Friday, January 25, 2013
The primary obstacle for the transportation system appears to be funding.
Less than a year after the Loudoun Board of Supervisors signed on to a Metrorail project that would bring the new Silver Line to two stations in Ashburn, the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) has a proposed a series of list if improvements to help the system keep up with demand estimated to cost $26 billion. The Washington Post has a story here. The main snag in the way of the plan, which WMATA board members praised, appears to be where to obtain funding for the project. In Loudoun, opponents of the county’s participation in the Silver Line project often pointed to the unknown cost of capital needs for Metro, and Loudoun’s responsibility for those costs. During the county’s debate about whether to participate, WMATA …
Friday, November 2, 2012
In statement, regional panel welcomes report, while letter to LaHood criticizes interference.
A long-awaited report about the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority by the U.S. Secretary of Transportation’s Inspector General calls for actions beyond what the regional panel has already undertaken. MWAA, responsible for constructing Metro’ Silver Line project from Falls Church to Ashburn, came under fire for lax oversight of its members. The IG report also raises questions about whether the organization’s policies permit favoritism in awarding contracts and nepotism in awarding jobs. For the full report, see the PDF attached to this article. After an interim report from the IG, MWAA approved a new travel policy and code of ethics, revised bylaws for board members and its Freedom of Information Policy and terminated contracts with…
Friday, July 27, 2012
At least five groups have surfaced so far with plans to bid on Metro’s project to extend rail to Dulles and Ashburn.
CORRECTION: Five groups have already begun assembling teams to propose bids, not four as initially reported. All five teams are listed at the bottom of the story. Initial story: Hundreds of people representing contractors and subcontractors hoping to be part of the winning bid to construct the second phase of the Metro’s Silver Line to Dulles Airport and Ashburn attended a conference Thursday to learn more about the process and meet construction teams planning to bid on the project. At least five groups have already begun assembling teams to bid on the $1.4 billiion to $1.5 billion “Package A” of the construction project, which includes everything except the rail yard and the five parking garages that may never go to bid. If all goes as …
Monday, July 16, 2012
Despite critics, businesses and landowners appear either enthusiastic or silent as proposal for new assessment heads for hearing.
Now that Loudoun has opted in to Metro’s Silver Line, work will begin on creating the tax district the Board of Supervisors hope will pay for it. Just before the all-Republican board’s divided vote to opt in, supervisors directed staff to begin the process of establishing the ordinances needed to create the tax district, with a public hearing prior to Nov. 1 and an implementation date of Jan. 1, 2013. The Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority, the entity tasked with building both phases of the Dulles Corridor Metrorail Project, announced last week that it has issued Requests for Qualifications from potential contractors, marking the first move forward on the estimated $2.7 billion second phase project since Loudoun’s July 3 vote. By …
Tuesday, July 3, 2012
A divided board sends the Silver Line project forward.
During dozens of conversations leading up to the Loudoun Board of Supervisors decision to participate in the proposed Metro project to Dulles Airport and beyond, no one knew how the votes would fall. Would it be 5-4, 6-3? People in the audience, county staff members and even supervisors waged small bets on the final vote, and those who picked 5-4 won the day. Heading in to the vote, there were two supervisors considered potential swing votes: Ken Reid (R-Leesburg) and Suzanne Volpe (R-Algonkian). Speaking with a wide range of “insiders” during the past two months, odds appeared to be on Volpe to support it, with Reid possibly joining the majority. But that would have been the wrong bet. Reid, who had a history of opposing the rail project…
After contentious four months, a divided board stays with the project.
With more eyes on Loudoun County than likely have ever been on it, the Loudoun Board of Supervisors voted 5-4 on Tuesday to continue participating with the Dulles Corridor Metrorail Project, which will extend the now-under-construction Silver Line from Wiehle Avenue in Reston to Route 772 in Ashburn. “Well the day has finally come for this board to make the decision about the future of Loudoun County,” County Chairman Scott K. York (I-At Large) said as the vote approached. “This will help our employers reach our employees regionally.” York and Supervisors Ken Reid (R-Leesburg), Ralph Buona (R-Ashburn), Matt Letourneau (R-Dulles) and Shawn Williams (R-Broad Run) voted in supported, while Supervisors Suzanne Volpe (R-Algonkian), Geary …
Loudoun Opt Out members remind the Leesburg supervisor about his work with Chris Walker.
Less than 24 hours before the Loudoun Board of Supervisors is set to vote on whether Metro’s Silver Line extends beyond Dulles International Airport to Ashburn, opponents of the project stepped up pressure on Ken Reid (R-Leesburg) and Suzanne Volpe (R-Algonkian). Both were considered to be leaning against the project at one point, but have since offered more conciliatory comments. And both are specifically identified on the Loudoun Opt Out website. Reminding Reid of his past statements and past employer, members of group spoke during the board’s public input session Monday directly to Reid. As Patch previously reported, several years ago, Reid co-founded notollincrease.org with Chris Walker, a developer who died in 2011. Walker constructed…
Monday, July 2, 2012
Residents across the county have weighed in. Here’s what they said.
Many residents across the county have weighed in on Loudoun’s participation in the planned extension of Metro’s Silver Line beyond Dulles Airport to Ashburn. Here’s a list of those letters, divided into supporters and opponents. Just a review of the headlines is telling, but each headline is linked to its letter for review. Find everything Patch has published about the project here. For additional information about the project, visit the county's web page on Metro. In Favor Leesburg Resident for Metro Round Hill Resident for Metro Metro Sacrifice Brightens Future Willing to Pay for Metro Metro Creates Jobs, Eliminates Commutes Bring Metro, So We Won’t Have to Use It Metro to Loudoun 'Just Makes Sense' Time is Right for Rail to Ashburn …
The American Tradition Partnership points to record of unseating candidates.
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Monday, July 2, 2012
A group opposed to Loudoun County’s participation in the extension of Metro’s Silver Line sent the county’s Board of Supervisors a letter warning members that they would be targeted in future election for voting in favor of the project. Donald Ferguson, a former aide to Supervisor Eugene Delgaudio (R-Sterling) and now executive director for American Tradition Partnership, signed the letter, which does not threaten to sue the county, but points to its success in litigation. “ATP has one purpose,” Ferguson wrote to supervisors. “To make sure there are consequences for politicians who want to use taxpayers, mom-and-pop business owners and employers as nothing more than punching bags and ATM machines. We can’t be shut up or shut down.” The …
Loudoun is set vote on Metro Tuesday, giving residents a few more opportunities to speak out.
Loudoun residents, and some from beyond, just may show up one more time Monday to tell the Board of Supervisors how they feel about the county's participation in the Metro's Silver Line project. With a vote set for Tuesday and deadline on Wednesday, supervisors have a regularly scheduled public input session at the County Government Center in Leesburg, during which resident may speak about any issue they wish. Let everyone else know how you feel in comments below. We've had lots of folks weigh in on Patch. Has your voice been heard? Residents also have another day to try to get their email messages in support or against to board members. Contact information for supervisors is as follows: All Board members receive mail and calls at: Loudoun…
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Bob Bruhns
5:42 pm on Saturday, April 13, 2013
Speaking of unquestioned estimates, Arlington County had budgeted $20.86 million for a total of 22 of the "Super Stop" bus stops that you may have heard about. $1M exposed D.C.-area bus stop leaves straphangers out in the rain CBS News, March 28, 2013 8:31 AM http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-505263_162-57576724/$1m-exposed-d.c.-area-bus-stop-leaves-straphangers-out-in-the-rain/ That's about $948,000 … more ›