• 1950s
    • 1958 Construction of Washington International Airport begins.
  • 1960s
    • 1962 Official operations begin at Dulles International Airport; Dulles International Airport Access Highway opens.
    • 1962 D.C. Transit study is completed proposing Monorail in the Dulles Corridor with an eastern terminus in Georgetown.
    • 1964 Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) recommends reservation of the median of the Dulles International Airport Access Highway for a future transit line in Master Plan.
    • 1966 President Johnson signs bill creating the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA).
  • 1970s
    • 1971 Day & Zimmerman study proposes Heavy Rail/Metrorail with various alternatives for an eastern terminus.
    • 1978 WMATA K Route study analyzed six alternatives that included express bus service and rail service in the I-66 Corridor (west of Ballston) and Dulles Corridor. Alternative #1, extending Metrorail to Vienna and operating express bus in the Dulles Corridor, is advanced.
  • 1980s
    • 1983 Dulles International Airport Access Highway Connector to I-66 is completed.
    • 1983 Northern Virginia Light Rail, Inc. proposes to collect contributions from local developers to build a light rail line to Dulles International Airport.
    • 1984 VDOT opens the Dulles Toll Road with six lanes from I-495 to VA-7, and four lanes elsewhere. The road is financed using Transportation Facilities Bonds issued by the Commonwealth. The bonds are supported by tolls.
    • 1985 FAA updates the Master Plan for Dulles International Airport, which recommends the continued reservation of the Dulles International Airport Access Highway median for a future transit line (likely to be Metrorail).
    • 1985 Dulles Corridor Transit Development Feasibility Study (sponsored by the Urban Mass Transit Administration -- now the Federal Transit Administration) examined funding strategies for transit and concluded a combination of mechanisms could be used to develop funding for a Dulles Corridor rail line. Therefore, the line was determined to be financially feasible.
    • 1985 Dulles Access Rapid Transit (DartRAIL) sponsors a study to build a rail transit line between the West Falls Church Metrorail Station and Dulles International Airport. The study proposes to raise capital funds through assessments and donations from interested parties, property owners, developers and the operators of Dulles International Airport, in addition to using excess revenues generated by the Dulles Toll Road.
    • 1987 Washington Dulles International and Washington National Airports are transferred to the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority (MWAA) under a 50-year lease authorized by the Metropolitan Washington Airports Act.
    • 1988 General Assembly permits creation of special taxing districts for transportation for landowners along Route 28.
  • 1990s
    • 1990 Fairfax County completes the Dulles International Airport Access Highway Corridor Transit Alternatives Study.
    • 1990 The Commonwealth Transportation Board (CTB) adopts a transportation program for the Dulles Corridor with rail service as an objective of the program and indicates that the program shall be funded to the extent possible by revenues derived from the Dulles Toll Road.
    • 1991 Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act (ISTEA) is enacted, authorizing the Federal surface transportation programs for highways, highway safety and transit for the period FY 1992-1997, and setting aside $6 million from FTA for alternatives analysis on rail options in the Dulles Corridor.
    • 1992 MWAA provides Toll Road Corporation of Virginia (TRCV) easement allowing for construction of the Dulles Toll Road Extension. As a condition of the easement, MWAA requires that the extension shall be constructed so as to create, and be operated so as to preserve, a median not less than 40 feet wide between the eastbound and westbound lanes for future mass transit including, but not limited to, rail service.
    • 1992 The General Assembly passes legislation creating the Department of Rail and Public Transportation (DRPT), previously part of the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT).
    • 1992 The CTB adopts the Dulles Corridor Plan for transportation improvements in the corridor. The plan endorses implementation of rail in the Dulles Corridor by 2005.
    • 1992 Secretary of Transportation John Milliken establishes a Policy Advisory Committee to guide the alternatives analysis for the Dulles Corridor Plan.
    • 1993 VDOT signs Comprehensive Agreement with Toll Road Investors Partnership II (formerly TRCV) to construct the Dulles Greenway (formerly the Dulles Toll Road Extension). Toll Road Investors Partnership II agrees to make a 40-foot area in the median available for construction and operation of a rail/mass transit facility.
    • 1993 Secretary of Transportation Robert Martinez endorses the study approach and directs DRPT to conduct the alternatives analysis for the rail project.
    • 1995 VDOT completes the widening of the Dulles Toll Road to six lanes throughout the entire roadway.
