The Ashburn Metro station was implemented in 2022 — almost six years after its expected opening. 

The station became the new final stop for the Silver Line, getting approximately 371,724 rides since November 2022, and it averages about 1,018 riders, according to WMATA.

Originally, this stop was a gift for the commuters of Northern Virginia, whether it be to avoid the Greenway fees to Dulles Airport, or to get to their jobs in or around D.C., but this has become an underwhelming and expensive addition.

Rather than transforming transportation in the area, the extension has failed to draw the ridership it was designed for, causing concerns for a potential waste of money, as the WMATA projects a $750 million budget shortfall for fiscal year 2025. 

The lack of demand is a major flaw that undermines the project’s original goals, exposing its misguided priorities. On top of this already declining income from the Ashburn station, fare evasion has become both a financial and public safety crisis. At a 2023 D.C Council hearing, Metro Transit Police Chief Michael Anzallo testified that a WMATA review of data and camera footage from January to mid-September 2023 showed that 97% of individuals who committed violent crimes on the Metro system also evaded fares during that same period.

While the numbers aren’t broken down by line, the correlation between fare evasion and violent crime is troubling. For underused, minimally staffed locations like Ashburn, this only amplifies safety concerns and increases the need for stronger enforcement and security infrastructure. 

Furthermore, Metro ticket guards pay no attention to those jumping the ticket booth. Not only does this encourage these ill-intentioned people to travel with no consequences, but this adds to the continuing debt produced since the implementation of this station. In fact, in an NBC4 Washington article, they state, “Fighting fare evasion is a top priority for Metro, which says riders who don’t pay cost the agency about $40 million per year.”

Honestly, we can’t blame the guards.

Based on a rating of 2,512 people from Indeed, a staggering 60% of Metro One Loss Prevention Security Group (LPSG) workers feel as though they are paid unfairly. That means that over half of these security officers don’t feel they’re being paid enough to account for all their work. That isn’t a crazy thing to say, considering the fact they’re playing as law enforcement, but without the fancy equipment to protect themselves and others.

With no motivated security, an abundance of opportunities for crime, and nothing in place to punish those criminals, a recipe for disaster was created, and unsurprisingly was taken advantage of. 

Interestingly, Rock Ridge High School students live within three miles of the Ashburn Metro stop, and though they frequently use it, students like senior Deetya Mudakala prefer vehicle transportation over the train due to concerns over cleanliness, and convenience. 

“Now, with everyone having to go back to work, the metro is very busy and not as clean as before. I’m inclined to just drive if I want to go to D.C. as opposed to taking the very long, very cramped metro,” Mudakala said. “On the train ride home [from D.C.] someone previously spilled a milkshake on the floor so the whole train cart floor was covered in sticky milkshake. The people were very nice, though[.]”

With that, going to D.C. without the train also in theory seems slightly more inefficient. More people are able to travel more efficiently with the train, especially when they’re able to avoid the excruciating cost of the Greenway. In fact, commuters spend around $1,500 a year using the train system, compared to the average cost of a car being $12,297, calculated by the AAA. However, the issue comes with those who avoid paying that $1,500 a year, those who jump the ticket booth, those who get off trains full of malicious intent.  

According to the Loudoun Times-Mirror, surrounding the Ashburn metro stop, communities have been guarding themselves from metro travelers that wait to commit crimes. Police protection has been installed in order to ward off these riders, with their main target being vehicle break-ins. Though, luckily, the mass of the crimes around the station don’t revolve around assaults; larceny has increased, however, with Evan Goodenow of the Loudoun Times Mirror stating that, “Reported larcenies doubled from 49 through September of last year to 100.” This is likely due to thieves wanting quick and low effort cash, typically from unlocked vehicles. 

In addition to the lack of safety, another problem created by Silver Line extension is that it’s brought in abysmally low ridership numbers. The Ashburn Station, planned out to be a bustling hub, averages only 1,035 daily riders, ranking it 79 out of 98 stations in the metro system, according to the WMATA. It’s the opposite of the high-demand transit solution originally promised to commuters. In fact, the entirety of the extension is underperforming, down 43% compared to pandemic levels. Given that this extension cost billions of dollars, this kind of underutilization isn’t just embarrassing– it’s a waste of public resources. 

For anyone who is interested in looking into the issue, it’s difficult due to the largest pool of data on the Silver Line coming from WMATA. This paints a harrowing picture considering the lack of resources keeping the government organization accountable. Take the more developed subway system located in New York, which has investigations from organizations like the New York Public Interest Group Straphangers (NYPIRG) consistently looking into the state of the subway. With as many issues as there are with the Silver Line right now, it’s concerning for the future of accountability with maintaining the extension. 

The Ashburn Metro Station, with its numerous flaws, is not completely out of hope. If the government could take a fraction of what tax payers pay, and put it towards the paycheck of the metro security, we increase the overall safety and cleanliness of the station. By funding the metro employees, more crime is deterred, more people are encouraged to pay for their tickets, and issues with trash and sanitation are easier resolved. This in turn would present the Metro as a more prominent alternative to driving for people in the Ashburn area. 

But, until then, the Ashburn stop remains a pile of wasted money and rusting steel beams.