Reston began as a planned community 50 years ago, operating under the motto “live, work, and play.” The Silver Line stop in Reston, with an ETA of January 2014, will enable Restonians to take better advantage of these three guiding principles.

Seahawks especially look forward to the opportunities that having a close Metro station will provide.

“It’s going to be very good transportation into DC.,” junior Caitlyn Maginniss said. “It’s going to get a lot of use. The Metro is going to attract a lot of people [to Reston.]”

The closest stop to South Lakes currently is Vienna/Fairfax-GMU almost 13 miles away. The Wiehle-East Reston station rests a mere 2.3 miles from here.

Washington, D.C. is a 30-minute drive from Reston with no traffic. The Silver Line, which is expected to operate every six minutes during peak rush hour, will take an estimated 40 minutes, according to the Washington Metro Area Transit Authority website.

Students plan to take advantage of the rails because of its close proximity to our nation’s capital.

“I think it’s cool the Metro is now so close, transporting to D.C. will be a lot easier,” freshman Thomas Miller said. “Personally, I think I will go to D.C. more, just because it will now be so convenient because the Metro is so close.”

Some students look forward to asserting their independence and travel via Metrorail.

“It will be awesome for the Silver Line to be in Reston because I would be able to go to D.C. by myself,” said freshman Conor Thomas.

Administrators also anticipate more school field trips to D.C. with the Metro project.

“It will [also] possibly make it a little bit easier to travel for certain field trips,” assistant principal Chad Lehman said. “Going downtown will be a lot easier because we can just take them to a local Metro station.”

In addition to streamlined transportation to and from D.C., Seahawks think Reston will benefit economically from the local Metro station.

“The Metro is going to help out a lot of people in Reston, not just for transportation but for business too,” sophomore Logan Moody said. “My dad owns the restaurant Hooked and is thinking about putting one right next to the Metro.”

According to Forbes.com, Virginia ranks first as the “Best State for Business.” Some predict the project could persuade businesses to relocate to Reston.

“I think that more businesses will open up around here,” assistant principal Peter Kownacki said. “I think it’ll have an impact on the housing community because people want to live by public transportation. I think overall it will have a big effect on Reston, a good effect.”

In addition to projected business success, there is the prospect of a rise in living costs, ultimately raising house prices.

“I think it will be very good for Reston,” security assistant Tom Cook said. “It will raise the prices on the homes and more people will come.”

With these favorable results, the George Mason University Center for Regional Analysis forecasts that Northern Virginia will attract 1.5 million new residents, as well as 800,000 jobs, by 2050. While many Seahawks anticipate the Metro’s January arrival, others worry about its impact on traffic because of the expected influx of people.

“It’s going to be more congested in Reston,” junior Karl Mellen said. “There’s going to be a lot more traffic on Wiehle, which affects me because I have to drive on that road a lot.

Yet, project directors promise the Metro station project will mitigate traffic upon completion. According to the Dulles Corridor Metrorail Project website, while traffic headaches are inevitable, the Dulles Metrorail will be an “integral part” of the solution.

Furthermore, according to Fairfax County Senior Transportation Planner Dan Southworth in a 2011 Fairfax Times article, morning traffic will see a seven percent decrease in traffic, while evening drivers will experience a 65 percent decrease at peak hours at Wiehle Avenue and Sunset Hills Road.

While some worry about traffic congestion because of the increase in commuters, some express concern about the possibility of crime with the expected population increase.

“I would say the main negative will be a rise in crime,” Cook said. “I predict bad people from D.C. will come to Reston and cause trouble.”

The increase in people will also likely affect student populations.

“I’m not exactly sure how the Silver Line will impact our school completely, but I do know that it is going to continue to increase the size of Reston, so we’re projected to increase enrollment,” Lehman said. “So there will be more housing out here, more business development, and, as a result, the number of students who need to attend school will be larger as well. We are projected to have significant growth in student population over the next 10 years.”

Nevertheless, Seahawks believe the Metrorail project is a positive addition to South Lakes in particular.

“It’ll bring revenue to the Reston area, and also it’ll give it that city look,” varsity baseball coach Galvin Morris said.