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TysonsTunnel.org, Sierra Club sue for underground Silver Line - William World News
Wednesday, June 17, 2009
TysonsTunnel.org, Sierra Club sue for underground Silver Line
 Groups to sue over Metro's expansion - WTOPA potential delay to the Silver Line, already being constructed through Tysons Corner, has emerged: The group, TysonsTunnel.org, has been pushing for an underground route through the area. It is teaming up with the environmental group, Sierra Club, to file the suit.
A national watchdog group is expected to join the suit.
Scott A. Monett, president of TysonsTunnel and the vice chair of the Sierra Club's Great Falls group, won't name the watchdog group, but does say it's a "good governance group." Again, too little too late. While I would have preferred an underground Metro line through Tysons Corner for long term cost and aesthetic concerns, I can live with an above ground one. The mobilization for making sure the Silver Line was a tunnel came years too late. This suit, if it does not get thrown out, will just add years to the construction and millions to the cost. Silver Spring seems to do just fine with the Red Line elevated through it, so I think Tysons will too. Crystal City gets by with having an airport and at-grade railroad adjacent to it as well and nobody seems to mind.  Metro, WMATA, Silver Line, Mass Transit, subway, Tyson's Corner, FTA, MWAA, Dulles AirportLabels: BeltwayLand, Fairfax County, Metro, Silver Line, Transportation, Tysons Corner, Virginia
posted by WFY @ 10:00 AM |
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How the Silver Line Metro is going to be built - William World News
Monday, March 16, 2009
How the Silver Line Metro is going to be built
Metrorail Heading In a New Direction - The PostDetails of what the Silver Line construction through Tysons Corner is going to be like over the next several years. It won't be much fun, but the payoff is huge. Also: Map Metro, WMATA, Silver Line, Mass Transit, subway, Tyson's Corner, FTA, MWAA, Dulles AirportLabels: BeltwayLand, Fairfax County, Metro, Silver Line, Transportation, Tysons Corner, Virginia
posted by WFY @ 2:48 PM |
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Metro Rail to Tysons -- Silver Line now official! - William World News
Tuesday, March 10, 2009
Metro Rail to Tysons -- Silver Line now official!
Officials Formalize Funding for Dulles Metro Extension - The PostAt long last, the Silver Line, a Metro corridor between Arlington and Tysons Corner is official! ...the real action will start in a matter of days about 15 miles to the west, where demolition of roads and bridges and heavy construction of overhead piers will become an unwelcome fact of life during the next six years for commuters and residents of McLean, Tysons Corner, Vienna and beyond. The result, boosters say, will be worth it: a public transit system serving the region's primary international airport and Virginia's most prosperous jobs corridor.
Today's ceremony at the Transportation Department's headquarters near the Washington Navy Yard featured a roster of local, state and federal luminaries seeking to revel in -- and take credit for -- the project's success. Virginia Gov. Timothy M. Kaine (D), U.S. Rep. Frank R. Wolf (R-Va.), Sen. Mark Warner (D-Va.) and former senator John Warner (R-Va.) were among those attending. Emphasis added by me. This is long overdue and much needed. The next few years in Tysons may not be fun to commute to and from but it is not like it is right now. The second phase of the project from Whiele Ave. to Ashburn still has some hurdles to clear. New Metrorail Line Really Coming - Dr. Gridlock, The PostProject Web site: Dulles Metrorail ProjectI like the headline and the tone of this blog post which includes the backstory of the last year -- make sure you read it. Metro, WMATA, Silver Line, Mass Transit, subway, Tyson's Corner, FTA, MWAA, Dulles AirportLabels: BeltwayLand, Fairfax County, Metro, Silver Line, Transportation, Tysons Corner, Virginia
posted by WFY @ 12:16 PM |
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Silver Line gets final USDOT approval - William World News
Thursday, January 08, 2009
Silver Line gets final USDOT approval
U.S. Transportation Chief Backs Dulles Rail Project - The PostThe Silver Line is very, very close to being official. After a series of regulatory setbacks in 2008, rail to Dulles was revived last month when the Federal Transit Administration discarded long-standing skepticism about the project's cost and management and sent it on to Peters for final action. Yesterday's news marks what state, local and congressional boosters said is the government's irreversible approval of the project. All that remains for a sixty day comment period in Congress and then presumably the project is officially underway. Planned completion of the first phase of the line, between Whiele Ave. in Reston and West Falls Church is 2013. It will be thirty years too late, but better late than ever. Metro, WMATA, Silver Line, Mass Transit, subway, Tyson's Corner, FTA, MWAA, Dulles AirportLabels: BeltwayLand, Fairfax County, Metro, Silver Line, Transportation, Tysons Corner, Virginia
posted by WFY @ 12:05 PM |
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FTA officially says yes to Silver Line - William World News
Thursday, December 04, 2008
FTA officially says yes to Silver Line
Federal Regulators Sign Off on Dulles Rail Extension - The PostThe Federal Transit Administration approved the extension, which now heads to U.S. Transportation Secretary Mary Peters and the Office of Management and Budget for final sign-off. Approval from the FTA, where regulators had attacked the proposal as too expensive and poorly managed, is widely viewed as a critical moment for a project that local and state officials say is crucial to relieve traffic and spur economic growth at Tysons Corner and along the Dulles corridor. Feds approve first phase of Dulles Rail project - WTOPThis is great news for our region, this is a badly needed project. Hopefully Peters and OMB will sign off soon and the construction can really get going. Metro, WMATA, Silver Line, Mass Transit, subway, Tyson's Corner, FTA, MWAA, Dulles AirportLabels: BeltwayLand, Fairfax County, Metro, Silver Line, Transportation, Tysons Corner, Virginia
