New Automated Subway Control Station Approved in McLean

The Planning and Zoning Committee has approved construction of a Train Control Room in a community on Fisher Avenue near southern McLean after hearing concerns of homeowners.

The Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority, the folks building the new subway line to Reston, received approval to build a Train Control Room (TCR) on Fisher Avenue (close to where Great Falls Street crosses I-66) back in January 2007.

Then they decided to move the totally automated Train Control Room  100 feet to the east and house it in a pre-constructed modular building next to the existing Traction Power Substation.

The existing power substation “attracts drinking and loitering” a handful of residents told the committee. They said they feared that the new station“would bring suspicious activity. . . into our community.”

The existing and the new building will be brick and concrete with a 15 foot wall high. This is an industrial building across from single-family homes.

The new location saves more trees, an smaller and will be attache to the existing power station.

"We're trying to limit the impact of Metro on the existing neighborhood," said Mark Zetts, chair of the Planning and Zoning Committee.

The committee's planned discussion of a proposal to build a 100 foot  cell tower at the corner of Kirby Road and Westmoreland Street were postponed for a month.