WMATA