Just in case you missed it, the Examiner had its list of "winners and losers" in the Metro to Dulles "100 year mistake." Not surprisingly, the "winners" include "Big Dig" Bechtel, the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority (MWAA), SAIC (the reporter's commentary on that one is harsh!), something called the Macerich Trust (a "California-based real estate investment trust" which "paid $2.3 billion for Tysons Corner Mall"), West Group (check out the commentary on that one as well - ouch!) and the Lerner Group.
"Losers" include pretty much the rest of us:
1. "Route 7 commuters," who will face added traffic.
2. "Commuters who don?t work at Tysons," who "will get virtually no congestion relief even as the higher densities put more cars on local roads."
3. "Dulles Toll Road motorists," who "will wind up paying about 80 percent of the total cost of a $5 billion transit project they do not use."
4. "Blue and Orange lines riders," for whom "already overcrowded Orange Line trains are expected to be sardine cans before they get to the Arlington stops."
5. "Fairfax County taxpayers," who "will not only have to pay $110 million more in annual operating expenses for Dulles Rail, but they?re also liable for any cost overruns."
In sum: according to this analysis, "winners" from Metro to Dulles (sans tunnel) include wealthy property owners and development interests. "Losers" include pretty much the rest of us poor saps who live here in Northern Virginia. Heckuva job, everybody. Heckuva job!
Also I don't buy the arguement that the aerial option is going to make traffic worse on Rt. 7 than if there was a tunnel.
Go ahead and yell at me now.
And where is our region's environment in the list of winners? DC is a nonattainment area for fine particulates and ground-level ozone. Getting commuters out of their cars and onto trains can only help that.
Planners admit that only 12 percent of the current 100,000 or so daily Tysons commuters will ride Dulles Rail. Even so, it?s being used to justify a building boom that will add thousands of condos, offices and retail stores to the Washington region?s second-largest job center. All those extra people will add to the county?s worsening congestion while this mammoth project sucks up almost every available transportation dollar in Northern Virginia for decades.
Whoops!
To be generous let's say 100,000 people will use the line each day
So 5,200,000,000 / 100,000 = 52,000 per person
Could the government please write me a check and to be nice it can only be for half that 26,000
The rail project is a land use development project not a transportation project. If it were not so, then there would have been 2 stops in Tysons that would be located in the boundary of TC.
A rail stop generates higher density. Higher density generates additional vehicle trips.
Trust me, I don't think many of us could afford to live in Tysons Corner. So are we not subsidizing the wealthy land owners? Who benefits....Connolly with big dollars flowing into his campaign war chest? Am I the only person who finds this to be offensive?
Contact: Stephen Davis
Campaign Manager
703.448.8018VANDERHYE RESPONDS TO FAIRFAX BOARD VOTE ON DULLES RAIL
McLean, Va., June 20, 2007 ? Margaret ?Margi? Vanderhye, issued the following statement in response to the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors vote on the Dulles Rail Project:
?I am disappointed that the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors felt the need to proceed with the vote on funding the elevated option for Rail to Dulles as it passes through Tyson?s Corner without better and more certain cost estimates.
?The cost for overruns will likely be borne by the taxpayers, many of them in the 34th district. All parties to the negotiations ? public and private ? have a responsibility to all of us to determine the price of this project with a far greater certainty than the current possible $300 million difference.
?I still believe the tunnel is a viable and financially sound option and in the best interests of the region, particularly the Tyson?s Corner area. I too am eager to see Rail to Dulles become a reality soon rather than later. But achieving a vibrant, urban center at Tyson?s must also be a goal. Currently, there is little if any communication about how that goal can be realistically achieved with the aerial design.
?In the wake of the recent decision, the public deserves better answers about the price of this project and the ?vision? that will make it workable for Tyson?s and northern Virginia. The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors has labored long and hard over many months and years to make rail to Dulles a reality. Let?s do everything we can to make sure the public is informed and enthusiastic about this priority project as well.?
You tell 'em, Margi! :)
Fairfax County supervisors approve Dulles rail extension
http://www.dailypres...