posted by WFY @ 6:11 AM |
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Schrag on Silver Line reversal - William World News
Tuesday, May 20, 2008
Schrag on Silver Line reversal
Recently, I reached out to George Mason University history professor Dr. Zachary Schrag for commentary on the Federal Transportation Administration's decision to continue funding the Dulles Corridor Metro line. He was kind enough to provide some commentary: At this point, the history of the Silver Line has been marked by such tangles of planning, engineering, architecture, finance, and politics that it rivals in complexity the decision to build the original Metro system. I am not going to write a book on the subject, but I hope someone else takes up the challenge. Schrag wrote The Great Society Subway about Metro. In it, he argued that building the Orange Line to Tysons in the first place might have made more sense. PREVIOUSLYSchrag on Dulles-Tysons Metro situation2006 INTERVIEW: Q & A: The Great Society Subway Metro, WMATA, Mass Transit, subway, Tyson's Corner, FTA, MWAA, Dulles AirportLabels: BeltwayLand, Fairfax County, Metro, Silver Line, Transportation, Tysons Corner, Virginia
posted by WFY @ 5:51 AM |
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The Silver Line's long road ahead - William World News
Friday, May 02, 2008
The Silver Line's long road ahead
Dulles Rail Still Has Miles to Go, Hurdles to Clear - The PostA lot still needs to happen for the Silver Line to get built and there are a few ways and a number of people who will try to stop it. Metro, WMATA, Silver Line, Mass Transit, subway, Tyson's Corner, FTA, MWAA, Dulles AirportLabels: BeltwayLand, Fairfax County, Metro, Silver Line, Transportation, Tysons Corner, Virginia
posted by WFY @ 6:12 AM |
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Lazarus Metro line roundup - William World News
Thursday, May 01, 2008
Lazarus Metro line roundup
EDITORIAL - Dulles Rail's Revival - The PostIts resurrection is a triumph of common sense over dogma and suggests that, contrary to the general impression of the state of governance in Washington, rational outcomes remain possible when grown-ups put their heads together. More specifically, it is a testament to the wisdom and perseverance of officials at Metro, which would operate the 23-mile extension; the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority, which would manage its construction; Sen. John W. Warner (R-Va.), who spearheaded the lobbying with Transportation Secretary Mary Peters to reverse what had seemed like the feds' unequivocal rejection; and Virginia Gov. Timothy M. Kaine (D). Let us hope this cooperation continues on what may be a bumpy ride on the way to making this Metro line happen. Metro Extension Plan Revived, But Officials Include Conditions - The PostDulles rail project gets federal reprieve - The Wash. TimesRail decision thrusts Tysons development back to forefront - The Wash. ExaminerThe details on how this came together and some information about what still needs to happen for it to keep going. The biggest sticking point will be addressing the current Metro system woes and find the funding to fix them. It is not over yet, not by a long shot and may in fact just be getting started. After Months of Lobbying, Business Leaders Can Celebrate - The PostThe revival of the Silver Line is a cause for celebration in business circles. Metro, WMATA, Silver Line, Mass Transit, subway, Tyson's Corner, FTA, MWAA, Dulles AirportLabels: BeltwayLand, Fairfax County, Metro, Silver Line, Transportation, Tysons Corner, Virginia
posted by WFY @ 12:47 PM |
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More details on Dulles Corridor Metro - William World News
Wednesday, April 30, 2008
More details on Dulles Corridor Metro
Dulles Rail Gets Federal Approval - The PostAs expected (since this morning at least), USDOT announced today that it is now supporting the proposal to build the Silver Line along the Dulles Corridor. In a letter to Kaine and in a 10 a.m. conference call with the governor and Virginia congressional leaders, U.S. Transportation Secretary Mary Peters said the $5 billion project had finally met the Federal Transit Administration's standards for cost efficiency, construction and expected ridership. The project will now move into the final design phase, a major step toward receiving $900 million in federal funding.
"As a result of the collaboration between federal and state officials, the project sponsor and other project stakeholders, the financial stability and oversight of the project has improved," Peters wrote to Kaine in a letter obtained by The Washington Post. "Cost reductions have been verified and mechanisms have been established to enhance inter-organizational cooperation, technical capacity and project management." Good news, but this isn't fait accompli just yet: Still, Peters went on, "much work remains" to make the project right. Today's approval comes with conditions that must be met if the project is to receive federal funding. Without that money, state and local officials have said that the project would die, ending the possibility of a long-sought rail connection between the nation's capital and its major international airport. Supporters say the line would ease congestion through Virginia's biggest jobs corridor and keep the economy humming with the transformation of suburban Tysons Corner into a thriving downtown.
Among the conditions, Peters said in her letter, is a sweeping demand that Virginia and the Metro system guarantee the capital investment necessary to maintain and operate Metro. The Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority recently identified $489 million in "urgent unfunded capital needs," Peters said. Virginia better not drop the ball on this one. There is a chat about the decision going on right now on washingtonpost.com. EARLIER: Silver line back on track?!UPDATE 6:30 a.m. Thursday: I will be posting more about this topic after 12 p.m. today, so check back later. Metro, WMATA, Silver Line, Mass Transit, subway, Tyson's Corner, FTA, MWAA, Dulles AirportLabels: BeltwayLand, Fairfax County, Metro, Silver Line, Transportation, Tysons Corner, Virginia
posted by WFY @ 12:41 PM |
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Silver line back on track?! - William World News
Silver line back on track?!