    • 1995 The Dulles Greenway, Virginia’s first privately-funded toll road since 1816, opens.
    • 1995 Governor George Allen signs the Public-Private Transportation Act (PPTA) of 1995 into law, enabling the state, qualifying local governments and certain other political entities to enter into agreements authorizing private entities to acquire, construct, improve, maintain and/or operate qualifying transportation facilities.
    • June 1996 Dulles Corridor Transportation Study (known as the Major Investment Study (MIS)) is completed by DRPT.
    • August 1996 CTB adopts a resolution endorsing the recommendation of the Policy Advisory Committee.
    • June 1997 The MIS Final Report is published.
    • March 1998 Dulles Corridor Innovative Intermodal Study (DCIIS) is completed, proposing a service that will coordinate the existing transportation modes, enhance and integrate all the bus service in the Corridor, launch pre-rail developments and evaluate advanced technologies.
    • June 1998 The Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century (TEA-21) is enacted, authorizing the Federal surface transportation programs for highways, highway safety and transit for the period FY 1998-2003 and earmarking $86 million for the Dulles Corridor Extension and contingent commitment is provided to the project up to a total of $217 million.
    • July 1998 Secretary of Transportation Shirley Ybarra forms the Dulles Corridor Task Force. At its first meeting in August 1998, the Task Force adopts a Mission Statement stating they will “determine the most suitable means to implement an innovative bus system in the Dulles Corridor and determine the steps necessary to complete the Preliminary Engineering (PE) study for the rail system.”
    • October 1998 Congressman Wolf secures a $16,873,400 appropriation for the project.
    • October 1998 DRPT and WMATA, in coordination with the Dulles Corridor Task Force, initiate the Supplement to the MIS. The study is needed to examine bus transit service options as a step to rail.
    • December 1998 VDOT opens a concurrent flow HOV Lane in each direction on the Dulles Toll Road. The improvement takes up the remaining right-of-way available for highway lanes in the Dulles Corridor.
    • December 1998 Raytheon Engineers and Constructors submits an unsolicited PPTA Proposal, which proposes to partner with the state to design, build, operate and maintain a Dulles Corridor BRT system, while completing final design for the rail extension. Upon completion of final design, Raytheon proposes to build, operate and maintain the rail extension.
    • December 1998 DRPT publishes a notification of receipt of the unsolicited proposal and solicits competing proposals.
    • January 1999 The Tysons-Dulles Corridor Group (led by Bechtel Corporation and West*Group) submit a competing PPTA proposal. The proposal includes four phases: completing the planning, environmental and design studies on a fast-track basis; implementation of BRT; fast-tracking implementation of rail from West Falls Church to Wiehle Avenue; and extending rail to Route 772 in Loudoun County.
    • June 1999 Fairfax County begins operating Express Bus Service in the Dulles Corridor.
    • July 1999 Supplement to the MIS is completed which describes the overall rail implementation program focusing on the development, evaluation and decision to adopt specific express bus and BRT interim program phases.
    • July 1999 Dulles Corridor Task Force recommends that WMATA operate the rail extension as part of the regional Metrorail system and that WMATA be the technical manager for the environmental review process, in accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA).
    • August 1999 The WMATA Board of Directors authorizes the WMATA CEO/General Manager to negotiate and execute an agreement with DRPT for WMATA to provide technical management of PE/NEPA for the Project.
    • September 1999 CTB adopts revisions of the Dulles Corridor Major Investment Study (developed through the Supplement to the MIS) as recommended by the Dulles Corridor Task Force and instructs the Director of DRPT to proceed with developing a funding plan and initiate efforts to enter into PE and related NEPA analysis for the Dulles Corridor Rapid Transit Project.
    • October 1999 Congressman Wolf secures a $24,812,500 appropriation for the project.
    • December 1999 DRPT officially requests WMATA to be the applicant to FTA for federal funds for PE/NEPA and to serve as technical manager for the project pursuant to an agreement between DRPT and WMATA (known as the “First Agreement”). In response to the request, the WMATA Board of Directors adopts a resolution authorizing the WMATA CEO/General Manager to execute and file grant applications for Federal funds for PE/NEPA.
  • 2000s
    • February 2000 On the recommendation of the Initial Review Committee appointed under the provisions of the PPTA, the CTB advances the Raytheon proposal for further evaluation.
    • March 2000 FTA approves proceeding with the environmental review process.
