Despite recent news of layoffs and accelerated retirements in the Metro design and construction group, it appears that Northern Virginia is still planning to phase in Metro from DC to Dulles Airport, albeit in phases. This according to an article from the Washington Post.

The project is supposed to be phased in starting with a $1.5B segment from the West Falls Church metro station to Wiehle Road in Reston. In an interesting comment, the state has decided that they cannot terminate the first phase in Tysons because the parking necessary to support an end station is not available, whereas there is already allocated parking due to a park-and-ride facility in Reston. I guess that is the benefit of the whole planned community thing, eh?

Construction hopefully will start in 2005, with funding coming from the Feds ($600M) and an increase in tolls on the Dulles Access Road (be ready for all small booths to go up to $0.50 and the big booth in Tysons to jump to $0.75).