1. On Track - DC to Dulles
Future Fantastic
Federal Transit Administration and regulators approved a
long-awaited extension of Metrorail to Tysons Corner and
Dulles International Airport, virtually assuring construction of
a $5.2billion project that regional leaders say is crucial to ease
congestion and spur economic growth in Northern Virginia.
The Dulles Metrorail Project - www.dullesmetro.com
savings between the corridor and downtown D.C.,
expand the reach of the existing regional rail system,
offer a viable alternative to automobile travel and
support future transit-oriented development along
the corridor.
The Federal Transit Administration (FTA) has
propelled the project into its “Final Design” Phase
after many years of study and preparations. In the
Fall of 2008 the FTA transferred $159 million to the
project to be used for;
* Final design work
* Project administration
* Right-of-way acquisitions
* Maintenance of traffic programs
* Engineering and design of rail cars
* Third party engineering cost reimbursement
The FTA has also released $14 million to be used
for site preparation work for a 2,100 foot tunnel that
will be built under the intersection of Route 7 and
123, the highest natural point in Fairfax County.
Today, the construction team is involved in the
relocation of 21 different utilities in the Tysons Corner
area to prepare for project construction next spring.
That work is being done primarily in the busy Route
7 corridor between Route 123 and the Dulles Toll
Road.
A Draft Environmental Impact Statement (Draft
EIS) for the project was completed in June 2002.
The Dulles Metrorail Project - www.dullesmetro.com
This Draft EIS evaluated several alternatives,
T including three Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) options,
ysons is Virginia’s leading jobs center and a critical
a combined BRT/Metrorail alternative and a full
retail hub, with 120,000 jobs and two malls and 17,000
Metrorail extension. Public hearings on the Draft EIS
residents. it is an automobile destination dominated by
were held in July 2002. Based on extensive public
eight-lane highways and acres of parking. Local and state
comments and input from local jurisdictions, the full
leaders hope to change that to improve its appearance
extension of Metrorail was recommended as pre-
and make it more pedestrian-friendly, while also reducing
ferred option or Locally Preferred Alternative (LPA).
the run-off pollution and carbon emissions associated with
This Dulles Metrorail project was approved by
heavy congestion.
the WMATA Board of Directors in November 2002
The Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority
and the Commonwealth Transportation Board (CTB)
(MWAA) is planning to construct a 23-mile extension of the
in December 2002. The Project was also endorsed
existing Metrorail system, which will be operated by the
by the Fairfax County, Loudoun County and MWAA
Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority from East
Boards. Following these approvals, a Final EIS was
Falls Church to Washington Dulles International Airport
published in December 2004 and the FTA issued
west to Ashburn, Virginia.
its Record of Decision approving the environmental
The purpose of Dulles Metrorail is to provide high-
process in March 2005.
quality, high-capacity transit service in the Dulles Corridor.
www.DullesMetro.com
New Metrorail service in the corridor will result in travel time
48 Best of DC Best of DC 49
Photo ©2008 Tom Field (www.photocentric.net)
The Dulles Metrorail Project - www.dullesmetro.com (image credit - di Domenico + Partners)