Dulles Rail Set to Get Federal Approval - The PostApparently, Virginia and the U.S. Department of Transportation has found a way to make the Dulles Corridor Metro project, tentatively called the Silver Line, meet the "Federal Transit Administration's standards for cost efficiency, construction and expected ridership." It appears U.S. DOT secretary Mary Peters overruled FTA. Good job, Peters that was the correct decision. This is excellent news, I am glad that we can finally get started on a project that is long overdue. Now, we get to see the tunnel vs. elevated argument start up again. I would love to see it underground, but I don't see that happening at this point. Metro, WMATA, Silver Line, Mass Transit, subway, Tyson's Corner, FTA, MWAA, Dulles AirportLabels: BeltwayLand, Fairfax County, Metro, Silver Line, Transportation, Tysons Corner, Virginia
posted by WFY @ 5:16 AM |
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As the Silver Line slowly dies, TysonsTunnel throws in the towel - William World News
Wednesday, March 26, 2008
As the Silver Line slowly dies, TysonsTunnel throws in the towel
Tysons Tunnel Supporters Withdraw Lawsuit - WTOPI have not seen much news about the Silver Line (Ashburn to West Falls Church via Dulles & Tysons) for some time now. Today, the news broke that TysonsTunnel.org has decided to drop its lawsuit against U.S. Department of Transportation because of the expected denial of $900 million of funding. Gov. Tim Kaine needs to get this project back on track and resubmit it to USDOT next year when a different administration is involved. Metro, WMATA, Silver Line, Mass Transit, subway, Tyson's Corner, FTA, MWAA, Dulles AirportLabels: BeltwayLand, Fairfax County, Metro, Silver Line, Tysons Corner, Virginia
posted by WFY @ 12:52 PM |
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Two Silver Line stories - William World News
Tuesday, February 19, 2008
Two Silver Line stories
Dulles Rail faces new bids - The Wash. ExaminerDel. Dave Albo, R-Springfield and Del. Joe May, R-Leesburg inserted language into a budget bill that would force the first leg of the Silver Line to be rebid. Given the shady way the project was put together, that sounds reasonable. This was from Saturday: 2 Top Republicans Try to Jump-Start Dulles Rail Plan, Raising Some Hopes - The PostAn encouraging sign: Minority Whip Roy Blunt (Mo.) and Deputy Whip Eric Cantor (Va.) sent Transportation Secretary Mary Peters a letter this week, saying: "It is vitally important that this project move forward. Open dialogue between Virginia and the Department of Transportation will make certain that lawmakers are best able to alleviate the burden of increasing traffic congestion and transportation demands across the entire national capital region." It is good to see someone from outside of Virginia getting involved too. Metro, WMATA, Silver Line, Mass Transit, subway, Tyson's Corner, FTA, MWAA, Dulles AirportLabels: BeltwayLand, Fairfax County, Metro, Silver Line, Transportation, Tysons Corner, Virginia
posted by WFY @ 12:39 PM |
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Chat transcript: Pearlstein on Silver Line - William World News
Thursday, February 14, 2008
Chat transcript: Pearlstein on Silver Line
Somehow I missed a chat hosted by Post business columnist Steven Pearlstein about the Dulles Corridor Metro project. It is quite an interesting and presents several points of view, though Pearlstein favors building it through a Metro line above other modes and wants it to go through Tysons. Pearlstein also outlines how he wants the project saved in his Wednesday column. You may recall he wrote a column in 2006 praising Tysons' Messy Vitality that I thought was silly and so did Robert K. Lewis. Metro, WMATA, Silver Line, Mass Transit, subway, Tyson's Corner, FTA, MWAA, Dulles Airport, Steven PearlsteinLabels: BeltwayLand, Chats, Fairfax County, Metro, Silver Line, Transportation, Tysons Corner, Virginia
posted by WFY @ 5:50 AM |
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Is the Purple Line in trouble too? - William World News
Thursday, February 07, 2008
Is the Purple Line in trouble too?
