Tuesday, May 7, 2013
The federal loan program could save Fairfax County and Dulles Toll Road users millions, but the tight timeline is giving some supervisors pause.
Fairfax County transportation officials have asked the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors to move on federal loans that could help pay for $1.9 billion of the total cost of the Silver Line. FCDOT representatives presented the Board with a series of recommendations Tuesday afternoon in order to file an application for a Transportation Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act (TIFIA) loan from the federal government. Joe LaHait, the county’s debt coordinator, said if the funding partners secured such a loan, approximately $1.3 billion would be allocated to the Dulles Toll Road. Toll Road users are currently on the hook for 75 percent of the $5.9 billion rail project and toll prices are expected to increase dramatically in the coming years…
Tuesday, April 23, 2013
Virginia governor says savings on construction will be passed on to savings by drivers.
Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell says the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority's five proposals for construction of Phase 2 of the Silver Line came in far below expectations - which he predicts will mean major savings for Virginia taxpayers and users of the Dulles Toll Road. MWAA received proposals last week from Bechtel Transit Partners, Capital Rail Constructors, Dulles APC Railbuilders, Dulles Metrorail Connectors, and Silver Line Constructors. The estimates range from $1.17 billion to $1.37 billion, MWAA said. MWAA is expected to conduct a detailed review of the proposals and award a contract later this spring. The $2.7 billion Phase 2 is being built without federal funding (Phase 1 received $900 million in federal dollars). It will …
Saturday, April 20, 2013
Contractors estimate costs of $1.1 to more than $1.3 billion.
Friday, April 19, 2013
Contractors estimate costs of $1.1 to more than $1.3 billion.
Five contractors - including Reston-based Bechtel - have entered bids to construct Phase 2 of Metro's Silver Line, the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority announced Friday. The bids ranged from $1.1 to $1.3 billion. Phase 2 is the 11.4-mile segment of the Silver Line that will run from Reston's Wiehle Avenue to Dulles International Airport and into Ashburn, Phase 1 of the Silver Line, from Tysons Corner to Wiehle Avenue, is nearly completed and scheduled to open in December. MWAA said Friday the award of the Phase 2 contract will occur after a review to validate that each proposal properly responds to the solicitation. “Today is a significant step toward the selection of the design-build contractor for Phase 2,” Pat Nowakowski, …
Friday, March 29, 2013
The contractors plans to deliver project on time, but contingencies are in place to keep rail on track.
After reports that delays on a rail yard project at West Falls Church could delay the start date for the Metro’s Silver Line, a representative for the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority denies the claim. MWAA is constructing the 23-mile Silver Line extension. Marcia McAllister, spokeswoman for the Dulles Corridor Metrorail Project, an arm of MWAA, acknowledged the contractor’s schedule had slipped on the Falls Church rail yard. The rail yard is needed to help accommodate the additional trains operating along the Silver Line, which will run from East Falls Church to Reston in its first phase and beyond to Ashburn when complete. McAllister said the part of the rail yard project experiencing delays was a service and inspection …
Sunday, February 3, 2013
Dulles Rail Project and Fairfax Dept. of Transportation officials will answer residents' question about the Metro Silver Line and proposed bus services to it.
If you have any questions about the Dulles silver line rail project or related bus services in the area, you have a chance to get answers Tuesday. At 10 a.m. Tuesday, Nick Perfili, Dulles Rail Project Planner, and Christy Wegener, Fairfax Connector’s Manager of Operations, Planning and Customer Service with the county’s Department of Transportation, will host an online chat. You can submit questions in advance here. A transcript will be available after the chat. For the latest on Metro's plans throughout the region, see 'Metro Momentum Offers Expansive Plans for System's Future.' Keep up with transportation developments and more with the Oakton Patch email newsletter!
Tuesday, January 29, 2013
The primary obstacle for "Momentum," which includes a number of Orange Line projects, appears to be funding. What do you think about WMATA’s proposed capital plans? Tell us in the comments.
If you thought the Silver Line would continue to be the focus of the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) for the foreseeable future, think again. Metro has a proposed a series of improvements to help the system keep up with demand on other lines. For the past year and a half, the agency has been working to unveil "Momentum," a $26 billion spending plan that focuses on, among other things, creating new connections and bypassing others that are holding riders up. The Washington Post has a story here. For Orange Line riders, the Post details one proposed project that could make a huge difference for those on Vienna-bound trains: Planners suggest creating what they call the “Rosslyn bypass.” New tracks would be built west …
Wednesday, January 23, 2013
Phase 1 of new rail line expected to be turned over for testing and training in August.
Metro's Silver Line Phase 1 is 86 percent complete and on schedule for delivery by the end of August, says Pat Nowakowski, Executive Director of the Dulles Corridor Metrorail Project. Nowakowski gave an analysis at last week's Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority meeting. MWAA is not giving an exact date that Phase 1 of the Silver Line — which will run from Tysons Corner to Reston's Wiehle Avenue — will open, but is sticking with a general date of December 2013 for now, MWAA spokesman Rob Yingling said. Some of the highlights of Nowakowski's presentation: * Final Design – All design is complete. One permit needs to be secured. * Metro has paid out $2.255 billion so far. The final cost is expected to be $2,905,695,000. There is $81 …
Monday, January 7, 2013
Westbound I-66 lanes will close from 11 p.m. to 5 a.m. between Dulles Connector Road, Leesburg Pike through Saturday.
All westbound lanes on I-66 between the Dulles Connector Road and Leesburg Pike will shut down this week as crews perform work related to Dulles Corridor Metrorail construction. Starting Monday, the lanes between Dulles Connector Road (Route 267) and Leesburg Pike (Route 7) will close from 11 p.m. to 5 a.m. so crews can work on overhead bridges crossing those roadways, Virginia Megaprojects said in a news release. Drivers should take the following detour: Exit to Rt. 267 W (exit 67, Dulles Connector Road) and exit at Rt. 123 south (exit 19A, Dolly Madison Boulevard). Follow signs to I-495 south and take Exit 49 to rejoin I-66 west.
Friday, December 28, 2012
As scheduled, tolls on the on/off ramps and at main plaza to rise by 25 cents.
The cost of driving on the Dulles Toll Road is about to rise again on Tuesday. Beginning Jan. 1, the toll rate on the Dulles Toll Road will increase by 25 cents at the Main Toll Plaza to $1.75. Toll rates on the on/off ramps will increase by 25 cents to $1. These amounts were previously set in a November hearing, but the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority has deferred making a decision on tolls for 2015. There will be an additional increase in January 2014 to $2.50 at the main plaza. The toll increases are necessary, in part, for the Airports Authority to operate and maintain the Dulles Toll Road and to construct the Metrorail Silver Line, which will begin operating in Dec. 2013. While Phase 1 of the Silver Line is being built …
Bob Bruhns
2:53 pm on Friday, May 10, 2013
Surprisingly, one source reports that Fairfax County staff hopes to get interest as low as 2% on its Tifia loan for the Dulles Rail / Silver Line project. Fairfax County preps to pay rest of rail bill Fairfax Times, May 08, 2013 http://www.fairfaxtimes.com/article/20130508/NEWS/130508899/1117/fairfax-county-preps-to-pay-rest-of-rail-bill&template=fairfaxTimes Looking at the US DOT / FTA TIFIA … more ›