The Connections Newspapers reported on a recent public hearing at Herndon High School regarding the proposed Silver Line station at the current Monroe Park and Ride. Changes are needed to meet environmental concerns and to lower project costs. Most changes affect the south side of the station on the Oak Hill side. Since Loudoun County still has not agreed to fund its share of the project, these plans have no guarantee of moving to fruition.

For the proposed Herndon-Monroe station changes, they will all occur on the south side of the Dulles Toll Road. The facilities were modified to include a single parking structure on the west side of the station, instead of the previously planned two structures.

“The total number of new parking spaces will remain the same, 1,750, but because the new structure would accommodate more parking, it has a larger footprint and will be slightly taller,” Rohrer said.

Other changes along Phase Two include reconfiguration of station entrances, access roadways and bus facilities, location of storm water management facilities and traction power substations and a reduction in tail track length.

Rohrer said that none of the changes would involve neighborhoods, park and recreation areas, geologic resources or air quality.

Read the full article.

This week the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors confirmed that Fairfax County will fund its share of phase two of the Silver Line. This includes planned stations at the Herndon/Monroe Park and Ride. The project includes all the stations between Wiehle Avenue and Dulles Airport. Construction for this phase will start next year.

Even better news: the cost of the extension is $1 billion less than a previous estimate. Much of the money is not being funded by Fairfax County directly, but by special voluntary tax districts along the Silver Line. Read the entire news release.

Oh, and the new name of the station: nothing with Oak Hill in its name, simply Herndon. Read that release and the names of all these stations too.