| Vienna Fairfax–GMU |
|||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Station statistics | |||||||||||
| Address | 2900 Nutley Street Fairfax, VA 22031 |
||||||||||
| Lines | |||||||||||
| Connections | WMATA Metrobus CUE-Gold Route CUE-Green Route Fairfax Connector OmniRide Commuter |
||||||||||
| Structure | Surface | ||||||||||
| Platforms | 1 island platform | ||||||||||
| Tracks | 2 | ||||||||||
| Parking | 5,840 spaces | ||||||||||
| Bicycle facilities | 54 racks, 56 lockers | ||||||||||
| Other information | |||||||||||
| Opened | June 7, 1986 | ||||||||||
| Accessible | |||||||||||
| Code | K08 | ||||||||||
| Owned by | Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority | ||||||||||
| Formerly | Vienna (1986-1999) | ||||||||||
| Services | |||||||||||
|
|||||||||||
Vienna is a Washington Metro station in Fairfax County, Virginia on the Orange Line. The station is physically located in Oakton, though the station's official address is in Fairfax, in the median of Interstate 66 at Nutley Street (Virginia State Route 243).
The station can be accessed from I-66 without merging onto Nutley Street via a series of ramps that transport commuters directly to the station's parking complexes. It provides easy access to the nearby Town of Vienna, the City of Fairfax, and the main campus of George Mason University. Service began on June 7, 1986.
Contents |
Although originally identified as the western terminus of the Orange Line in the 1968 plan, by 1978 Fairfax County was debating whether or not the initial terminus should be at the Vienna location or at an alternate location in Tysons Corner.[1] After much public debate and public comment, the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors endorsed the Vienna routing. The endorsement was made after determining it would cost an additional $59 million and take an additional five years to complete the line to Tysons.[1]
On September 8, 1982, groundbreaking for the station occurred.[2] At the time of its groundbreaking, the final facility was to have cost $17.6 million with parking for 2,000 vehicles.[2] After nearly four years of construction, the station officially opened on June 7, 1986, as the western terminus of the Orange Line.[3] Its opening coincided with the completion of 9.1 miles (14.6 km) of rail from the Ballston station and the opening of the East Falls Church, West Falls Church and Dunn Loring stations.[3]
By 1993, officials in Fairfax City were looking to add "Fairfax" to the station name.[4] In March 1999, the station name was changed to "Vienna/Fairfax – GMU.[5] The station reverted to its original "Vienna" name on November 3, 2011, with "Fairfax–GMU" as a subtitle.[6]
In line with high-density development, the Fairlee Metro-West project aims to increase the housing density around the Vienna station from 60 single family homes to 2,250 condominiums and townhouses. This development has been controversial, as many Orange Line commuters believe the system will be pushed beyond capacity at rush hours as a result.[7] As of May 2009, the project is under construction.[8]