Mr. Cuccinelli, Please come drive on the Dulles Toll Rd. from Rte. 28 to Tyson's weekday mornings at 8 a.m. Preferably on rainy days. Or take a bus from the Herndon Monroe Park and Ride all the way to Falls Church, then take a train downtown -- see how wonderful that is, since the first several miles on the bus are along the toll road with all the other traffic (read: gridlocked) and the train is likely to be crowded, overheated, and smelly. Repeat at least 100 times (a few months of daily commutes). Then come back and tell us that the Metro extension is a "boondoggle." That is, if you haven't keeled over from a stress-related heart attack by the end of your visit!

can I really add some photos to this article?

but it clearly states "Add your photos & videos"

Dan, you forgot about THE DULLES TOLL ROAD USERS, MAJORITY FUNDING PARTNERS FOR DULLES RAIL - barred from Ray LaHood's "closed door" meetings and seen by Delegate Plum, Senator Howell, Chairman Bulova, Supervisor Hudgins and others as a never ending source of transit project manna.

The Loudoun County Dulles Rail Phase 2 fiscal impact study showed $235 million in revenue benefits by 2040. The study did not consider the $20 to $30 million annual WMATA Silver Line subsidy needed for operations and maintenance. A $20 million WMATA annual subsidy there will cost $600 million by 2040.

Add the projected $5,000 to $10,000 annual Dulles Toll Road tolls to be paid with AFTER TAX MONEY. Only Reston liberals can justify such robbery. Tolls for Loudoun commuters will total over $5 billion in the next 50 years. For Fairfax County, over $10 billion in tolls is possible, now that LaHood has said that further Dulles Rail federal funding is unlikely.

For all Fairfax taxpayers, Dulles Rail maybe just as devastating because of the gap between the $730 million to be collected from the two rail tax districts and the potential $1.13 billion Fairfax County share of Dulles Rail -potentially more if Loudoun County pulls out of Phase 2.

We won't know the Dulles Rail fiscal impact on Fairfax County taxpayers for several months because Fairfax County Board Democrats voted recently not to study the consequences of Dulles Toll Road toll increases. How's that for dumb politics!

Wondering what the Attorney General has to do with this issue? Wouldn't surprise me in the least to see Cucci run for some other office soon, as that has always been his real intention. This attorney general is far too political for my taste. And to think of the amount of money we've spent to further some of his agendas, we'll I guess that can be saved for later

I dont support AG Cuccinelli on any of his platform as he really is just a male version of Sarah Palin. However, he is right on the issue of improper funding and the current cost analysis of the Dulles extension. The same thing will happen in Ashburn that happened in Gaithersberg, Plano Texas, and Hillsboro Oregon,when the train extension opens. Some will ride it to work, but the freeways will stay jammed, while many others will ride OUT of the big cities to find new folks to rob, murder and harass. Im sure Metro will even give the Indigient free ride tokens so they can follow the cash to the vaults of Loudon County. Metro is not cost conscious and new lines need to be self sufficient immediately, not in 30 years! Where do I see Developer Fees as part of the cost equation? If the federal government wants an
Intermodel Transportation model for visitors to Washington DC, then THEY should come up with the funding.

Wow, clealry this man Cuccinelli isn't in touch with the traffic nightmare that has existed in Northern Virginia for decades now Clearly he does not give a crap about the tens of thousands of people who are stuck on these roads wasting countless hours of their lives. People love to point fingers and place blame -- but there's plenty of blame to go around for the current horrible state of traffic around here. Here is my message to Cuccinelli: give us some solid ideas about how to fix transporation and traffic problems, or shut the hell up.

I agree that traffic is unacceptable in Loudoun and Fairfax. However I am also a realist and call the shots with both eyes opened to the truth of the matter and how these things play out historically. Most of us out here want rail service, but really only so that everyone else rides the train, so that we can use the roads traffic free in our Escalades and Excursions. Traffic is no better today even in Portland Oregon, the mecca of all public transportation systems. It was 1 hour to drive 8 miles in rush hour in 1985 when the trains turned on, and it is even a longer wait today. I will NOT ride those Metro trains even today with my children as I want them to live until adulthood. Let the people who want to use train service pay for it thru fares and/or developer fees.
Additionally, I do not want a train line that exists to my back door on Ryan Road so that some project living miscreant can take a free ride out to my house so that they can steal something to fence for drugs.

The Dulles Toll Road traffic nightmare, as some have labeled the commute, must continue in order that the fund to pay for the construction, maintenance, and administration costs of the Silver Line to Loudon County, with a drop off at Dulles Airport.

If you think things are bad now, wait until you have to pay over $20.00 a day just to sit and wait longer in traffic in 2020, without any say in how your money is spent by the MWAA Board.

