Will Dulles Rail Extension Head Down a New Road?

By: Mary
Published On: 12/21/2005 2:00:00 AM

The notice was quiet enough... Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority (MWAA) held a press conference yesterday to "announce proposed rail and road improvements to the Dulles Corridor."  What came out in that quiet little press conference ended up surprising transportation activists, business leaders, and politicians alike.  MWAA came up with  a maverick proposal:

The authority that controls Dulles International Airport made a move yesterday to take over the state-run Dulles Toll Road and seize control of construction of a rail line to the airport, hoping to ensure that the troubled project moves forward.

Why?  Well, MWAA does own the Tollroad space where the train line would be constructed.  They believe they can do it faster, since they don't have to comply with the same regulatory hurdles.

That, as Chairman Connolly commented, also may raise concerns that it would lead to "a lot of revenue to be controlled by a body that has extremely limited public accountability."

It would mean that the State would lose control--and income--from the toll road.  The proposal would also stop the State's current exploration of turning the project over to the private sector.

So, just where is the Dulles Rail Extension heading?

Comments



We also need: a West (Teddy - 4/4/2006 11:30:37 PM)
We also need: a Western bypass (also called an Outer Beltway) with a bridge across the Potomac into Maryland so all those tech workers in Gaithersburg can cross directly over to their jobs in Reston, and not do the Big "U" drive down I-270 to cross on I-495, then go west on Dulles Toll Road. What a siphoning off of commuter traffic that would be! What a relief of truck traffic on US-15! What a relief, period.


That's problematic, (Rob - 4/4/2006 11:30:37 PM)
That's problematic, but I think a rapid solution to the Toll Road traffic is the tradeoff.  It is really bad going south during rush hour.  I wonder where Kaine stands on that?