Did You Hear the Trumpets?
May, 2008 Metro Update
By Penny Pompei
Yes, it’s actually true, the MetroRail extension to Dulles project funding which fell off the wall into a jagged mess just a few months ago, has been put back together again through good old fashioned grit and perseverance by all the king’s horses and all the king’s men.
We’re not proclaiming that shovels will actually start moving dirt this spring, but the largest impediment to moving the project forward was this approval of $900,000,000 in federal funding. You may recall that the initial response from the US Department of Transportation was that the project did not meet their funding criteria. We may never know what hoops were jumped through in private meetings or conversations, but whoever did whatever they did – thank you from all of us who live and work near the Dulles Business Corridor. (Read the letter addressed to Tim Kaine from the U.S. Department of Transportation by clicking here.) Read the statement from Congressman Wolf on 4.30.08 here.
With a new Urban Land Institute study released this week showing that area traffic will increase by 50% within the next 25 years along with a 23% increase in population, it’s pretty easy to see that adding more lanes to the toll road or even increasing the quantity and routes of buses just won’t accommodate that many new workers.
Freeing up log jams always creates a burst of energy as all the boxed in logs finally break loose and run pell-mell through the opening taking out all obstacles in their path. Let us hope this holds true for MetroRail!
It’s been a hard fought battle and one we hope is finally over. Our legislators return to Richmond in June for a special session called by the Governor to work out transportation funding (see my previous article for more). We’ll keep you in the information loop as Dulles MetroRail moves forward. It looks like we may now all live to participate in the inaugural ride of Metro to Dulles International Airport – something that many of us thought we’d never live to see.
Penny Pompei, CAE
President & CEO
A Sad Day for the Dulles Metrorail Project
January, 2008 Metro Update
By Penny Pompei
After years of planning and the expenditure of over $120,000,000 in Virginia and Fairfax County funds to pay for that planning, the Federal Transit Authority notified Governor Kaine in January that it would not approve funding for the Metro Rail extension through Tysons Corner, to Reston, to Dulles Airport and points beyond. Citing a variety of factors (see full letter content) the project as viewed by the federal Department of Transportation, is dead.
As stated to me by the Chief of Staff of one of our area’s Congressional offices, there were 7 projects to be considered with enough money to fund 6 of them. We were apparently the least desirable of the 7. Secretary of Transportation James Simpson left no doubt about his advice for the Commonwealth of Virginia to not pursue this project further for federal funding, no matter what kind of refinements were made to the plans.
With Northern Virginia citizens supporting the Metro Rail extension by a majority of 82%, it is hard to be objective about a turn-down of this magnitude after all these years and millions of dollars spent on trying to meet the strict requirements of the federal government application. Given the current Virginia budget and the current schizophrenic economy, it is very doubtful that the $900 million in previously committed federal funds can be made up from state, county or toll funds.
Your Chamber Board of Directors and the Public Policy Committee voted unanimously to support the extension of Metro to Reston, Dulles airport and beyond. As it unwinds, we promise to keep you informed.
Why We Need Rail Now
Dulles Corridor’s employment expected to increase 63% over next 20 years
- Tysons Corner is the Commonwealth’s largest employment center and Reston/Herndon is second
- Loudoun population expected to grow 150% by 2025
- Washington Dulles International Airport expects to grow from 27 million passengers a year to 55 million
- Extension will provides a new travel option for commuters in the Dulles Corridor
- Provides seamless integration with current 106-mile Metrorail system; one seat ride to downtown DC
- Leads the way for transformation of Tysons
- Utilities to be moved underground
- Sidewalks added to Route 7
- Pedestrian bridges across Route 7 and Route 123 where crossing these roads is nearly impossible today
Phase I was on Track in June 2007
- Fairfax County Supervisors approved operating and funding plan
- Loudoun County Supervisors approved funding plan
- Metropolitan Washington Area Transit Authority approved the operation and financial agreements
- Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority and Dulles Transit Partners sign the design-build contract
Phase I Project Overview
- 5 new stations; 11.6 miles
- From the existing Orange Line between the East and West Falls Church stations to Wiehle Avenue in Reston
- Pedestrian bridges, escalators and elevators at all stations
Phase II Overview
- 6 new stations; 11.5 miles
- Continuing to Route 772 in Loudoun County with additional stations at Reston Parkway, Monroe Street (Herndon), Route 28, Dulles Airport and Route 606
- Direct access to Dulles Airport terminal Future Tysons 123 Station
View the Map of the Proposed Metro Line
Preparing for the Metro Extension
Read the Greater Washington Board of Trade press release from 1/16/08 here.
Utility work has started in preperation for Metro's arrival to Tysons. Read the March 2008 release here.
For more information on the Dulles Corridor Metrorail Project, please visit www.dullesmetro.com or call (703) 288-7000