    • April 2000 DRPT and WMATA sign the “First Agreement” providing for technical management services from WMATA. Under the agreement, DRPT serves as the project sponsor and is responsible for overseeing WMATA’s work.
    • May 2000 General Assembly passes the Virginia Transportation Act of 2000, creating the Priority Transportation Fund and authorizes the CTB to issue Federal Reimbursement Anticipation Notes (FRANs) in the maximum aggregate principal amount of $1.2 billion outstanding at any one time. A total of $75 million in FRAN revenues is allocated to the project.
    • May 2000 The WMATA Board of Directors establishes a policy on the financing of the capital costs and operation of rail extensions, including new stations, to the 103-mile Adopted Regional System.
    • June 2000 The environmental review process (NEPA) starts.
    • July 2000 First step in preparation of the Draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS), called the Scoping Process, begins.
    • July 2000 The WMATA Board of Directors authorizes the CEO/General Manager to execute a grant application and a grant agreement for the procurement of buses as part of the express bus service in the Dulles Corridor and for the Smart Mover program, as requested by DRPT.
    • July 2000 Raytheon Company completes sale of Raytheon Engineers and Constructors to Morrison Knudsen Corporation. The company is renamed Washington Group International.
    • October 2000 Congressman Wolf secures a $49,532,158 appropriation for the project.
    • October 2000 Washington Group International announces the formation of Dulles Transit Partners. Bechtel Corporation and West*Group are also part of DTP to ensure the successful development and execution of the project.
    • November 2000 Alternatives Analysis begins for the Draft EIS.
    • January 2001 Dulles Corridor Steering Committee is formed by Dulles Corridor Task Force Chairman Kenny Klinge as an interagency staff working group comprised of the chief executives from DRPT, WMATA, MWAA, Fairfax County, Loudoun County, and the Town of Herndon, chaired by the Northern Virginia District representative on the CTB.
    • February 2001 Public meetings are held to provide information regarding the alternatives developed as a result of the scoping process and to solicit comments on the alternatives.
    • March 2001 General Assembly passes legislation that authorizes the establishment of special transportation improvement districts within Fairfax County and the Town of Herndon to support construction of the project.
    • May 2001 The results of the screening evaluation for the Draft EIS are documented in detail in the Final Alternatives Analysis Report.
    • May 2001 The WMATA Board of Directors authorizes the CEO/General Manager, conditioned upon staff presentation of financial planning data, to approve the Draft EIS and the proposed General Plans for the purpose of the public hearings and for the staff to hold the public hearing on the Draft EIS documents, as soon as the documents are available.
    • July 2001 Project partners sign Memorandum of Cooperation (MOC), outlining the good faith intentions of the parties to work cooperatively toward the completion of PE and preparation of the EIS without creating any legally enforceable or binding obligations.
    • September 2001 CTB passes a resolution stating that beginning in FY 2003 and continuing thereafter, no less than 85% of the net surplus revenues of the Dulles Toll Road shall be set aside for mass transportation initiatives in the Dulles Corridor.
    • October 2001 Congressman Wolf secures a $24,750,327 appropriation for the project.
    • January 2002 Representatives from MWAA, Fairfax County and Loudoun County inform the Dulles Corridor Steering Committee that they have reached a staff level agreement on the allocation of the 25% of capital costs to be funded locally. The allocation is to be broken out as: 16.1% - Fairfax County, 4.8% - Loudoun County and 4.1% - MWAA. Federal funding is assumed at 50% and state funding at 25%.
    • April 2002 DRPT requests a Detailed Proposal for the entire project from DTP and appoints under the provisions of the PPTA a diverse Advisory Panel, chaired by Deputy Secretary of Transportation Pierce Homer, to review the proposal.
    • April 2002 The WMATA Board of Directors approves the 95% Draft EIS for submittal to the FTA for review and comment.
    • June 2002 DRPT receives a Detailed Proposal from DTP for the Dulles Corridor Rapid Transit Project.
    • June 2002 Draft EIS is completed and signed by DRPT and WMATA with proposed General Plans. The Draft EIS serves as a comprehensive study of the potential effects of a No-Build Alternative and the four Build Alternatives and of measures to minimize adverse impacts and/or enhance the natural and human environment.
    • July 2002 Loudoun County Board of Supervisors issue a statement into the public hearing record on the Dulles Corridor Rapid Transit Project offering their strongest support possible for the extension of the WMATA Metrorail system into Loudoun County, and declaring their intent to participate financially and develop their land use policies to maximize the value of the system.