Our Attorney General enjoys the privilege of having a limosine drive him from his home in Northern Va. to his office in Richmond daily at taxpyers' expense. Apparently he has no reason to worry about the traffic like the rest of us. I wonder if he realizes that many would consider the expense of his personal solution to his transportation needs excessive. The rest of us don't have such privileges or such disregard of the cost of our privileges.

Well the AG is from the Sully District of FFX CO. The difference between him and you is he believes in saving the tax payers money and not doing things that will bankrupt us in a bad economic time.

Reston is the most fiscally unconservative district probably in the country.

County Housing owns almost every apartment building in the Reston, and we have less desirables coming from 75 different nations to Reston for our hand outs. The schools are overwelmed with these people looking for them to raise there kids. You can't even enjoy the Town Center because those same people send there unsupervised kids there to be chips of the old block. We have homeless sleeping in every patch of woods because we put in the homeless shelter. We have constant robberies on trails. Because the philosophy seems to be come here will feed you, cloth you, house you, raise your kids for you and then you can victimize us.

How bout you all let me keep some of my own money and take care of my own family!

Im glad the AG sees things my way, Keep up the good work!

Dear Private Person, it seems to me that the point JBecker is making is not that the AG is able to avoid traffic--but that he is presumably riding in a cool, comfortable, quiet, chauffeur-driven limousine--I think most people would not mind some traffic congestion if they had this luxury.

And, who knows, maybe he is getting a police escort and is in fact avoiding all or most of the congestion!

I don't disagree -- we all certainly prefer cool, quiet, comfortable commuting. That's a major reason why I avoid Metro -- it's rarely cool, it's never quiet and it's often very uncomfortable; however, I presume that during that journey the AG, like most other executives using such services, is working and may be, in fact, conducting meetings, and transporting others with him on that journey.

Nevertheless, this thread is rather off topic and should proceed elsewhere or be dismissed.

The issue here is cancelling the Dulles rail project. I do not think that the AGs' commuting particulars will lessen traffic congestion (or cost) for anyone any more than the Dulles rail project will. Its construction over the past years has, in fact, substantially worsened congestion and is creating one of the ugliest of the ugly architecturally speaking in Tyson's Corner.

Private Person - Are you Pat Herrity? Because you should ID yourself as such if you are going to direct us to his website. Wouldn't you want voters to know that?

Karen, many people including me read Pat Herrity's website to discover what is happening at the Fairfax Board because Democrats there often obscure how much County taxpayer money is being wasted.

Today the BOS voted on financing the hopelessly uneconomic $100+ million Wiehle Avenue Station garage. Who knows what parking rates will be charged? Congestion there may double the time it takes to travel by auto within Reston for many, if not most, during peak hours.

Former State Senator Cuccinelli used to drive to Richmond in a very ancient (1994?) Dodge Intrepid when he lived in Centreville. He moved 2+ years ago to reduce his commuting time to Richmond.

Ken has been the only steadfastly outspoken politician alerting the public on economic and financial problems facing Dulles Rail -see his August 2005 Washington Times article. Why is it that Restonians have not questioned Ken Plum about his conflict of interest resulting from his role as Chairman of Dulles Corridor Rail Association, funded largely by Tysons Corner landowners? Or why has Supervisor Cathy Hudgins not recused herself from voting on Fairfax Board decisions made to benefit WMATA, whose Board she now chairs? What about the multiple roles of Patty Nicoson in heading the Reston Master Plan Update Task Force while serving as Executive Director of DCRA?

I respect the public service of both Democrats and Republicans. It is time for Reston to be led by accountable politicians who give us the facts not fantasies.

I am not Pat Herrity and claim no affiliation with him now or in the past.

All of the text beneath the URL is from Mr. Herrity's website -- a fact that anyone here can, and should, verify -- and the facts/statements contained within his website can be easily verified as well.

And after all, why is there a constant reminder on the lower left corner of my browser asking me to read more in government: "Officials Mum on Second Rail Meeting"?

What are "the officials" hiding?

Two points.

1. On the congestion issue, the environmental impact statement for the line that has an intermediate stop at Dulles stated that congestion on the Dulles Toll Road would increase more if Metro were built than if it was not. That is because of the extra density of development that was given to landowners to convince them to support the very special tax district. Now of course, many want to increase the density FAR above that level to a much much higher level. This would seem to increase congestion even more.

2. Fairfax County Schools and other organizations are saving big bucks over previous estimates for new construction and renovations, due to current economic conditions. Why is it then that costs on the Metro extension are going up and up again and again?? Shouldn't they be able to save on the previous estimates like the school system?