Dulles Rail Problems With FTA Worry Md. - The PostWith the FTA showing reluctance to fund Virginia's Silver Line, Maryland officials are concerned that mass transit projects like the Purple Line won't be funded either. As for the Silver Line, proposed to connect West Falls Church to Ashburn, it isn't dead yet, according to Dr. Gridlock's Get There blog. Also, the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority took issue with the FTA's suggestion ( WTOP) that it couldn't handle building the Silver Line. Metro, WMATA, Silver Line, Mass Transit, subway, Tyson's Corner, FTA, MWAA, Dulles Airport, Purple LineLabels: BeltwayLand, Maryland, Metro, Silver Line, Transportation, Virginia
posted by WFY @ 5:58 AM |
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Kaine wants specifics from FTA - William World News
Saturday, February 02, 2008
Kaine wants specifics from FTA
U.S. Input Sought to Save Rail To Dulles - The PostGov. Tim Kaine, in an open letter (PDF), has asked the Federal Transit Administration to identify specifics on how to get the $900 million funding. He should have asked for this days ago. WMATA head John Catoe disagrees with FTA's assessment that Metro can't handle another line. House of Delegates speaker William Howell wants to start the project over from scratch. He is a proponent of bus rapid transit. Kaine presses for Dulles rail project - The Wash. TimesKaine: Changes could save Dulles Rail - The Wash. Examiner Metro, WMATA, Silver Line, Mass Transit, subway, Tyson's Corner, FTA, MWAA, Dulles AirportLabels: BeltwayLand, Fairfax County, Metro, Silver Line, Transportation, Tysons Corner, Virginia
posted by WFY @ 8:43 AM |
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Friday's Silver Line stories - William World News
Friday, February 01, 2008
Friday's Silver Line stories
Would it surprise you to learn a source close to Governor Tim Kaine has told WTOP that the governor knew the were storm clouds over the Dulles corridor rail project last summer? Perhaps the governor has been playing politics since the FTA voiced no confidence in the project recently. Shocking. The Wash. Examiner says there is pessimism that the current project can be salvaged enough to get $900 million in federal funding. WMATA reaffirmed that it still supports the project too. The state needs to get its act together and push hard with the next administration for some federal funding. It seems pretty clear this isn't going to happen until then. Metro, WMATA, Silver Line, Mass Transit, subway, Tyson's Corner, FTA, MWAA, Dulles AirportLabels: BeltwayLand, Fairfax County, Metro, Silver Line, Transportation, Tysons Corner, Virginia
posted by WFY @ 12:25 PM |
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Not too much Silver Line news - William World News
Thursday, January 31, 2008
Not too much Silver Line news
Governor at center of two transit disputes - The Wash. TimesSpeaker of the House William J. Howell claims to have been ignored when he warned the the Dulles Corridor Metro project was flawed. He was opposed to involving the Metropolitan Washington Aiports Authority in the project and in favor of private financing that may have included "selling the rights" to collect tolls on the Dulles Toll Road. Howell wants "the General Assembly should push for the oversight authority to investigate how the state got in this position" which sounds like a good idea, provided its mandate is to figure out how to get the project back on track, not to merely place blame. Anti-Transit Bias May Be Hurting Dulles Rail - AP/WTOPThis is a pretty good summary of where the Tysons-Dulles Corridor situation is right now and how it got here. Metro, WMATA, Silver Line, Mass Transit, subway, Tyson's Corner, FTA, MWAA, Dulles AirportLabels: BeltwayLand, Fairfax County, Metro, Silver Line, Transportation, Tysons Corner, Virginia
posted by WFY @ 6:00 AM |
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More Silver Line news - William World News
Wednesday, January 30, 2008
More Silver Line news
The Dulles Regional Chamber of Commerce has set up a petition Web site -- www.dullesmetrorailnow.orgThe Wash. Examiner editorializes against the project. Jim Moran probably didn't help matters ( WTOP) by acting like, well Jim Moran. Times Community Newspapers coverage: Rumors and uncertainty fill the void left by teetering Metro project Northern Virginia's future hinges on rail talks Metro, WMATA, Silver Line, Mass Transit, subway, Tyson's Corner, FTA, MWAA, Dulles AirportLabels: BeltwayLand, Fairfax County, Metro, Silver Line, Transportation, Tysons Corner
posted by WFY @ 12:03 PM |
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Wednesday's Silver Line update - William World News
Wednesday's Silver Line update
Kaine Raises The Specter Of Higher Dulles Tolls - The PostIf the Federal Transit Administration denies $900 million for the Dulles-Tysons Metro expansion, increased tolls on the Dulles Toll Road could be one way of making up the shortfall. Governor Tim Kaine says he doesn't want to support that though. Kaine thought Dulles was deal on track - The Wash. TimesYet another article about how Gov. Kaine feels blindsided by the FTA. We know, stop taking about it and figure out how to get this done. Metro official accuses project heads of failure to fix flaws, letters show - Th Wash. ExaminerA WMATA official expressed concerns about the Silver Line twice since November. Metro, WMATA, Silver Line, Mass Transit, subway, Tyson's Corner, FTA, MWAA, Dulles AirportLabels: BeltwayLand, Fairfax County, Metro, Silver Line, Transportation, Tysons Corner, Virginia
posted by WFY @ 5:50 AM |
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Hope or tease for Silver Line? USDOT grants "cooling off period" - William World News
Tuesday, January 29, 2008
Hope or tease for Silver Line? USDOT grants "cooling off period"
Va. Gains Time to Save U.S. Funding for Dulles Rail - The PostU.S. Transportation Secretary Mary Peters has announced a cooling off period for the FTA and Virginia regarding Tysons-Dulles Metro extension. One source close to the governor suggested that "There is a glimmer here. It may be a temporary cessation of hostilities. It may be a pathway to getting this thing approved." The lead contractor has also agreed to add an extra 30 days to the escalation clause that was to kick in on Friday, Feb. 1. FTA Agrees To Extend Deadline On Dulles Decision - WTOPKaine given more time on rail rebuttal - The Wash. Examiner Metro, WMATA, Silver Line, Mass Transit, subway, Tyson's Corner, FTA, MWAA, DullesAirportLabels: BeltwayLand, Fairfax County, Metro, Silver Line, Transportation, Tysons Corner, Virginia
posted by WFY @ 5:45 AM |
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Monday updates on Tysons-Dulles Metro - William World News
Monday, January 28, 2008
Monday updates on Tysons-Dulles Metro
The fallout from the FTA's show of no confidence in the existing Dulles corridor Metro plan continues to generate coverage. Private Interest In Rail To Dulles - The PostThe Carlyle Infrastructure Fund is mentioned as a potential private investor. Private financing of public transportation has the FTA's endorsement. Dulles Rail proponents fending off blame - The Wash. ExaminerEDITORIAL - Tysons turnabout - The Wash. TimesPoliticians Scramble to Save Dulles Rail Project - WTOPThe Post's Get There blog wonders what Plan B winds up being and notes "the Federal Transit Administration said it doubted whether the Washington airports authority could manage the project. Let's take that concern as valid for a moment.