    • July 2002 Public hearings on Draft EIS and proposed General Plans are held in McLean, Reston and Ashburn.
    • August 2002 Town of Herndon Town Council passes resolution endorsing Metrorail as the Locally Preferred Alternative (LPA).
    • October 2002 Congressman Wolf secures a $26,064,934 appropriation for the project.
    • October 2002 Public Hearings Report for the Draft
    • October 2002 Fairfax County Board of Supervisors passes resolution endorsing Metrorail as the LPA.
    • Environmental Impact Statement and General Plans is published and released for public review.
    • November 2002 Public Hearings Report Supplement is published for the Draft Environmental Impact Statement and General Plans.
    • November 2002 Tax referendum in Northern Virginia, which includes $350 million in funds for the project (to be counted as local share), is voted down.
    • November 2002 MWAA Board of Directors adopts a resolution endorsing the Metrorail Alternative for the Dulles Corridor Rapid Transit Project.
    • November 2002 WMATA Board of Directors selects the Metrorail Alternative on Alignment T6 and with Service and Inspection Yard Y15 as the LPA and amends WMATA's Adopted Regional System (ARS) for planning purposes. The LPA is an extension of Metrorail from the existing Orange Line near the East Falls Church station, through Tysons Corner and Reston/Herndon to Dulles International Airport and terminating at Route 772 in eastern Loudoun County.
    • December 2002 The CTB completes the Draft EIS process by selecting the Metrorail Alternative on Alignment T6 with Service and Inspection (S&I) Yard Site 15 as the LPA for transit improvements in the Dulles Corridor.
    • December 2002 FTA informs the Commonwealth that due to federal funding limitations, the project cannot be funded as a single project. Instead, FTA suggests constructing the project in phases.
    • December 2002 DRPT Director receives PPTA Advisory Panel recommendations on DTP’s detailed proposal. The Advisory Panel recommends that DRPT proceed to negotiate a comprehensive agreement between the Department and DTP, subject to consideration of recommended conditions.
    • March 2003 Comprehensive Agreement negotiations begin between DRPT and DTP.
    • May 2003 U.S. Secretary of Transportation Norman Mineta approves 30-year extension to the 50-year lease MWAA holds with the federal government to manage and improve Ronald Reagan Washington National and Washington Dulles International Airports. The 80-year term lease will expire in 2067.
    • August 2003 First Amendment to the First Agreement between DRPT and WMATA is signed. The Amendment covers the additional work required to prepare the Supplemental Draft EIS and revised General Plans, hold two public hearings on these two documents, and to conduct re-analysis for the Final Environmental Impact Statement.
    • August 2003 Supplemental Draft EIS to address phasing the LPA construction begins.
    • August 2003 DRPT submits request to FTA to enter PE for Phase 1 of the project from the connection with the Orange line west to Wiehle Avenue.
    • September 2003 TEA-21 is not reauthorized by Congress. The Surface Transportation Extension Act of 2003 is passed, extending TEA-21 for five months.
    • September 2003 The WMATA Board of Directors authorizes the CEO/General Manager to approve the Supplemental Draft EIS and the revised General Plans for the purpose of the public hearings and for the staff to hold the public hearings on the Supplemental Draft EIS documents, as soon as the documents are available.
    • October 2003 Congressman Wolf secures a $19,683,577 appropriation for the project.
    • October 2003 Supplemental Draft EIS is completed and signed by DRPT and WMATA with General Plan revisions.
    • December 2003 Public hearings on Supplemental Draft EIS and General Plans revisions are held.
    • December 2003 Town of Herndon Town Council passes a resolution supporting the special commercial tax district proposed by a landowners’ group called LEADER (Landowners Economic Alliance for the Dulles Extension of Rail) that would fund Fairfax County’s share of the project’s capital costs for both phases, with the condition that the first phase of the project extend to Herndon instead of Reston.
    • December 2003 DRPT concludes negotiations with DTP and provides a draft of the Comprehensive Agreement to FTA for their review and comment.
    • January 2004 LEADER submits a petition to the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors to establish a Dulles Rail Transportation Improvement District for the first phase of the project (Wiehle Avenue Extension) only.
    • February 2004 Congress does not reauthorize TEA-21, but instead passes the Surface Transportation Extension Act of 2004, extending TEA-21 a second time for two months.
