Naming Loudoun's Silver Line stations: Take your pick

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Loudoun

Loudoun County will have three Silver Line stations. The names for two of them are up in the air.

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Michael Neibauer

Staff Reporter- Washington Business Journal

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The $2.9 billion, 11-mile Metro Silver Line extension to Loudoun will not open until at least 2018. The county's three station names will be decided much sooner.

Loudoun is asking for public comment on potential names for two of the three stations planned for the county — Route 606 and Route 772. The station at Dulles Airport already has a name, Washington Dulles International Airport. There's probably no changing that one.

The county has selected five potential names for the Route 606 Station, and three for the Route 772 station. Metro will ultimately select the name, but the process is generally public comment-intensive. There are two upcoming public meetings planned, though the dates have not been released.

Per Loudoun, the primary purpose of a station name is to "help customers plan their trips and navigate the system and region."

"Metro customers have said that station names help them locate destinations," the county states on its website. "Long-lasting names in Metro's system that have withstood the test of time have typically included the names of towns, streets, neighborhoods and landmarks."

The transit system's station-naming policy requires the name should be unique, evocative, brief (limited to 19 characters, including spaces) and relevant. That is, it should identify a station by geographical features, centers of activity, landmarks or communities within a half mile.

There are two massive developments proposed for the Route 772 station (Moorefield Station, Loudoun Station), but Route 606 is largely unplanned.

The names under consideration for Route 606 are Broad Run, Dulles Gateway, Loudoun East, Loudoun Gateway and Loudoun Dulles North. For Route 772, the options are Ashburn, Loudoun and Loudoun Gateway West.

Go here to participate in the official Loudoun survey.

Michael Neibauer covers economic development, chambers of commerce, transportation and politics.