FTA Extends Dulles Rail Funding Decision Deadline
posted 8:12 am Tue January 29, 2008 - Fairfax, Va.
A decision on funding for the $5 billion, 23-mile extension was expected sooner, but Kaine asked that it be delayed until he could respond to a critical report issued last week.
Kaine said after the report was released that he believed the state had already addressed those concerns and that the FTA was putting up new roadblocks."There's no one with common sense that believes that we can move around Fairfax County with more cars and more roads," says Bill Lecos with the Fairfax County Chamber of Commerce. "We must have alternatives. We must have mass transit."
Federal officials last week called the planned extension too risky and not a good investment.
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"I believe that if the decision by the federal government is to have zero financial participation in this project, there will be a firestorm of reaction among the citizens and the business community here in northern Virginia," says Fairfax County Board of Supervisors Chairman, Gerry Connolly."
Senator John Warner has persuaded U.S. Transportation Secretary Mary Peters to examine what state officials view as contradictions in the Federal Transit Administration's handling of the project.
Meanwhile, landowners in the Tysons Corner area are urging President Bush to intervene.
More than $140 million in state and federal funds has already been spent on the project.
According to the Washington Post, private investors want to partner with Virginia to build a Metrorail extension to Dulles International Airport.
State officials say several equity groups have shown interest in the 23-mile extension. But private purchase of the rail line or the Dulles Toll Road to fund the extension has some concerned that such public infrastructure is too valuable to give over to for-profit corporations. Governor Timothy Kaine says it's premature to talk about privatizing the road.
Latest Comment on FTA Extends Dulles Rail Funding Decision Deadline
John61
3:11 pm on 01/28/08
Wm.gavin and I don't always seem to agree on things, but he has my exact sentiment on this issue. If the rail goes through as planned, most don't realize what they plan to do. Tyson's corner is to be developed into one of the biggest "cities" in the country. With that comes higher crime, higher taxes and then more and more traffic. In the mean time, we in Northern Virginia will be the one's to foot the bill for the builders and landowners in the area. After building it out to the airport then beyond, there would no longer be any way to stop Loundoun County from overbuilding in turn causing the roads to fill up again. Guarantee that there will be no more building in either county with the addition of the rail and I may change my attitude about the need for the rail....
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