If the airports authority, which is managing the multi-billion dollar expansion of Dulles Airport, can't manage construction of a Metrorail line, who could?
How about Metro?
No. After Metro built out the five rail lines as planned, it got out of the rail construction business. It no longer has a department that could immediately turn its attention to the task of building a new rail line across the District or the suburbs." Today's Roads & Rails chat was focused on this issue as well. Here is the MWAA project Web site: dullesmetro.comEven though I rarely refer to this as the "Silver Line" (I don't know if that is an official name or merely an anticipated one) I have gone ahead and created a category for Dulles Corridor rail called " Silver Line." Metro, WMATA, Silver Line, Mass Transit, subway, Tyson's Corner, FTA, MWAA, DullesAirportLabels: BeltwayLand, Fairfax County, Metro, Silver Line, Transportation, Tysons Corner, Virginia
posted by WFY @ 12:50 PM |
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A solution for Tysons-Dulles Rail - William World News
A solution for Tysons-Dulles Rail
Given the events of last week, I think that Virginia officials, WMATA and MWAA need to visit this guy:  You rush a miracle man, you get rotten miracles.Falling that, they need to get better organized, be more specific about who is doing what and wait for the next administration. Hopefully that one won't be looking to excuse itself from the traditional government role of building infrastructure. Metro, WMATA, Silver Line, Mass Transit, subway, Tyson's Corner, FTA, MWAA, DullesAirportLabels: BeltwayLand, Fairfax County, Metro, Silver Line, Transportation, Tysons Corner, Virginia
posted by WFY @ 5:51 AM |
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Latest on Dulles corridor Metro - William World News
Saturday, January 26, 2008
Latest on Dulles corridor Metro
Contradictions Surface in Dulles Rail Talks - The PostVirginia: You blindsided us! FTA: No we didn't! They need to get past that and figure out how to make this happen. It might have to wait until the next administration is in office. Metro, WMATA, Mass Transit, subway, Tyson's Corner, FTA, MWAA, DullesAirportLabels: BeltwayLand, Fairfax County, Metro, Silver Line, Transportation, Tysons Corner, Virginia
posted by WFY @ 10:02 AM |
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Schrag on Dulles-Tysons Metro situation - William World News
Friday, January 25, 2008
Schrag on Dulles-Tysons Metro situation
This morning, I asked Zachary Schrag, assistant professor of history at George Mason University and author of The Great Society Subway: A History of the Washington Metro, if he had any comments on the letter FTA chief James Simpson sent to Governor Kaine about the Dulles-Tysons Metro extension. Dr. Schrag responded: In June 2007, James S. Simpson told the APTA Rail Conference, "we have one shot at building these projects; so we need to build them right and we need to build them to last. Perhaps by thinking big again, we can develop the kind of national consensus we need to assure that we get the kind of cities, and nation, that we want, and find the resources to pay for them."
Remarks: James S. Simpson, Administrator, Federal Transit Administration, APTA Rail Conference, June 4, 2007
I find little of that approach in his January 24 letter to Governor Kaine. What does Simpson think Tysons Corner should look like a century from now? What does he think Loudoun County should look like a century from now? Unless he explain what kind of metropolitan area, and what kind of nation he wants, I don't see how he can evaluate the Dulles Line proposal. Thank you for you input Dr. Schrag. EARLIER TODAY: FTA to Dulles corridor Metro: DROP DEAD
2006 INTERVIEW:Q & A: The Great Society Subway Metro, WMATA, Mass Transit, subway, Tyson's Corner, FTA, MWAA, Dulles AirportLabels: BeltwayLand, Fairfax County, Metro, Silver Line, Transportation, Tysons Corner, Virginia, Whiskey-Tango-Foxtrot
posted by WFY @ 12:23 PM |
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FTA to Dulles corridor Metro: DROP DEAD - William World News
FTA to Dulles corridor Metro: DROP DEAD
 Dulles Rail Project All but Dead - The PostVirginia officials are saying the Federal Transit Administration has blindsided them with the announcement that the Metro expansion on the Dulles corridor is not likely to receive $900 million of federal funding. The Post obtained the letter FTA chief James Simpson sent to Governor Tim Kaine (PDF). Not surprisingly, a Post editorial wonders why the FTA took so long (after many millions of dollars were already spent) to announce its intentions. It also raises the question of how much administration ideology played a part ( The Post) in the FTA's handling of the Dulles corridor Metro. These recent developments are bad news for Northern Virginia and greater Washington D.C. There has been failure at just about every possible level along the way. Hopefully, this is just a setback, albeit a large one, to bringing mass transit to the 17th largest business district and 16th busiest airport in the country. More from The Wash. Times: Years of planning, investment unravel at likely death of Dulles RailUPDATES:Post columnist Marc Fisher chimes in on Raw Fisher. Eric McErlain wonders what happens to all of that toll revenue that was suppossed to fund the project on Off Wing Opinion Metro, WMATA, Mass Transit, subway, Tyson's Corner, FTA, MWAA, DullesAirportLabels: BeltwayLand, Fairfax County, Metro, Silver Line, Transportation, Tysons Corner, Virginia, Whiskey-Tango-Foxtrot
