Cooch is saying publicly what a lot of people are thinking and saying behind the scenes. They want a graceful way to bow out of building Phase 2, and budget austerity gives them all enough cover.

By stopping at Reston the Silver Line will still probably be able to generate over 80% of the overall economic benefit potential for the whole length. At what looks to be less than half the final whole cost.

by Lou on Jun 7, 2011 8:53 am • link • report

Clearly, MWAA is going to have to kick in with a airline ticket surcharge.

I can understand why Loudoun is concerned about the potential for the DTR fees blowing up to $10.

Not sure what exactly Lou means by economic benefit: the benefit of transit -- or the benefit of making a lot of developers in Tysons rich?

Is the an existing right of way of the rail past Dulles?

by charlie on Jun 7, 2011 9:07 am • link • report

@charlie

Yes. Past Dulles, the train would be in the median of the Greenway. That ROW exists.

by Alex B. on Jun 7, 2011 9:14 am • link • report

Thomas is going to jail :)

That is all

by freely on Jun 7, 2011 9:16 am • link • report

Yes, it's the economic benefit of developing around the new metro stations, and for the people and businesses that will move there and generate revenue. Contrast that with people who are simply switching modes to get to IAD, and maybe a tiny amount of new airport passenger traffic that would shift from DCA.

Just what happens, and is happening, in Tysons alone will probably be worth more to the region than all the benefits from the entire rest of the Silver Line. That's looking 20 to 30 years ahead.

by Lou on Jun 7, 2011 9:19 am • link • report

Connecting to Dulles is an imperative. Airports are critical pieces of our transportation system, and serving them with the transit system is absolutely necessary.

Beyond Dulles, I don't really care much. If I were Loudoun, it would be stupid of me to give up that potential connection to the system, however.

by Alex B. on Jun 7, 2011 9:24 am • link • report

Why should Cuccinelli have any say in the Dulles Rail? He's the Attorney General. This is clearly out of his purview. He should go back to hunting down scientists and minorities.

by Max on Jun 7, 2011 9:44 am • link • report

First Kwame and his Navigators..

Now Thomas and his $70k Audi..

What's next? Tommy Wells steals a Huffy from a 12 year old?

by Rayful Edmond on Jun 7, 2011 9:46 am • link • report

What the f$&@! is it with our f$&@?!ing CMs and their f$&@&$!ing SUVs? These idiots have the priorities of a Housewives of NJ cast member. All they seem to care about is using their position to show off their f$&@ing swagger. Thomas needs to go, straight to jail.

by TM on Jun 7, 2011 9:49 am • link • report

@ TM:What the f$&@! is it with our f$&@?!ing CMs and their f$&@&$!ing SUVs?

They keep getting elected, and get away with it.

by Jasper on Jun 7, 2011 9:55 am • link • report

Terminate the Silver Line at Dulles. I always thought going beyond that was kinda foolish.

by Juanita de Talmas on Jun 7, 2011 10:16 am • link • report

Terminate the Silver Line at Dulles. I always thought going beyond that was kinda foolish.

I am sure that people said that about every outward extension. And they were so right. DC's metro system is an utter failure. The system keeps moving more people, despite the fact that it's way overcrowded and way behind on maintenance. It's incredible that people keep using it.

by Jasper on Jun 7, 2011 10:24 am • link • report

I guess "Jasper" thinks he is clever.

by Vicente Fox on Jun 7, 2011 10:30 am • link • report

Yeah, nobody rides Metro anymore. It's too crowded.

by Stanton Park on Jun 7, 2011 10:33 am • link • report

@TM in America, you get the government you deserve. 1/3 of DC is functionally illiterate which means they are 100% dependent on others for information. If you combine that with a highly insular demographics, you get major problems.

by ahk on Jun 7, 2011 11:04 am • link • report

Not going past Reston would be a mistake as the line would not generate anywhere near the intended amount of ridership. The projections are that the majority of the silver line users, when built, will be coming from Reston and points West to work in Tyson's. I doubt there will be enough ridership from within the current Metro service area riding out Tyson's to make the project worthwhile.

by Adam L on Jun 7, 2011 11:11 am • link • report

Adam is spot on. The silver line's rationale is based on it being a way for people to commute to jobs in Tysons. It cant be justified solely as a way to get commuters to the city due to capacity constraints at the rosslyn tunnel. Take away any part of phase II and you significantly impact target FARs in Tysons. Silver line as transpo to the airport is a very minor benefit that shouldnt be part of the equation. There is little benefit to the localities paying for it and the buses from WFC and Rosslyn to Dulles are adequate.

