Thursday, January 24, 2013
Though Phase 2 construction has yet to begin, process is underway for art in the six future stations.
The Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (Metro) is seeking artists to contribute public art works at Phase 2 Silver Line Metro stations. Metro's Art in Transit Program, funded by the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority (MWAA), will place works at six future Silver Line stations. The art will promote transit use, enhance travel by Metro, and highlight the cultural vitality of the National Capital region, according to materials from Metro. MWAA is managing the design and construction of the Silver Line Project, the Metro extension that is set to begin operating at the end of 2013. Phase 1 of Silver Line will run from Tysons Corner to Reston's Wiehle Avenue. Phase 2, which does not yet have a construction start date, will …
Wednesday, November 14, 2012
Revenue necessary if Silver Line Phase 2 is going to be built, Airports Authority says.
The Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority board voted Wednesday to raise fees on the Dulles Toll Road through 2014, but held off on raising rates for 2015. As expected, starting Jan. 1, 2013, drivers will pay 25 cents more at the main toll plaza and at on/off ramps for a total of $2.75. In 2014, the rates will rise to $3.50. But the board put off approving an increase for 2015, in hopes of securing alternative sources of funding. In deciding not to set 2015 toll rates, the board noted that the potential for low cost financing afforded by a TIFIA loan, combined with the potential for additional financial assistance from the Commonwealth and possibly other sources, along with the potential for a competitively priced Phase 2 Silver Line…
Wednesday, October 17, 2012
MWAA chooses design and construction finalists for rail from Reston Town Center to Loudoun County.
The Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority announced Wednesday it has selected five teams to bid on designing and building Metro's Silver Line Phase 2. Phase 2 includes stations at Reston Town Center, Herndon, Innovation Center, Washington Dulles International Airport, Route 606, and Route 772. The five are listed below in alphabetical order, along with their equity members: Bechtel Infrastructure Corporation Clark Construction Group, LLC Kiewit Infrastructure South Co. Archer Western Contractors, LLC PCL Civil Constructors, Inc. Corman Construction, Inc. Skanska USA Civil Southeast / Granite Construction Company G.A. & F.C. Wagman, Inc. / Trumbull Corporation Facchina Construction Company, Inc. Fluor Enterprises, Inc. / Tutor Perini …
Monday, July 16, 2012
Traffic alerts in McLean, Tysons Corner from July 16-20.
This week's traffic travails throughout McLean and Tysons Corner brought to you by the simultaneous construction of the Express Lanes and the Metro line to Dulles. I-495 south from Exit 44, Georgetown Pike (Route 193) to Oak St. overpass - Three lanes closed Monday - Saturday nights for overhead sign and paving work. Expect intermittent full road closures of up to 30 minutes after midnight. Dulles Connector Rd. (Route 267) west from I-495 to the Toll Plaza - Three left lanes closed Monday - Saturday nights for sign work. Expect intermittent full road closures of up to 30 minutes after midnight. Jones Branch Dr. north and south from Westpark Dr. to Westbranch Dr. - Road closed Monday - Saturday nights for sign work. Traffic will be …
Wednesday, June 27, 2012
At Dulles Corridor Rail Association meeting, the most important update was the one coming from Loudoun Board of Supervisors on July 3.
The Dulles Corridor Rail Association's semi-annual meeting is usually one for partners to talk about construction progress, staying on budget and the day 18 months from now when Metrorail will stop in Tysons Corner and in Reston. The hot topic at Tuesday's meeting was a much closer date, though. The crucial vote from the Loudoun County Board of Supervisors looms next week. The decision from Loudoun County whether to continue as a partner could change the future of Phase 2 of the Silver Line, which will run from Reston's Wiehle Avenue to Dulles International Airport and into Loudoun County. "It is absolutely crunch time," Ashburn Supervisor Ralph Buona (R) said. "We have got to finalize financing by Friday night. There will be more public …
Wednesday, June 6, 2012
Silver Line Phase 2 will roll on minus a big sticking point that favored pro-union firms.
The Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority board voted Wednesday to drop the project labor agreement for Phase 2 of the Silver Line Rail to Dulles. The PLA agreement for Phase 2 gave preference to firms using union workers. It was a voluntary arrangement for Phase 1, which is now more than 70 percent complete. Phase 1 will run from Tysons Corner to Reston's Wiehle Avenue. It is slated to be operating by December 2013. Phase 2, originally scheduled to open in 2016, has already been delayed amid financial and political haggling. Phase 2 is slated to run from Wiehle Avenue to Dulles International Airport and into Loudoun County. The mandatory PLA had been a sticking point the last several months as Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell (R) …
Monday, April 30, 2012
Washington Post outlines how money, politics and labor agreement may doom second part of Rail to Dulles.
With a meeting between stakeholders in Rail to Dulles and U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood coming up on Wednesday, The Washington Post takes a look at just how far off the tracks Phase 2 of the project has become. Among the problems: politics, as LaHood and Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell will be out of office soon. LaHood, who helped negotiate a deal last fall on how to finance the second phase of the project, has said he plans to retire at the end of the year. McDonnell’s term expires in January 2014 — not even a year after the second phase of the project is expected to begin construction, which could take five years. Phase 2 of the project, set to run from Reston's Wiehle Avenue to Dulles International Airport and into Loudoun …
Wednesday, December 7, 2011
Open house in Reston a time for public to check in on Toll Road, Metrorail, improvements.
Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority officials decamped to Reston on Tuesday evening for an open house where citizens could ask questions such as "how much parking is going to be at the Wiehle Metro stop?" and "tolls are going up how much?" There wasn't much new news offered by MWAA at the event at South Lakes High School, but it was good one-stop shopping for transportation information. Dulles rail project executive director Pat Nowakowski said he was relieved that the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors officially signed off on the project's Phase 2 $2.8 billion funding agreement earlier Tuesday. MWAA and Loudoun County, along with state and federal officials, had already approved the deal. "It is one more signal it is time to move…
Tuesday, December 6, 2011
Authorization from Fairfax County final step in agreement to move forward with above-ground station, lower price tag for Metro.
- GOVERNMENT
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Tuesday, December 6, 2011
The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors approved changes on Tuesday to the funding agreement for the second phase of the Dulles Rail project. The plan will save as much as an estimated $757 million in fees for Dulles Toll Road users, county officials said. The board’s authorization was the final step needed to adopt the changes. The project’s other partners—the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority (MWAA), Loudoun County, Commonwealth of Virginia and U.S. Department of Transportation— agreed to the deal last month. “This strategy brings the cost of Phase 2 back down close to the original estimate and goes a long way to ensure this critical transportation project is completed,” Chairman Sharon Bulova said in a statement. “Dulles Rail …
David A. LaRock
10:40 pm on Monday, January 28, 2013
David to Navid, please quote the source of this nonsensical accusation.. or is this what you toss out when you feel threatened and your debate points don't add up? FYI, I have spent thousands of hours laboring to unskew the seemingly endless flow of pro-train propaganda. All of it trying to invent benefit and disguise that Dulles Rail is an economic stimulus/ spendfest that redistributes precious… more ›