    • February 2004 Public Hearings Report for the Supplemental DEIS and General Plans Revisions is published and released for public review.
    • February 2004 Fairfax County Board of Supervisors approves the petition to establish the Fairfax County Dulles Rail Transportation Improvement District. A commission comprised of local elected officials and a member of the CTB is appointed to govern the district. A board of landowners is also created to advise the Commission on the management of the district.
    • March 2004 Public Hearing Report Supplement for the Supplemental Draft EIS and Revised General Plans is published.
    • March 2004 CTB approves the revision to the LPA to incorporate elements required for phased construction and the design refinements outlined in the Supplemental Draft EIS and recommended in the Public Hearings Report.
    • March 2004 Preparation of the Final EIS begins.
    • April 2004 Similar to the CTB action, WMATA’s Board of Directors approves the revision to the LPA.
    • April 2004 Congress does not reauthorize TEA-21 and instead passes an amendment to the Surface Transportation Extension Act of 2004 (Part II), extending TEA-21 a third time for two months.
    • April 2004 The WMATA Board of Directors authorizes the CEO/General Manager to sign the Second Agreement with DRPT for WMATA’s role of technical manager of PE. DRPT and WMATA execute the agreement a week later.
    • April 2004 The WMATA Board of Directors authorizes the staff to hold a post-hearing conference(s) on alternative site plans and locations for the Tysons West Station, a tiebreaker station and a traction power substation.
    • April 2004 The DRPT Director and WMATA Board of Directors select the location and site plans of three project facilities: Traction Power Substation #2; Tie-Breaker Station #2; and Tysons West Station entrance and facilities. The WMATA Board of Directors also approves the Final EIS and final General Plans.
    • May 2004 A public post-hearings conference on three project facilities is held. Comments are received on alternative locations and site plans of Traction Power Substation #2, Tie-Breaker Station #2 and Tysons West Station entrance and facilities.
    • May 2004 DTP informs DRPT that one of its partners, West*Group, has withdrawn from the partnership.
    • May 2004 A public post-hearings conference on three project facilities is held. Comments are received on alternative locations and site plans of Traction Power Substation #2, Tie-Breaker Station #2 and Tysons West Station entrance and facilities.
    • June 2004 Congress does not reauthorize TEA-21 and instead passes an amendment to the Surface Transportation Extension Act of 2004 (Part III), which extends TEA-21 a fourth time for one month.
    • June 2004 FTA provides DRPT with PE approval for Phase 1. This includes a “Recommended” rating for rail. Projects must receive a “Recommended” rating at each stage of the process in order to move forward.
    • June 2004 DRPT signs Comprehensive Agreement with DTP. The agreement is the Commonwealth’s first agreement under the PPTA for a transit project.
    • July 2004 The Post-Hearing Conference Report is released for public review.
    • July 2004 Congress does not reauthorize TEA-21 and instead passes an amendment to the Surface Transportation Extension Act of 2004 (Part IV), which extends TEA-21 a fifth time for two months.
    • July 2004 DRPT provides DTP with notice-to-proceed on PE and Project Development for Phase 1.
    • July 2004 Fairfax County begins charging commercial landowners in the Fairfax County Dulles Rail Transportation Improvement District an additional 22 cents per $100 of assessed value for their properties on top of the base real estate tax rate of $1.13. The district is expected to generate up to $400 million for the construction of the Wiehle Avenue Extension.
    • September 2004 Congress does not reauthorize TEA-21 and instead passes an amendment to the Surface Transportation Extension Act of 2004 (Part V), which extends TEA-21 a sixth time for eight months.
    • September 2004 Following the review and comment period on the April 2004 Technical Memoranda of three project facilities, the DRPT Director and WMATA Board of Directors select the location and site plans of three project facilities: Traction Power Substation #2, Tie-Breaker Station #2 and Tysons West Station entrance and facilities.
    • October 2004 Congressman Wolf secures a $24,800,000 appropriation for the project.
    • October 2004 Project Office is established and operational in Tysons Corner (1595 Spring Hill Road). Phase 1 PE and Project Development work begins.
    • November 2004 DRPT and WMATA sign the Section 106 Memorandum of Agreement for the project.
    • December 2004 Final EIS is completed.
    • February 2005 FTA publishes FY 06 New Starts Report to Congress. The Wiehle Avenue Extension appears with a recommended rating for the first time.