posted by WFY @ 6:16 AM |
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Tysons-Dulles Metro in jeopardy - William World News
Thursday, January 24, 2008
Tysons-Dulles Metro in jeopardy
Dulles Rail Project Verging on Collapse - The PostThe details are still emerging, but it appears the Silver Line linking West Falls Church to Ashburn via Tysons and Dulles is in serious jeopardy. The Federal Transit Administration is very reluctant to provide $900 million in funding for this much needed project. Metro, WMATA, Mass Transit, subway, Tyson's Corner, VirginiaLabels: BeltwayLand, Fairfax County, Metro, Silver Line, Transportation, Tysons Corner, Virginia, Whiskey-Tango-Foxtrot
posted by WFY @ 7:42 PM |
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FTA getting cold feet about Tysons-Dulles Metro - William World News
Thursday, January 17, 2008
FTA getting cold feet about Tysons-Dulles Metro
Federal Qualms Leave Dulles Rail at Risk - The PostConcerns over the contractor chosen to build the Silver Line, connecting Loudoun County and West Falls Church via Dulles Airport and Tysons, has put the project in jeopardy. Oddly enough, the contractor in question is not named in the article, but looking at a previous story on the subject indicates the contractor is Bechtel. Unfortunately, Bechtel was the primary contractor on Boston's Big Dig, notorious for massive cost overruns. Maybe shrouding the whole process in secrecy has backfired. I am really annoyed that this is going on. I'm mad at the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority, which plans to build the line. I'm mad a Virginia for not being upfront throughout the process and I'm mad at the federal government for dragging their feet too. I do thank Adrian Fenty, mayor of Washington D.C. and Martin O'Malley, governor of Maryland, for supporting the project ( The Wash. Examiner) though. I think and hope this project is an "when, not if" situation, but I'm getting frustrated. Metro, WMATA, Mass Transit, subway, Tyson's Corner, VirginiaLabels: BeltwayLand, Fairfax County, Metro, Silver Line, Transportation, Tysons Corner, Virginia
posted by WFY @ 5:36 AM |
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Rival for TysonsTunnel.org - William World News
Monday, December 03, 2007
Rival for TysonsTunnel.org
Tunnel Loses Backers as Landowners Unite for Growth - The PostA group in favor of Metro to Tysons and not opposed to elevated tracks has formed: The consortium, called Tysons Tomorrow, will include as many as 20 landowners poised to develop a new city of high-rises around the four Metro stops planned for Tysons. The emergence of the group, which held its first meeting last week, is also intended to weaken the coalition that has staged a heavily financed, year-long effort to build a tunnel under Tysons that would bury the rail tracks. Plans now call for an aerial track, and the effort to alter that plan has been blamed for jeopardizing approval of the 23-mile line.
"I think all of us would say, 'Of course we like the tunnel,' " said Jonathan Cherner, who, with his father and brother, owns Cherner Automotive Group on Route 7 in the heart of Tysons. "But the Federal Transit Administration came back and said, 'If you want to do a major engineering change to the project, you got to go to the back of the line and start over.' That process is almost a 10-year process. We don't need mass transit in 20 years. We needed mass transit 20 years ago." I could live with elevated rail through Tysons, but I want all information about the costs of underground vs. above-ground to be made public. I suspect the savings of building elevated rail are pennies on the dollar. I couldn't find a Web site for Tysons Tomorrow. Metro, WMATA, Mass Transit, subway, Tyson's Corner, VirginiaLabels: BeltwayLand, Fairfax County, Metro, Silver Line, Transportation, Tysons Corner, Virginia
posted by WFY @ 12:29 PM |
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TysonsTunnel.org sues USDOT - William World News
Wednesday, November 28, 2007
TysonsTunnel.org sues USDOT
Tunnel supporters sue to halt rail line - The Wash. ExaminerAs expected, TysonsTunnel.org has moved from being a lobbying organization to a litigating one. Tysonstunnel.org, a group that has sought for more than a year to persuade officials to run the planned Dulles rail line underneath Tysons Corner, filed a lawsuit against the U.S. Department of Transportation on Tuesday aiming to halt the entire project until its plan is reconsidered
snip
Tysonstunnel.org also is seeking to put the project out to competitive bidding, which it argues never occurred under the project's public-private partnership. The lawsuit says the FTA cannot approve the rail project because it does not follow its guidelines for "full and open competition."
