Metro Stops In Northern Virginia In Question

FAIRFAX, Va. (WUSA) -- Metrorail's silver line will go through Northern Virginia, past Dulles Airport. There will be a stop at Wiehle Avenue and the next stop may not be until the airport.

But if landowners have their way there could be three stops along the route. They would include a stop at Reston Town Center, the second at Herndon-Monroe where there is already an existing transit station, and the third stop would be near Route 28 before the Dulles Airport.

Those close to the project say the metro stops are crucial to development and relieving congestion.

Patty Nicoson is the Dulles Corridor Rail Association president.

"Unless we get development that's going to generate the riders we won't able to pay for it," she says. "It's a waste of an invaluable asset if we don't get the stations or the development around it."

To make this a reality, Fairfax officials need to raise money by taxing landowners. Owners of 51 percent of the land area must agree on the tax in order for the three metro stops to be built.

The tax could be as high as 22 cents for every 100 dollars assessed value. In other words landowners could be paying 440 dollars more a year for 200, thousand dollars assessed value of the property.

Officials agree one of the biggest challenges is making sure landowners know about the tax and are hoping the benefits of Metrorail stops will outweigh the cost.

Phase one of the silverline will go from the orange line at West Falls church, Tysons Corner and Wiehle Avenue. That is expected to be completed in 2013. Phase two will go from Wiehle Avenue to Route 772 along the Dulles Greenway. It is expected to be completed in 2015.