Commentary

Nine Lives

Delegate Kenneth R. "Ken" Plum

The Dulles Corridor Silver Line Metrorail Extension has had many hear-death experiences through its planning to construction.  Reaching agreement among the various funding partners at the federal, state, and local levels and the private sector and community seemed at times to be nearly impossible.  Requirements of the Federal Transit Administration, action by the Herndon Town Council, tax district or tax districts and other issues seemed close to bringing the project to a halt.  Disputes over choosing the locally preferred alternative of bus rapid transit, heavy or light rail, over or under at Tysons Corner, and others endangered the future of the project.  With Phase I to Wiehle Avenue construction about a third complete there may have been a tendency to relax as the extension is clearly on its way.

In a previous column I wrote about the necessity of the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority (MWAA) reconsidering its decision on the station location at the Dulles Airport Terminal.  While the original plans showed an underground station at the terminal, preliminary engineering showed the station to be a $600 million expense.  Early estimates indicated that Phase 2 would be less expensive than Phase 1 because it would essentially run in the median of the Dulles Access Road and not have much of the complex bridge structures like those at Tysons Corner.  MWAA was correct in looking at options to the original tunnel design but was mistaken in simply shortening the tunnel when an additional savings of $300 million option for a totally acceptable, above-ground option was available to them.

Without a federal presence in the funding of Phase 2, toll road users, commercial property owners in the corridor, and state and local governments have to pick up the full costs.  It is imperative that a safe, accessible system be built but that value engineering concepts and good judgment be applied to keep the costs down.  Recently the Washington Airports Task Force proposed other cost reduction measures such as developing the parking garages as public-private partnerships like the one being built at Wiehle Avenue, evaluating the size and features of the proposed rail yard, and other cost reduction measures.  The big cost saving of the above-ground station has been shown by a visit of Board of Supervisors Chairman Sharon Bulova and news reporters as being accessible and convenient.  These reductions will make the project financeable and ensure its completion.

U.S Secretary of Transportation Ray LaHood offered at a recent Dulles Area Transportation Association event to serve as a mediator to getting the various parties together to reach agreement.  All need to come to the table to keep the project alive.