Washington D.C. Examiner:Gov. Tim Kaine said he would back building a tunnel to carry Metrorail through Tysons Corner if local governments voted for it
I applaud Governor Kaine's step in the right direction. However, in light of the fact that both the Fairfax Board of Supervisors (WaPo, D.C. Examiner, WUSA9) and the Vienna Town Council have unanimously issued resolutions supporting the tunnel option, it would help if Governor Kaine would clarify what local governments he is waiting to hear from.
Despite this seeming incongruity, we must take this chance to send letters to Chairman Gerry Connolly (of the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors) urging him to make his county's wishes crystal clear to Governor Kaine. We must also write letters to Governor Kaine, the Chairman of the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority, and your congressman (Davis, Wolf, or Moran). Talking points and contact info below the fold.
Here's part of an email from Tatyana Schum at TysonsTunnel.org laying this out:
Dear Fellow Supporters -Many of you have written letters already and this has been effective. I am writing today because it is important that we send new letters as early as NOW. Guidelines follow.
YOUR help is critical! This e-mail is long - but PLEASE take the time to read it through.
I urge you to write and fax letters today to Virginia Governor Tim Kaine and Fairfax County Board Chairman Gerry Connolly, as well as Mame Reiley, Chairman, Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority and Congressmen Tom Davis, Jim Moran and Frank Wolf, calling on them to delay signing the agreement between the Commonwealth of Virginia and Dulles Transit Partners on the Dulles Corridor Metrorail project that includes elevated rail rather than tunnel option through Tysons Corner. It is critically important that we reach out to all of these officials immediately. Your letters could make the difference in delaying or preventing the signing of this agreement. [Here's an article from the March 1 DC Examiner that sheds new light on the flaws and the secrecy surrounding this no-bid contract.]
Note: Because this secret agreement could be signed any day, it is imperative that you write these letters IMMEDIATELY.
Here are some bullets to use in drafting your letters. They should be neither angry nor accusatory, or we will only set back our efforts. Please put some or all of the thoughts contained in the following bullets in your letters. Be sure your letter is written in your own words and do not cut and paste or the letters will be ineffective. Also, if you are a Northern Virginia business owner or business leader, please put these letters on your company's letterhead.
To Governor Tim Kaine (Governor Tim Kaine, Office of the Governor, Patrick Henry Building, 3rd Floor, 1111 East Broad Street, Richmond, VA 23219;
Feedback web form:
http://www.governor.virginia.gov/AboutThe Governor/contactGovernor.cfm
Facsimile (804) 371-6351:
* I appreciate your latest public statements indicating your willingness to support local Fairfax County and Loudoun County officials if they want to push the tunnel rather than the elevated rail for Metro through Tysons Corner. As a business owner/resident of the Tysons Corner area, I strongly believe a tunnel is the best approach.
* I am concerned that you will be called upon very soon to sign the contract between Virginia and Dulles Transit Partners. By signing this document, you will place major roadblocks in the way of efforts in Northern Virginia to develop a plan for a Metro tunnel through Tysons. I urge you to hold off signing that agreement.
* A project of this magnitude paid with taxpayer money must be competitively bid.
* Competitive bidding could save Virginia taxpayers many hundreds of millions of dollars.
* I also am alarmed by the secrecy and the no-bid status of this agreement, as outlined in a March 1, 2007 article in the DC Examiner.
* Please give us more time in Northern Virginia to convince our congressmen and the federal government that a tunnel is the best approach.
* You have said that you agree that the tunnel is the best approach. Please do not make a hasty decision that could hinder chances for a tunnel.
To Chairman Gerry Connolly (Chairman Gerry Connolly, 12000 Government Center Parkway, Suite 530, Fairfax, VA 22035;
E-mail: Chairman@fairfaxcounty.gov
Facsimile (703) 324-3955.
Additionally, please send courtesy copies of your letter to Chairman Connolly to fellow Supervisors, list below:
* I urge you to call upon Governor Tim Kaine to delay signing the contract between the Commonwealth of Virginia and Dulles Transit Partners. Governor Kaine has said he would back building a Metro tunnel through Tysons if the local governments in Fairfax County and Loudoun County agree that the tunnel is preferable.
* A March 1, 2007 DC Examiner article that cites the secrecy and no-bid status of this agreement is all the more reason for Fairfax County to call for the tunnel and urge the governor to delay signing the agreement.
* Competitive bidding could save Fairfax County taxpayers many hundreds of millions of dollars.
* I appreciate your support and Governor Kaine's support for the tunnel approach, which could be constructed quicker. But allowing this agreement to be signed will not help efforts to secure the tunnel approach rather than the elevated approach.
* Please give tunnel advocates more time to convince our congressional delegation and federal transportation officials that the tunnel is the most viable and acceptable option of running Metro through Tysons to Dulles. You can accomplish this by not signing the agreement between the Commonwealth of Virginia and Dulles Transit Partners.