    • February 2005 CTB votes to implement a toll increase on the Dulles Toll Road in support of the project.
    • March 2005 DRPT receives the Record of Decision (ROD) from FTA, which endorses the plan for the entire project and concludes the environmental review process.
    • April 2005 DRPT receives the ROD from FAA. The FAA ROD documents FAA's environmental approval of project-related changes to the Airport Layout Plan, while the FTA ROD signifies environmental approval to construct the project.
    • June 2005 The Dulles Corridor Metrorail project gets the first preliminary engineering cost estimate for Phase 1. The estimate is a range between $1.7 billion and $3.4 billion. Project partners begin search for cost-savings.
    • August 2005 DRPT submits its annual New Starts request to FTA, including a revised cost estimate for $1.8 million.
    • October 2005 Congressman Wolf secures $30 million for the project for FY 2006.
    • December 2005 DRPT holds a public information meeting on the design refinements as part of the supplemental environmental review required by FTA on the design refinements in the Route 7 corridor.
    • November-December 2005 WMATA and others ask the Commonwealth to consider tunneling under Tysons Corner, using large bore tunnel techniques being used abroad as an alternative to the aerial system.
    • December 2005 The Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority asks the Commonwealth to transfer operation of the Dulles Toll Road to the authority and to allow the authority to oversee construction of the Dulles rail project.
    • January 2006 DRPT asks DTP to prepare a preliminary cost estimate on a tunnel, resulting in an estimate of a 28% increase in project costs in March.
    • February 2006 FTA publishes FY 07 New Starts Report to Congress. The extension to Wiehle Avenue appears with a medium rating.
    • February 2006 DRPT releases the environmental review of the proposed design changes. The assessment was prepared by DRPT, WMATA and the FTA.
    • March 2006 Public hearing is held at Kilmer Middle School on the environmental assessment.
    • March 2006 Dulles Transit Partners completes preliminary engineering for Phase 1 and updates the cost estimate for Phase 1 to $2 billion.
    • March 2006 The Commonwealth and the MWAA sign a memorandum of understanding designed to lead to the transfer of the toll road and control of the Dulles Metrorail Project to the authority.
    • April 2006 Fairfax County supervisors ask governor to undertake an independent study of the tunnel proposal.
    • May 2006 Commonwealth Transportation Secretary asks the American Society of Civil Engineers to do a 60-day review of the tunnel costs and related issues.
    • September 2006 Governor Timothy M. Kaine and the Commonwealth announce the state's decision to move forward with the aerial alignment through Tysons Corner.
    • October 2006 Congressman Frank Wolf secures $5 million for the project for fiscal 2007, but the transportation bill does not pass. The total secured by Wolf to date is approximately $218 million.
    • November 2006 The Federal Transit Administration issues its amended Record of Decision, approving the final alignment for the aerial portion through Tysons Corner.
    • December 2006 The Commonwealth signs the first of several agreements that will eventually transfer the toll road operations to the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority.
    • January 2007 Fairfax County approves the locations of ancillary facilities such as storm water ponds and traction power substations that are needed for the construction of the rail project from East Falls Church west to the county line.
    • March 2007 The Virginia Department of Rail and Public Transportation reach the successful negotiation of a $1.6 billion design-build agreement with Dulles Transit Partners LLC for the final design and construction of Phase 1 of the project.
    • June 2007 The Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority Board of Directors approves the $1.6 billion contract with Dulles Transit Partners to build Phase 1, including the locally preferred alternative through Tysons Corner.
    • June 2007 The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors votes to approve operating and funding plans for Phase 1 of the Dulles Corridor Metrorail project, including the county’s commitment of $400 million generated by the Phase 1 Tax District.
    • June 2007 The Loudoun County Board of Supervisors voted to support extending Metrorail to Dulles Airport and westward to Route 772 in Loudoun County, indicating that it will come up with its $240 million share of the project’s costs.
    • July 2007 A report is issued by the U.S. Transportation Department Inspector General estimating cost of the proposed Metrorail extension to Dulles International Airport has grown so significantly over the past three years that it may not meet guidelines for federal funding.
    • August 2007 Executive staff of Dulles Corridor Metrorail Project transfer to the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority.
    • August 2007 Three Virginia congressmen and the state’s governor meet with federal transportation officials on Capitol Hill on Thursday as part of a late-stage effort to salvage Dulles Rail.