"We don't want it stopped, we want it corrected so we can move forward," Tysonstunnel president Scott Monett said. "That's what we have been saying from the beginning. ... What we're asking them to do is follow their own rules that if a project is to receive federal funds that it be competitively bid." Emphasis added -- I'm mostly concerned about the lack of competitive bidding or open records more than whether the tracks will go under or above ground. If it makes fiscally sense to put build elevated tracks, that's fine. The problem is that the numbers for each type of project have not been made available to the public. Tysons Tunnel sues FTA - The Fairfax County Times Metro, WMATA, Mass Transit, subway, Tyson's Corner, VirginiaLabels: BeltwayLand, Fairfax County, Metro, Silver Line, Transportation, Tysons Corner, Virginia
posted by WFY @ 5:25 AM |
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Prelimary Tysons Metro work - William World News
Tuesday, November 20, 2007
Prelimary Tysons Metro work
Dulles Rail Construction May Begin Soon - Fairfax County News/WTOPEven though the new Silver Line has not been made official, utility relocation may be underway before Dec. 21. Progress at last! I've heard that the project is probably a go at this point and it is merely figuring out the particulars. It seems that the line will be built with elevated tracks instead of underground, which is a shame, but ultimately not a deal breaker for me.  Also, the service roads along VA 7 will evenutually be eliminated during this project. That may be painful at first, but I think will ultimately improve traffic flow a lot. Metro, WMATA, Mass Transit, subway, Tyson's Corner, VirginiaLabels: BeltwayLand, Fairfax County, Metro, Silver Line, Transportation, Tysons Corner, Virginia
posted by WFY @ 6:04 PM |
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Dulles corridor Metro extension shrouded in secrecy - William World News
Saturday, March 24, 2007
Dulles corridor Metro extension shrouded in secrecy
Rail Project For Dulles Raises Concerns - The PostThe commonwealth is not being open with the public on the Dulles corridor Metro extension: A state law intended to bring big-ticket road and rail projects to fruition quickly and cheaply also grants the parties involved an unusual level of secrecy in their negotiations. The lack of transparency could make it difficult to evaluate the financial risks that accompany such complex public works, such as cost overruns and scheduling delays, some local officials and critics say. Here is where that becomes a problem: The concerns about secrecy are compounded by a conflict over how the rail line will run through Tysons Corner. Current plans call for an elevated track down the middle of Route 7. The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors and TysonsTunnel.org, a coalition organized by the McLean Chamber of Commerce, are urging that the process be opened for consideration of a tunnel, which they say would enhance Tysons' evolution into a mature urban center.
Gov. Timothy M. Kaine (D) has resisted the tunnel option, and an engineering report commissioned by the state concluded that it would be too expensive, time-consuming and technically risky. State officials also say that the delays necessary to consider a tunnel place $900 million in federal funds at risk.
Tunnel advocates say that with the construction consortium's price for the aerial option under wraps, the state's claim of a higher cost for the tunnel is not credible.
"We have all the documents [supporting] the tunnel in the public domain," said Schwartz, referring to a $3.5 million engineering study funded by TysonsTunnel.org. If the Tysons tunnel through solution genuinely is cost prohibitive, I want to know about it through public records. Letting our government officials say "trust us" is not good enough. We don't need another Big Dig fiasco. Metro, WMATA, Mass Transit, subway, Tyson's Corner, VirginiaLabels: BeltwayLand, Fairfax County, Metro, Silver Line, Transportation, Tysons Corner, Virginia
posted by WFY @ 8:01 AM |
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Tyson's Metro notes - William World News
Friday, February 23, 2007
Tyson's Metro notes
There was an interesting article in last Sunday's Post about hopes for turning Tyson's into the next Ballston. I do not see that happening, but that doesn't mean putting the Metro underground through the area isn't a good idea. At best, a post-Metro Tyson's Corner could probably resemble Pentagon City a little bit. A more likely scenario is probably a series of "town centers" near the stations. Either way, this won't happen immediately after the line gets built, but it could probably happen quicker than the development of the Orange and Blue lines in Arlington. Also, I recommend you visit Hans Mast's blog. Mast has been blogging an awful lot about the Tyson's Metro situation. Metro, WMATA, Mass Transit, subway, Tyson's Corner, VirginiaLabels: BeltwayLand, Fairfax County, Metro, Silver Line, Transportation, Tysons Corner, Virginia
posted by WFY @ 12:34 PM |
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Tom Davis throws support behind Tyson's tunnel - William World News
Thursday, February 15, 2007
Tom Davis throws support behind Tyson's tunnel
Tom Davis, who represents the district my parents live in, has now indicated he supports building a tunnel for Metro through Tyson's Corner instead of an elevated structure. I had more to say about this development on Metroblogging DC. I have a feeling when all the studies are done, choosing to build aboveground instead of underground would prove to be false economy. Metro, WMATA, Mass Transit, subway, Tyson's Corner, VirginiaLabels: BeltwayLand, Fairfax County, Metro, Silver Line, Transportation, Tysons Corner, Virginia
posted by WFY @ 12:54 PM |
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Gov. still says no to Tyson's tunnel - William World News
Monday, February 12, 2007
Gov. still says no to Tyson's tunnel
On Road To Dulles, Confusion And Angst - The PostGov. Tim Kaine is still holding firm on his decision to endorse an elevated route for Metro through Tyson's Corner. I see where Kaine is coming from, but based on what we learned last week, I think there is time to for him to reconsider his position. Of course, if tysonstunnel.org had been created in 2005 or earlier, we might not be having this discussion. It is not the end of the world if the tracks go above ground, but I think it is pennywise and poundfoolish to go that way. Metro, WMATA, Mass Transit, subway, Tyson's Corner, VirginiaLabels: BeltwayLand, Fairfax County, Metro, Silver Line, Transportation, Tysons Corner, Virginia
posted by WFY @ 5:56 AM |
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More hope for a Tysons tunnel - William World News
Wednesday, February 07, 2007
More hope for a Tysons tunnel
Tunnel Backers Given New Hope - The PostIt turns out that there is more time to submit the plans for Metro through Tysons Corner than previously thought. Final plans are not due to the Federal Transit Administration until May 2008, giving 15 months for boosters of a tunnel through Tysons to make their case. The more and more I think about it, the more it makes sense to build the line underground through Tysons. Metro, WMATA, Mass Transit, subway, Tyson's Corner, VirginiaLabels: BeltwayLand, Fairfax County, Metro, Silver Line, Transportation, Tysons Corner, Virginia
posted by WFY @ 5:27 AM |
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More on Messy Vitality - William World News
Thursday, December 14, 2006
More on Messy Vitality
ROBERT K. LEWIS - Tysons Corner's Chaos Hardly Translates Into 'Messy Vitality' - The PostI am not the only one who disagreed with Steven Pearlstein's argument that Tysons Corner had a "messy vitality" to it. Lewis, a professor emeritus of architecture Maryland, argues that saying Tysons has messy vitality is "undeserved compliment and a misuse of the term." I thought so too. Labels: BeltwayLand, Fairfax County, Metro, Silver Line, Transportation, Tysons Corner, Virginia
posted by WFY @ 12:37 PM |
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Messy vitality? - William World News
Saturday, December 02, 2006
Messy vitality?
