Metro: Inauguration Day Notched Nearly 780,000 Trips

The 2013 Inauguration Day metro ridership was significantly less than the 1.12 million trips four years earlier.

If you felt like Metro was less crowded this inauguration than in 2009, you were right. The transit agency recorded 779,787 passenger entries Monday, according to the Associated Press. Metro set its all-time ridership record on Inauguration Day 2009, recording 1.12 million rail trips. The transit agency told the AP that part of the reason for the lower ridership levels was that Monday was the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday in addition to being Inauguration Day. That cut out many of the daily commuters who use the system and would have used the system regionwide in 2009. Lower ridership, however, did not mean the day went off without any hitches. After President Obama's inaugural ceremony concluded, Metro temporarily closed several stations…

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Metro New Year's Eve, Day Schedule

Metro will stay open two hours later on New Year's Eve.

Metro has announced the following holiday schedule: Dec. 31 (New Year’s Eve) Jan. 1 (New Year's Day)

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Letter to the Editor

LTE: Ramadan Complaint Targets Wrong Tolls

A reader suggests that Ramadan focus on reducing DTR, rather than Greenway, fees.

Dear Editor,  Del. David Ramadan (R-87) has announced that he is making a formal complaint against the proposed Dulles Greenway toll increase. Del. Ramadan is barking up the wrong tree if he is genuinely interested in securing relief from oppressive tolls … and he knows it. Responding to a Greenway toll increase request, Del. Ramadan demanded Greenway rates comply with Virginia code. FACT … Recently, the Greenway – the privately operated road west of Dulles International Airport – requested a 3.54 percent increase in the toll rate, or $0.14, which they are allowed by law. This 3.54 percent is what Del. Ramadan is complaining about. FACT … Over the next 13 months, Dulles Toll Road (DTR) rates are set to increase 55 percent to pay for the …

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Metro Holiday Schedule

Metro will stay open two hours later on New Year's Eve.

Metro will operate under the following holiday schedule: Tuesday (Christmas Day) Dec. 31 (New Year’s Eve) Jan. 1 (New Year's Day)

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Letter to the Editor

LTE: MWAA Provides Political Cover for Silver Line

One reader makes the case that MWAA simply insulates elected officials from angry constituents.

To the Editor: Most people have heard of the endless problems with MWAA (the guys in charge of Metro’s Silver Line construction) and their reckless spending. Still, our state and local governments keep ignoring their bad reputation when it comes to their management of the Silver Line construction. Loudoun and Virginia are handing over our taxes and tolls knowing MWAA has no incentive for efficiency. They answer to no one, at any level of government. If you want to know where the wasted billions go look at the names of companies on the campaign contributions of those who push this crony-driven spendfest. I expect you'll see the lobbyists, the contractors and the developers making hefty investments in the campaign accounts of these officials…

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Just the Facts

12:23 pm on Friday, October 19, 2012

MWAA was provided an IG Audit in May about 220 MILLION DOLLARS OF NO-BID CONTRACTS that were given out without Board approval. This is more then a bottle of wine, plane tickets or lavish dinners. This is 220 MILLION DOLLARS!!! MWAA has not told the public where this money was spent, who benefited, and why they hid all of these contracts from the Board? Who is the responsible party for putting out…   more ›

Letter to the Editor

LTE: Leesburg Resident for Metro

One homeowner believes rail means incremental higher RE values, even away from the stations.

To the editor: I have been reading all the back and forth about rail to Loudoun and cannot understand why people think it is only cost and no benefit. I have done ROI (cost/benefit) evaluations for the private sector and understand they are based on information at hand. Doubters say the benefits are unrealistic but the fact is they are just as likely to be too low as too high. In any event, there is one benefit that is not factored in any study and that is the benefit to the Loudoun homeowner. I live in Leesburg and I estimate the value of my house will be $50,000 higher in 2018 with Metro than without. If I have to pay $200 a year in higher taxes, I am all for it.  Why do I think my house will be worth so much more? Supply and demand. …

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t_joseph

8:57 am on Thursday, July 5, 2012

Bob just a reminder - i was waiting to hear back from you and better understand your response to my new offer. you may not have seen that in the other article/section thanks t_joseph   more ›

LTE: The Best Time to Negotiate is Now

Board of Supervisors member Geary Higgins discusses Metro and what needs to be done before a final decision is made.

Dear Editor: I write regarding a very important issue that is currently before the Board of Supervisors, whether Loudoun should vote to extend Metro from Wiehle Avenue into Ashburn by agreeing to “Phase 2 Metro.”  Contained within this project are many factors that will have long-lasting effects on Loudoun County as we know it. I completely support extending Metro to Dulles Airport in Loudoun County. However, I have long stated that I will not support funding the project on the backs of Loudoun’s homeowners who are already financially stretched with the highest real estate tax rates around. I also want to protect the long term interests of our county from a bad contractual agreement over which we will have little to no control after the …

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Letter to the Editor

LTE: Raising Taxes Is Not the Solution

A reader shares his remarks to the Board of Supervisors regarding Metro and how it will not accrue equally to all communities in Loudoun County.

Mr. Chairman, members of the Board, I see two kinds of people in Loudoun County, those that do not want rail and do not want to pay for it, and those that want rail and do not want to pay for it. As a transportation system, the value of Metrorail is mostly inspirational, once you break down the subsidized cost per rider. But think back a few weeks to the thousands of people who parked their cars in the middle of the highway to watch the Space Shuttle land at Dulles. That’s a highly inspirational transportation system. Sometimes the value equation goes beyond a simple return on investment number. While it galls me to send billions of dollars to the Washington transportation Cartel, and I feel that the debt and spending for Metro pays for …

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Town Council Corner

Update: Town Council Approves Resolution Showing Support for Metro

After spending hours on the issue, the Town Council voted 5 to 2 to send a letter of support to the Loudoun County Board of Supervisors.

The Town Council voted 5 to 2 Tuesday night to forward a resolution to the Loudoun County Board of Supervisors in support of bringing Rail to Loudoun County. It took about three hours until council members could make a final decision. Mayor Kristen Umstattd and Councilman Tom Dunn were opposed. Dunn said that the project costs too much and that he wouldn’t support it if it meant raising the taxpayer's dollar. He suggested that the resolution be deferred indefinitely and said he wasn’t sure why the town was getting involved with the issue anyway. That motion failed as did another one made by Councilwoman Katie Hammler that would have postponed the council’s decision until June 26. “I find this unfortunate. About 75 percent of the people in …

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