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, 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 …
Saturday, June 2, 2012
Conservative group calling Loudoun residents, urging them to withdraw support for Metrorail.
As the July 4 deadline nears for the Loudoun County Board of Supervisors to decide whether to continue to support Rail to Dulles, some Loudoun residents have been getting robocalls urging them to support the supervisors in a pullout, The Washington Post reports. The Post reported on Friday that the calls are coming from Americans for Prosperity, a conservative group that advocates for lower taxes and smaller government. Callers are encouraging residents to tell their supervisors they don’t want a tax increase to pay for Metro’s extension. The callers say Loudoun cannot afford the costs, and that even if Loudoun opts out, the Silver Line will still be built to Dulles International Airport. The board will meet Monday to hear residents’ …
Friday, May 25, 2012
As decision looms on Silver Line participation, supervisors wade through details, analysis.
As the Loudoun Board of Supervisors begins a series of outreach meetings about the Dulles Corridor Metrorail Project, much of the long-awaited information about parking needs and possible project financing methods has been presented to the board and negotiations may truly begin. Possibly the key discussion residents and supervisors had been waiting for centers on how the county would pay for such a project. Staff members described two tools that could be used in a range of scenarios to pay for the project. The primary new sources of revenue under consideration include a countywide commercial and industrial, or C&I, tax along with a service district tax for properties within one or two miles of the rail stations. Variations were also shown …
Tuesday, May 1, 2012
A local resident questions Fuller and whether he is playing both sides of this issue regarding Rail.
- OPINION
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Tuesday, May 1, 2012
Dear Editor, Last week I saw Tony Howard, the Leesburg Chamber guy on a morning news show talking about how great Dulles Rail is. He made a pretty good case for it and may have won me over to his side accept for two things. First I heard a lot of talk about how good this will be for our economy but nothing about the costs. In contrast, the Opt Out group seems to local people who are getting quite a bit of attention not just saying rail costs too much but actually using Loudoun’s own costs to drive their discussion. I want to believe Tony Howard but I need to see the beef not a fast-talking salesman who wants to earn a commission. Another pro-rail guy is Malcolm Baldwin. Baldwin promotes claims made by Dr. Stephen Fuller to support his …
Tuesday, April 24, 2012
Reston leader commends Loudoun County's efforts, but says the board needs another perspective on costs to build the Silver Line.
- OPINION
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Tuesday, April 24, 2012
Dear honorable members of the Loudoun County Board of Supervisors: As a person active in trying to address the huge financing issues surrounding the planned construction of Phase 2 of the Silver Line on behalf of Restonians, I commend you for your serious examination of the benefits and costs of extending Metrorail to Loudoun County. All the more so in light of the unanimous, uninformed, knee-jerk re-affirmation of the current financial arrangements for Phase 2 by the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors. I have no idea whether, in the end, you will approve or disapprove rail to Loudoun; certainly the debate has been robust. Thank you for taking your job seriously. As part of your due diligence effort, you commissioned a follow-up study by…
Friday, April 6, 2012
The commonsense remedy would be for Loudoun to opt out of Metro to Loudoun and take control of its own transit needs.
- OPINION
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Friday, April 6, 2012
To the editor: I am a concerned citizen who has lived in Loudoun County for 24 years and wants the public to know the truth about hidden costs behind the proposed Metro to Loudoun project. Is Metro to Loudoun the key to achieving our economic potential? Tysons Corner, our neighbor to the east, became the 12th largest employment center in the United States without Metro. Bringing businesses to Loudoun County is great but it has not brought residential property tax relief so don’t ask taxpayers to pay for this project. Dulles Airport has been here more than 50 years. It has stimulated business activity, yet Loudoun currently has the highest property taxes in the southeast United States. Is Chairman Scott York right when he claims Metro to …
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 ›