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What is Shirley Highway?
Shirley Highway is another name for Interstate 395. The I-395 corridor doesn't have Metro train service, but it carries a massive load of traffic nonetheless. In addition to its 8 to 10 lanes of traffic, 395 has an extra 3 lanes of HOV that switch direction depending on the hour of the day. It is THE major artery from Virginia into the District of Columbia.
395 leaves DC between the Pentagon and Crystal City (both in Arlington) and on the way out to I-95 and the Beltway at Springfield, I-395 passes Shirlington, Landmark, West End Alexandria and other neighborhoods. Traffic on 395 is nearly always heavy but usually slows only during rush hour.
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 About the Author --- Aubrey Nesbitt is a native of Northern Virginia who attended Virginia Commonwealth University. He is a veteran of the US Army and helps his family business by providing informational articles like this one. In addition to photography and blogging, Aubrey provides administrative support for the office. |
Metro station stop goes underground at Dulles
While the Tysons landscape is dotted with cranes and trusses for the first phase of the Metrorail to Dulles, it is a station stop in phase two that made headlines this week.
The board of the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority voted 9-4 in favor of an underground station stop at Dulles International Airport, Chantilly, VA.
It will be closer than the above ground option. By about 600 feet. Supporters say underground will be more convenient, especially for travelers with lots of luggage.
And the price tag for going underground? $330 million more than an above ground station.
The airport stop is scheduled for the second phase of the Metrorail project. Phase two will run from Wiehle Avenue in Reston to Ashburn in eastern Loudoun. The project is expected to cost $3.5 billion, including the underground stop, and open in late 2016. However, the additional time needed to build an underground stop may push the opening to mid-2017.
Phase one, now under construction, will connect to the East Falls Church station and include four stations in Tysons Corner. It is scheduled to open in 2013.
Fairfax County officials have endorsed the less-expensive aboveground option.