As for overall silver line cost benefit, if you add the 100k residents and 100k jobs to tysons as projected, the line will be paid for many times over.

by Falls Church on Jun 7, 2011 11:46 am • link • report

On that same note, does anybody know if there is a turn-back being built between East Falls Church and what is now called Tyson's East (the first new station)? It would make a lot of sense to put that in now so that rush hour train service could be provided between Tyson's and points west without having to go through Arlington and all the way into the District.

by Adam L on Jun 7, 2011 12:07 pm • link • report

@Adam L:
No, that pocket track was apparently cut out in an effort to make the project meet FTA cost-effectiveness guidelines.

However, there will be a center track which connects to the West Falls Church Rail Yard just before the line merges with the Orange Line and I-66. That turnout could theoretically be used to terminate trains, either by turning them on yard lead or by having them run into the yard.

by Matt Johnson on Jun 7, 2011 12:09 pm • link • report

@MJ

Thanks for the info. I think that's probably short-sighted, but hopefully that rail yard workaround can be utilized if need be.

by Adam L on Jun 7, 2011 12:20 pm • link • report

Gee, I wonder if not building the Metro in Loudon will be just as good for that county as not putting a station in Georgetown was for that neighborhood...

by RosRes on Jun 7, 2011 1:14 pm • link • report

I suspect this investigation isn't going to end with Thomas. It's never been a secret around the Council Chambers that all the CMs use these constiuent services funds to curry favor with their supporters, and only sometimes does that include bringing children to a ball game ... Of course, maybe the difference is that Thomas didn't stop at just using the funds to curry favor with supporters, but partook directly from the funds ... ? We shall see.

by Lance on Jun 7, 2011 1:25 pm • link • report

If Loudoun doesn't want it, fine. They're only contributing 5% of the cost and getting much more back in benefits. Build the Metro the Dulles Airport and then stop. Let them go without. They'll be wishing they had built it in 10-20 years down the line.

by Timmy S. on Jun 7, 2011 1:32 pm • link • report

RosRes: Yeah, Georgetown's been kicking themselves for opposing Metro way back when. Having a station there would be a huge boon to the residents of Georgetown and visitors/tourists alike.

by Steven on Jun 7, 2011 1:36 pm • link • report

It's an urban myth that Georgetown opposition is the reason there isn't a stop there:

http://greatergreaterwashington.org/post/423/georgetown-never-blocked-metro-stop/

by David Alpert on Jun 7, 2011 1:47 pm • link • report

Thomas' hubris is amazing. Showing up at a City Council meeting in the very Audi SUV he bought himself with city taxpayer funds. Then illegally parking it.

I have to say the guy has balls.

by Hillman on Jun 7, 2011 1:49 pm • link • report

Isn't the "Georgetown opposed Metro" thing an urban legend?

I was always told that a station wasn't built there because it would have needed to be ridiculously deep, and therefore expensive.

by andrew on Jun 7, 2011 1:49 pm • link • report

Gee, I wonder if not building the Metro in Loudon will be just as good for that county as not putting a station in Georgetown was for that neighborhood...

Georgetown doesn't seem to be hurting. Lively streetlife, some of the highest property values in the city, and plenty of retail activity. So, yeah Loudoun just may be doing what makes sense for them

by Hattie McDaniels on Jun 7, 2011 1:58 pm • link • report

@Hattie McD - you left out "...and the worst traffic congestion in the city".

by Tina on Jun 7, 2011 2:22 pm • link • report

@Timmy and others

What is this obsession with an underground station? How would it benefit Fairfax, Loudoun, users of the DTR, or anyone else paying for the silver line? If the benefits are for people living in DC, Arlington, and MD shouldn't they pay for it? My guess is that if they had to pay for the station being underground they would quickly determine that there are better ways to invest $330M in transit.

If VA is paying, one of many higher priorities is building a turnaround track at EFC so we can have better rush hour service through Tysons. Or spend the money on the unfunded bike/ped metro access improvements or building out the street grid in Tysons.

by Falls Church on Jun 7, 2011 4:37 pm • link • report

I think everyone should email Harry Thomas. Here, I'll start...

To: HThomas@dccouncil.us
Please explain to me why you think it's appropriate to park this way. I understand that you're exempt from receiving parking tickets, but this is absurd. Please be respectful of the city you serve and take the time to find a legal place to park. How dare you lecture individuals on following the law when you can't do it yourself.

by Anon on Jun 7, 2011 9:29 pm • link • report