As noted above, please send a courtesy copy of your letter to Chairman Connolly to the other Supervisors at the following locations:
Supervisor Joan DuBois, Dranesville District, 1437 Balls Hill Road, McLean, VA 22101; Facsimile (703) 821-4275
Supervisor Catherine M. Hudgins, Hunter Mill District, 12000 Bowman Towne Drive, Reston, VA 20190; Facsimile (703) 471-6847
Supervisor Linda Q. Smyth, Providence District, 8739 Lee Highway, Fairfax, VA 22031; Facsimile (703) 207-3541
Supervisor Sharon Bulova, Braddock District, 9002 Burke Lake Road, Burke, VA 22015; Facsimile (703) 503-9583
Supervisor Elaine McConnell, Springfield District, 12000 Government Center Parkway, Suite 233, Fairfax, VA 22035; Facsimile (703) 324-3149
Supervisor Penny Gross, Mason District, 6507 Columbia Pike, Annandale, VA 22003; Facsimile (703) 354-8419
Supervisor Michael R. Frey, Sully District, 4900 Stonecroft Blvd., Chantilly, VA 20151; Facsimile (703) 814-7110
Supervisor Gerry Hyland, Mt. Vernon District, 2511 Parkers Lane, Alexandria, VA 22306; Facsimile (703) 780-1491
Supervisor Dana Kaufmann, Lee District, 6121 Franconia Road, Alexandria, VA 22310; Facsimile (703)971-3032
To Mame Reiley, Chairman, Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority (Mame Reiley, Chairman, MWAA, 1 Aviation Circle, Washington, DC. 20001-6000; Facsimile (703) 417-8988. Additionally, please send a courtesy copy of your letter to President and CEO James E. Bennett, MWAA at the same address and fax number):
* I urge you to take a closer look at any signing of a contract between the Commonwealth of Virginia and Dulles Transit Partners.
* Please work with Governor Tim Kaine to delay signing the contract between the Commonwealth of Virginia and Dulles Transit Partners. Governor Kaine has said he would back building a Metro tunnel through Tysons if the local players in Fairfax County and Loudoun County agree that the tunnel is preferable.
* I am alarmed by the secrecy and the no-bid status of this agreement, as outlined in the March 1, 2007 article in the DC Examiner. Yet another reason to put the signing of any contract between the Commonwealth and Dulles Transit Partners on hold.
If Congressman Davis is your Congressman, then write to: US Congressman Tom Davis, US House of Representatives, 2348 Rayburn HOB, Washington, DC. 20515; Facsimile (202) 225-3071:
* I appreciate the fact that you now are a Tunnel supporter. I hope you, given your unique position of leadership, can help further by helping to coalesce support for the Tunnel within the Federal Transit Administration.
* I urge you to use your good office to help persuade the Federal Transit Administration to provide some assurance to Governor Kaine that the $900 million in Federal funding will remain available if the Tunnel is chosen for the project.
* I am alarmed by the secrecy and the no-bid status of the agreement between the Commonwealth of Virginia and Dulles Transit Partners, as outlined in the March 1, 2007 article in the DC Examiner.
If Congressman Moran is your Congressman, then write to: US Congressman James Moran, US House of Representatives, 2239 Rayburn HOB, Washington, DC. 20515; Facsimile (202) 225-0017:
* I urge you to use your good office to help persuade the Federal Transit Administration to provide some assurance to Governor Kaine that the $900 million in Federal funding will remain available if the Tunnel is chosen for the project.
* I am alarmed by the secrecy and the no-bid status of the agreement between the Commonwealth of Virginia and Dulles Transit Partners, as outlined in the March 1, 2007 article in the DC Examiner.
If Congressman Wolf is your Congressman, then write to US Congressman Frank Wolf (Congressman Frank Wolf, US House of Representatives, 241 Cannon HOB, Washington, DC. 20515; Facsimile (202) 225-0437):
* I urge you to use your good office to help persuade the Federal Transit Administration to provide some assurance to Governor Kaine that the $900 million in Federal funding will remain available if the Tunnel is chosen for the project.
* I am alarmed by the secrecy and the no-bid status of the agreement between the Commonwealth of Virginia and Dulles Transit Partners, as outlined in the March 1, 2007 article in the DC Examiner.
If you have any If you have any questions or concerns, please contact me by reply e-mail. I'm available!
Together - we can make this happen!
Tatyana
Tatyana Schum
TysonsTunnel.org
1390 Chain Bridge Road, #65
McLean, Virginia 22101
P: 703.795.2967
F: 703.935.4025
http://www.tysonstunnel.orgIt's Not Over til It's Under!
If you sent a letter, please leave a comment and let me and the rest of RK know.