Major Construction Begins

SAVE THE DATE!MAJOR CONSTRUCTION BEGINS IN TYSONS THIS SPRINGOn Route 123, Route 7, Dulles Toll Road, and the Capital Beltway


You're Invited to
"Keep Tysons Moving"
An Executive Business Briefing on the Capital Beltway HOT Lanes and Dulles Corridor Metrorail Projects
Thursday, March 26, 20097:30AM - Registration8:00AM - Presentation9:00AM - Workshop: Employer/Commuting Solutions

Capital One1680 Capital One DriveMcLean, VA 22102-3491(703) 720-1000

HOSTED BY:Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT)Metropolitan Washington Airports AuthorityVirginia Department of Rail and Public Transportation (DRPT)Fairfax County Department of TransportationTysons Transportation Association (TYTRAN)Fairfax County Chamber of CommerceFairfax County Economic Development AuthorityVisit Fairfax (FXVA)Fluor-TransurbanDulles Transit PartnersBriefing will include:Construction Schedules and Potential Traffic Impacts Resources for Employers & CommutersAnd much more!!

RSVP at outreach@virginiahotlanes.com
or (877) 495-VDOT

Vienna-Tysons Chamber wants it's opinion known

Although not known for meddling in politics, the Vienna-Tysons Regional Chamber of Commerce is ready to get involved. The organization is creating a Public -Policy Committee to give voice to the sentiments of the groups members. The decision to create this committee comes out of awareness of the many projects planned or in the works in the Tysons Corner area. The initial focus of the group will be on two main projects: the Dulles Metro Projet and the High-Occupancy Toll (HOT) Lanes Project. Both are key parts to improving local transportation. And both will play a key role in the redevelopment of the Tysons Corner area.

source: Sun Gazette 12-18-08 (pg7+14)

A "Changing Tysons" Quick Facts

Tysons corner is changing everyday, as is every city in the nation. But we have much bigger plans in store for the future. Here's an update on some of the planned changes:

- county staff to draft a new comprehensive plan for Tysons by July 09
o “aggressive timeline” said James Zook (director of Fairfax County’s department of planning and zoning)
o hope to get a vote when board of supervisors returns from recess in August 09
- 95% of development will be within a half a mile of one of 4 metro stations, and within 600 feet of a planned Circulator route
- Hopes to increase housing from 14,000 to 100,000
- Federal Transit Administration approved $900 million in funding 12/4 for the Dulles Metro Rail

Sources = 1) DullesMetro.com + 2) Vienna Connection 12/17-23/2008 pages 3 + 7

Metro passes another hurdle for funding

Quick Facts related to the planned Metro line to the Dulles Airport and beyond:
- Project to cost $5.2 Billion
- 23.1 miles
- Phase 1 to go from East Falls Church (Falls Church) to Wiehle Avenue (Reston)
- Phase 1 = 11.6 miles
- Phase 2 will complete the project all the way to Route 772, just beyond the Dulles International Airport
- Phase 2 = 11.5 miles

December 3rd the Federal Transit Administration O.K.'d the planned metrorail extension project. The project must now get approval from Mary Peters (Transportation Secretary) and the Office of Management and Budget.

source = (Washington Business Journal; December 5-11)

Tysons Tunnel Supporters not giving up!

There are those that still fight or push to get the metro line that will cut through Tysons Corner and head out to the Dulles airport and beyond below ground. The tunnel Supporters.

A recent article by Mirza Kurspahic in The Connection papers titled "Tunnel Hope Revived," indicated that Scott Monett and other supporters of changing the planned silver line metro to a tunnel have not given up hope. In fact it indicates that because of the election and the change in administration that the tunnel supporters have "revived hope."

In the article Scott Monett, the head of the Tysons Tunnel support efforts, is quoted as saying that the election "shuffled the deck." The belief is that the new president and his new staff may be more supportive of the tunnel than the previous administration.

A tunnel would definately be friendlier to the environment and the skyline. The opinion of those involved in the planning and approving of the metro thus far was that it would be too costly. Because of the lack of open bidding that is unknown. Hope definately springs eternal.

On Again, Off Again, On Again for good..... I think

The title is a quick summary of the process to date of approving/starting the Metro extension to Dulles Airport and beyond. Right now it seems to be a go. I believe it's good news

-Historical View-

There was a fight at first over whether the new metro extension would be built above ground or built below ground (tunnel). The contstruction contract was awarded to some companies to be built above ground. This despite the fact that many, including yours truly, would strongly prefer a tunnel. The main argument of the project opposition, who were very much pro tunnel, is/was that the current plan was not bid competitively in an open process. They rationalize that an open bid process would have given a variety of companies the opportunity to compete with different plans for above ground or below ground. And in an open format, because of competition, costs would be brought down. The organizers of this main opposition to the current project can be found at TysonsTunnel.org

Other problems arose in the form of funds, or possible lack thereof. Some state initiatives to impose taxes on real estate transactions, such as the grantor's tax (also known as seller's tax), in limited jurisdictions in northern virginia was shot down. Also, in light of some of the public opposition to the metro's current construction plan the federal government showed some reluctance to give the go ahead on the funding that is needed from them to complete the project (a combination of loans and federal funding coming to over 1.5 billion).

-Most Recently-

An article in Saturday's (8/23/08) Washington Post's Real Estate section revealed that the Federal body (Federal Tranist Administration) overseeing the fund required for the metro project issued a letter giving the go ahead to begin construction.

Many commuters know however that construction had already begun, sort of.....
Workers had already closed many sections of the Route 7 service/access roads to begin digging into the ground and move utilities. There are many utilities that need to be moved, water, cable, and more, before Route 7 can be widened enough to fit the above ground construction in the new wider median.

-Related-

John Foust, the Dranesville district supervisor, is quoted in the Vienna Connection paper (8/27-9/2/2008) indicating his concern in the growth of Tysons Corner and how it and other local areas are changed/developed. He also mentions that he doesn't believe an above ground metro will necessarily be less costly than a tunnel.