3. Bonus point(s): I am not Pat Herrity, nor am I Karen Goff.

I have not seen a single article here that is favorable to Republicans or something objective about Democrats. Obviously this website (or editor) has an agenda.

I agree you need to report the news, but to be critical to both, Democrats and Republicans (or any others). Why don't you focus on what has been commented here by Private Person, Bill and others? If you're focused on Reston, then look for what is in it's best interest.

I'm sure you get quite a number of emails out there from the general public and yet you may just report on very few.

And just to name a few...

1) Why spend millions of dollars on road diets? Let's focus on making the improvements we need to the increased traffic in Soapstone and Lawyers that will come by 2013 and beyond once Metro starts operating.
2) Why is Fairfax County spending millions of dollars on public housing, yet they can't manage their properties for sure.
3) Why is Supervisor Hudgins voting on issues that benefit WMATA when she's the chair of that board?

I mean, if we make a big stink about issues like the Reston Association's DRB, why not go after the ones whose actions have far more long term consequences that don't do the public any good?

Reporting is one thing, and your byline is on many articles (or whatever they are called in today's terms) here, so I think you are doing (and being compensated to do) that.

Editing and moderating is quite another. It's no different than the WaPo.com which often gets thousands of comments on reported, by-lined articles. Yes there is still an inked dead-tree edition churned out every day ( with more and more errors every day ), unlike here. With declining circulation, perhaps the printed newspapers will be a quaint memory in due course. Let's not forget, though, that the Internet did not work well on 9-11 and the Post printed a extra that day. First time I can ever recall getting two WaPos in the same day and I read every, well edited, word in both editions.

Commenters here, just like at the Post's properties, are not empowered to post original articles, which may be fine, but it's a distortion to call this on-line journalism creating conversations.

But I digress; none of this should diffuse the unfolding costly debacle called the metro silver line, and it should be killed.

I am happy to see that this overpriced boondoggle known as Dulles Rail has come to the attention of Virginia's Attorney General, and that he sees it for what it is: a ripoff.

Now, if people would see through the smokescreen of the Dulles station, and recognize that the whole project is robbery... well, that would be even better.

I am here to help on the MWAA bring-down; holler when you are ready. And, I think Mr. Whitfield has suggested some very compelling leads -- enterprise? Perhaps not, but interesting and certain to draw eyeballs and comments.

I am interested to know how WMATA plans to fund desperately needed renovations on the legacy metro-rail system, and how the existing nearly-at-capacity orange line Potomac tunnel will accommodate all of the new line's traffic.

Your writing/editing displays erudition, and I compliment you on your one-person efforts.

I say kill Phase II. It's going to go way over budget and the taxpayers are going to foot the bill. Union only contracts? Is that legal?

Somebody made up some cost figures, and claimed that an underground station at Dulles Airport would cost $300 million more than an above-ground station.

But this supposed $300 million dollar difference in cost has to be a lie. Take a look - the 1/2 mile tunnel that was recently built in Tysons Corner, in very difficult conditions, only cost $85 million - and the 7-level underground garage now being built in Reston only costs $93.1 million - PUT TOGETHER, the total cost is less than $180 million. And then subtract the cost of the above-ground nonsense (1/4 mile from the air terminal) that our leaders have been tricked into demanding, and the numbers make no sense whatsoever. So what is this $300 million dollar nonsense?

Why is a tunnel so much more expensive at the airport? The numbers don't add up, and NOBODY is asking about that - not the government, not the news media, nobody. Something very strange is going on. This is a big play-act, and I have to think that our leaders are either in on it, or they are being led around by their noses by their policy wonks or party leaders. It's time to think outside of the box they are handing us.

The issue is not whether one station is built above or below ground at Dulles airport, the issue is the ridiculous cost figures that we have been handed. This country can not afford such expensive transit, and the insanity of the numbers at Dulles Airport should make us stop and demand answers NOW.

That is a messy question. There is an Executive Order that is rescinded and reinstated depending on who wins the White House in a particular election.
"Section 14(b) of the Taft-Hartley Act goes further and authorizes individual states (but not local governments, such as cities or counties) to outlaw the union shop and agency shop for employees working in their jurisdictions".
And here os another link:
http://www.whitehouse.gov/the_press_office/ExecutiveOrderUseofProjectLaborAgreementsforFederalConstructionProjects/

We lack some fundamental facts about Phase 2 because of MWAA's ongoing campaign of non-disclosure. Worse, some politicians are distorting facts on Dulles Rail matters.

The Patch article on Tuesday night's meeting with Delegate Plum and State Senator Janet Howell omitted mention that the Federal Transit Adminstration rejected Phase 2 funding in 2002 when projected costs were $1.8 billion. Also, without a public hearing or referendum, MWAA intends for 75% of Phase 2 funding to be paid by Dulles Toll Road users. MWAA toll revenue forecasts today vastly exceed figures issued by MWAA in late 2006 and 2007 or in its 2009 bond prospectus.