STEVEN PEARLSTEIN - Suburban Soul - The PostReston Is Hot Property, but Tysons Hums With 'Messy Vitality'Pearlstein compares an emerging Reston Town Center with Tysons Corner and comes down on the side of Tysons. I am not a big fan of Reston, even as a kid it seemed a little odd; that planned community makes my hometown of Vienna look like a Norman Rockwell painting in comparison. I have been critical of Reston Town Center too, because I always thought of it as four square city blocks in the middle of a field. That is changing though, the immediate area has filled in and it is fairly vibrant, even with nothing but chain stores and restaurants. Pearlstein notes, there are some impressive buildings there too. In short, Reston Town Center has matured into a pretty good location, especially for Fairfax County. Tysons, on the other hand, is a disaster of epic proportions. There is more office space there than Denver or Pittsburgh and yet the only shared experience is sitting in traffic trying to get on Route 7 or 123. Messy vitality? No, just messy. Tysons makes Rosslyn look like like midtown Manhattan. I have hopes that Metro, whether under or above ground, can focus redevelopment of Tysons into a more urban setting the takes of advantage of the masses of people to become something more like a city. Reston Town Center, is ready for that already. Nobody is going to confuse either location with Connecticut and K, but they don't need to be, just be walkable is probably enough. Labels: BeltwayLand, Fairfax County, Media, Metro, Silver Line, Transportation, Tysons Corner, Virginia
posted by WFY @ 7:56 AM |
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- William World News
Wednesday, July 27, 2005
ANOTHER CHALLENGE FOR METRO TO TYSONSRail Route In Tysons An Uphill Challenge - The PostIt is easy to forget that Tysons Corner is around 500 feet above sea level, as opposed to the Potomac River which is 1 foot above sea level. This presents quite a challenge for the engineers planning the new line from West Falls Church. The cost involved in doing this could sink the whole deal/ and then in five years, when it is addressed again, it would cost much more. This is a bullet that needs to be bitten, the stalling has gone on for too long. Graphic: The Remaking of Tysons Corner. Labels: BeltwayLand, Fairfax County, Metro, Silver Line, Tysons Corner, Virginia
posted by WFY @ 5:45 AM |
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- William World News
Saturday, August 07, 2004
DISPATCH FROM PA.PAXTONIA, Penna. -- It looks like I found some Web time after all. In case you missed it, I also had a pretty big post yesterday afternoon, one that went live EXACTLY four weeks before kickoff of the Penn State football season. There may even be a special Sunday update tomorrow, so stay tuned.
MLB HAS BEEN AROUND LATELYBaseball looks at N.Va. ballpark plan - The Wash. Times
MLB took a look at the Loudoun bid recently. Baseball seems to be getting concerned about having the temporary home ready for next season. There is an easy to way to fix that boys. More from the Free Lance-Star (Fredericksburg): Baseball officials return.
Baseball Concentrating Attention on Northern Virginia, Washington - AP via WJLA
This AP report also states that MLB is concentrating on D.C. or Loudoun County. However, the last paragraph mentions that Bud Selig HOPES to have the Expos moved for 2005.
LANDRY, JOHNSON, SWITZER, GIBBS?Gibbs in Dallas? Jones Called - The Post
That would have been incredible. D.C. would have gone absolutely insane with rage.
ZACK ATTACK?PSU's Mills staring hard at last chance - The Morning Call
A good long profile on Penn State's QB #1 Zack Mills. Once thought of as a savior, he is having to fend off PSU QB #1A, Michael Robinson. I am of the opinion that Mills offers the best chance to win, provided he is healthy and he should be the full-time quarterback this fall. We shall see.
METRO TO TYSONSArrival of Metro Could Transform Tysons - The Post
The good news is that preliminary engineering will soon begin on the first phase of the new line from West Falls Church to Wheile Ave. in Reston. I do not see Metro turning Tysons into a great urban area, like Arlington or Bethasda, but anything will be an improvement. An improved skyline will also come out of it. There will have to be lots of shuttle buses, but I think people will be willing to use them, rather than drive. I know I would be interested.
QUOTE OF THE DAYListen, when you're 3-9, you have nothing to say. Let's open it up to questions.
Joe Paterno Labels: Metro, Nats/Expos 2004, Silver Line
posted by WFY @ 6:58 AM |
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William F. & William R. Yurasko
December 20, 2009
Alexandria, Va.
Photo by Erica Yurasko
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