Silver Line Extension To Dulles Awaiting Test Results On Concrete Issue

The Silver Line extension project to Dulles International Airport is now waiting on test results that could determine whether it opens on time.

Project director Charles Stark told the Dulles Corridor Advisory Committee, a body made up of regional and transportation leaders, that three problems with concrete wall panels at five stations under construction had already been identified before news of a whistleblower lawsuit broke.

Stark said applying sealant to the concrete would resolve those three issues, but another issue had come to light along with the lawsuit in May.

That issue is a chemical reaction in the concrete, known as alkali-silica reaction, which can cause cracks and reduce the service life of concrete structures.

Others have dubbed it “concrete cancer.”

Replacing the panels could delay the opening of the Silver Line extension into Loudoun County, Virginia.

“A delay costs money, so hopefully that doesn’t happen,” said Loudoun County Board of Supervisors Chair Phyllis Randall. “Obviously, it is more important to get it right than to do it quickly.”

Click here to read the rest of the article written by John Aaron over at WTOP

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