As mentioned before, with the exception of Ken Cuccinelli, few politicians have spoken out about Dulles Rail financial problems. I called in to WTOP "Ask the Governor" program on November 30, 2010 and asked Governor McDonnell "What alternatives to using Dulles Toll Road revenues have you considered for funding Phase 2?" He said that he would ask his Transportation Secretary Sean Connaughton to investigate the matter. Six months later, we have yet to hear any proposal from the Governor to assist Northern Virginians on Dulles Rail.

While in Richmond January 2011, I suggested to Connaughton that he allocate $1 billion from the $4 billion transportation plan to pay part of Phase 2 costs. No response! Last month I asked Connaughton "Will Virginia provide credit enhancement to MWAA bonds to reduce costs to DTR users?" He said no. More to come.

Our Attorney General should be us figure out how to make this metro project a success, instead of trying to kill a project that may help promote public transportation and spur economic development in our area.

My comment about how the AG should “help us figure out how to make it a success” was a figure of speech. My point is that I do not think it is appropriate for our state AG to make public comments such as: "I hope those folks [in Loudoun] elect an entire board who is committed to pulling out of phase 2 to kill it,” throwing darts at the project from afar and suggesting to the people of Loudoun who they should elect. If he has something legitimate to investigate, in his role as and AG, then he should consult with Gov. McDonnell and our Secretary of Transportation and then do it. Otherwise, I don’t see how his comments constructively contribute to the metro conversation.

The problem is that the Fairfax County supervisors used all the available money to create a detour through Tyson's Corner which was not a part of the originial plan. The feds are still on tap for the $900 million which was 45% of the originial cost of the rail line to Dulles following the toll road/Dulles AP access road which went by Tyson's to the North West. When Fairfax decided to "dogleg" it through Tyson's is when the cost exploded to $5 billion (now $7 billion). The feds said they would not contribute to this dramaticaly expanded plan to redevelop Tysons using the Metro. And that is where they are today and there is no hope they will do more.
So as a major recession and financial crisis unfolds we may be left with Metro to Tysons for decades to come. And Gerald Connelly who was chair of the Supervisors and an employee of a Tysons located company who benifited greatly from the "Dog-Leg" through Tysons will be held responsible. And if people do not use the toll road where will the money come from. I noted that less than 3% of the passengers at BWI use rail to get there. I live in Reston and it is nonsense to think I will take the rail to go to the airport. I will simply go and get on the Dulles Access Road and drive to the airport. It would take me an hour longer to take the rail.
So it is a house of cards created in great part by Gerald Connelly and it will come tumbling down for our country has over spent on every thing to the point this will be considered a joke.

I would like to know why the "Rail to Dulles" project is being built on the backs of the 267 commuters? Since the beneficiaries of the project are the folks in Washington D.C., why can't THEY fund it?

Secondly, since the 267 commuters apparently ARE funding the project, WHY do they have to be CRAMMED into the outside lanes on 267 and can't use those FOUR wonderfully VACANT lanes right smack dab in the middle?

Okay, so people have to catch their planes on-time, I'm good with that-- reserve a lane for them-- now, what about the other THREE lanes that are just sitting there? In the morning they could be put to good use for people going toward D.C., and in the afternoon for people coming from D.C.... but NOOO... even though we're paying for it-- AND aren't really the ultimate beneficiaries-- we STILL have to suck it up and sit in the traffic jams it causes.

I say B.S. to that !!! People wise up and have a chat with your representatives about their so-called "representation". Specifically, ask 'em WHO they're representing...?? (And then ask 'em who they'll be representing after the next election...)

I agree.

Let's see, an open ended contract, with no fixed price, the govt' can send whatever bill it decides to Loudoun County, add union labor costs (cutting out most of Virginia firms, since we are right to work state) AND the up front costs are CURRENTLY estimated to equal the economic development benefits that will take decades to recoup-- and we all know the up front costs will probably double and triple by the time they finish planning this monster...

OPT OUT now, Loudoun. WE cannot live with the ridiculous terms being foisted on us. Already Loudoun pays the highest property taxes in the whole southeastern region.... we cannot pay more! And the toll road fees are supposed to pay for the rest of the construction costs, so Loudoun pays twice... WRONG! Bad deal, we do not need this, busses will work just as well, only cost effective....

Vote for change --- the liberals in office are nothing more than robbers -- have you seen the five-star "low-income" housing our tax dollars are funding?

http://bit.ly/klvsdf

It's just outrageous.