    • September 13, 2007 Flanked by a bipartisan chorus of prominent Virginia politicians on Capitol Hill, Gov. Timothy M. Kaine (D) declared that the troubled project to extend Metro to Dulles International Airport is within budget and must proceed. Kaine announced $306 million in adjustments to the $2.8 billion first phase of the line between Falls Church and Reston. The announcement was made by Kaine with Sen. John W. Warner (R), Rep. Frank R. Wolf (R) and a gaggle of other Northern Virginia officials by his side, including Fairfax County Board of Supervisors Chairman Gerald E. Connolly.
    • September 2007 The Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority submits the 2007 “New Starts” Proposal for the Dulles Corridor Metrorail Project to the Federal Transit Administration.
    • September 2007 The Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority submits its Request to Enter Final Design for the Dulles Corridor Metrorail Project to the Federal Transit Administration.
    • October 2007 FTA approves the WMATA 2006 Constrained Long Range Plan, including the ability to construct Dulles extension and operate/maintain total Metro system.
    • January 2008 FTA Administrator tells Gov. Time Kaine and MWAA’s Jim Bennett that the project will not qualify for New Starts program and warns of major problems with the project.
    • January-April 2008 Commonwealth, Airports Authority, local officials, Congressional leaders, business leaders (local and regional) launch intense campaign to win support for the project by Federal transportation officials.
    • April 2008 U.S. Transportation Secretary Mary Peters reverses the federal stand on Dulles Rail, the project is moved into Final Design.
    • June 2008 The State Supreme Court remands a lower court decision on the transfer of the toll road, setting the stage for possible trial.
    • July 2008 The Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority and Dulles Transit Partners sign a revised design-build fixed-price $1.6 billion contract for construction of Phase 1.
    • August 2008 The FTA announces pre-construction work can begin where a 2,100-foot tunnel will be built along Route 123.
    • November 2008 The Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority and the Commonwealth of Virginia complete the transfer of the daily operation, maintenance and control of the Dulles Toll Road from the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) to the Airports Authority in accordance with the December 2006 agreement between VDOT and the Airports Authority.
    • January 2009 U.S. Transportation Secretary Mary Peters forwards to Congress for its 60-day review the Department of Transportation’s final approval of the Dulles Metrorail Project Full Funding Grant Agreement.
    • March 2009 The Full Funding Grant Agreement providing $900 Million to Phase 1 of the Dulles Corridor Metrorail Project is signed by U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood and H.R. Crawford, chairman of the Airports Authority board in a ceremony at the U.S. Department of Transportation.
    • March 2009 Construction of Phase 1 of the Dulles Corridor Metrorail Project begins along Route 123 near International Drive where a future tunnel will carry the rail line from Route 123 to Route 7.
    • April 2009 Dulles Corridor Metrorail Project officials say that Phase 2 will open in 2016.
    • May 2009 The U.S. Department of Transportation releases $77.3 million through the economic recovery package to the Dulles Corridor Rail Project.
  • 2010s
    • April 2011 Airports Authority selects Dulles Airport Site.
    • May 2013 Phase 2 Design-Build contract awarded to Capital Rail Constructors
    • July 2013 MWAA used a Notice to Proceed to Capital Rail Constructors for Phase 2
    • April 2014 Broad Run Bridge construction begins.
    • July 26, 2014 Silver Line Phase 1 Revenue Service begins.
    • Summer 2014 Construction begins at Dulles Airport.
    • July 2015 Tower Crane work begins at Dulles.
    • Summer-Winter '15 Work begins at Herndon station area.
    • February 2016 Reston Town Center Station site work begins, utility work at several stations
    • Summer - Winter '16-17 Nightly detours on Dulles highways.
    • 2018-20 Heavy construction continues along  the alignment
  • 2020s
    • March 2020 Train testing begins.
    • December 2020 Parking garages progress
    • December 1, 2021Airports Authority and contractor Hensel Phelps announce  substantial completion of 90-acre Rail Yard on Airport-owned property.
    • June 2022After WMATA’s  announcement of operational readiness for Phase 2, Airports Authority continued to work with contractors and WMATA as final testing begins in preparation for revenue service.
    • October 25, 2022Airports Authority and CRC complete connections of Phases 1 and 2  with the tie-in of the Automatic Train Control System at the Wiehle-Reston East Metrorail Station  thereby reaching Substantial Completion.
    • November 15, 2022 Silver Line Phase 2 Revenue Service begins.
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