Friday, May 17, 2013
The Board of Supervisors hope these projects are funded by revenue from Virginia's new transportation bill. What do you think needs more funding?
The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors has submitted a list of nearly $220 million in potential projects it hopes to fund through Gov. Bob McDonnell’s historic transportation bill, which he ceremonially signed earlier this week. The Northern Virginia Transportation Authority (NVTA) will make its preliminary recommendations next week for regional projects that should receive dollars generated by McDonnell’s HB 2313, so the Board approved a list of regional road and transit projects it hopes the NVTA will include. (See the full list below.) Officials are crossing their fingers for $79 million in road projects and $140 million in transit projects. Tom Biesiadny, director of the county’s department of transportation, said NVTA would likely …
Wednesday, May 15, 2013
A loan from the feds could help the county pay for almost $2 billion of the Silver Line.
The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors moved towards submitting an application for a federal transportation loan Tuesday that could help the county and its partners pay for $1.9 billion of the Silver Line Metro project. If approved, a Transportation Infrastructure and Finance Innovation Act (TIFIA) loan from the U.S. Department of Transportation would provide the county with up to $475 million of its expected $1.06 billion obligation. The loan would feature low interest rates and the county would be able to defer paying it back by 2023, five years after Phase II construction to Dulles is expected to be complete in 2018. Per the recommendation of county transportation officials, supervisors agreed Tuesday to back the loan with money from …
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…
Monday, May 6, 2013
Is Phase I of the the Silver Line under budget? Supervisors will discuss funding, as well as Silver Line bus routes, in Tuesday meeting.
The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors are scheduled to discuss a series of transportation projects Tuesday, including funding for both phases of the Silver Line Metro and bus routes that will connect residents to the new train system. Construction on Phase I from East Falls Church to Wiehle Avenue in Reston is nearly finished and should be complete by the end of December 2013. It has reportedly stayed within its $2.9 billion budget. Officials have narrowed down a favorite for construction of Phase II to Dulles Airport. Capitol Rail Constructors has put in a bid of about $1.18 billion to build the extension, an estimate that officials say is below the original $1.4 to $1.6 billion cost projections. The Board will also discuss the revised …
Thursday, April 25, 2013
More midday and evening routes for Fairfax County buses added as result of public input sessions; final plan expected in June.
The Fairfax County Department of Transportation is zeroing in on a plan for enhanced bus service to help residents get to new Metro stations when the Silver Line opens at the end of 2013. More than 40 percent of the Fairfax Connector system will change in some way when those stations open, and officials are seeking feedback from residents to provide the best service possible. Wednesday night’s meeting in Tysons marked the end of the second round of public input sessions on the routes. FCDOT representatives conducted the first round in February, when many residents wanted to see changes to route layouts and bus frequency. The revised plan features more midday and evening bus service on Reston and Herndon routes. Officials also restored the …
Capital Rail Constructors showed lowest bid for Silver Line construction.
The Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority on Thursday issued a Notice of Recommended Award to Capital Rail Constructors for the major design-build portion of Silver Line Phase 2 rail to Dulles. Capital Rail Constructors is comprised of Clark Construction Group and Kiewit Infrastructure South Co. The recommendation recognizes CRC as the low-price proposer for the contract, but does not constitute a final award of the contract, MWAA said in a statement. The announcement follows an MWAA review of Capital Rail Constructors’ $1,177,777,000 proposal, which was determined to meet all necessary requirements, MWAA said. Capital Rail Constructors’ price proposal was the lowest of the five read by the Airports Authority at a public opening last …
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 …
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, …
Tuesday, April 16, 2013
Robert Cole's "The Thought" will greet shoppers at the new Walmart in Tysons West.
Local officials and stakeholders gathered Monday at the site of the Tysons West Walmart for the debut of the public art piece that will grace the outside of of the store. Washington, DC's Robert Cole, who designed "The Thought" on commission, said it was a piece everyone will be able to enjoy. The Walmart could be open as early as September, according to officials. The 79,000-square-foot store will be part of developer JBG Retail's new building, anchored by Walmart and 24-Hour Fitness. Restaurants Noodles and Company and Smashburger have also signed leases. Approximately half of the Wal-Mart’s space will be devoted to groceries and a pharmacy. Unlike the massive superstores found in some areas, the Tysons location has been branded as an "…
Monday, April 15, 2013
Fairfax County wants your input on revised bus routes for Silver Line service.
Fairfax County will hold more meetings this week to discuss a revised plan for changes to Fairfax Connector bus routes when Metro's Silver Line opens in December. The plan includes the creation of 12 new routes, the restructuring of 24 existing routes and the elimination of six routes, says the Fairfax County Department of Transportation. The revised plan incorporates changes suggested by riders and the community, since the original service proposal was released in January 2013. The complete bus service plan will be discussed at each meeting, with special emphasis placed on area service changes for the general vicinity of each meeting location. Meeting schedule: Click here to see the full list of county route changes. Stay up to date on …
John
8:23 am on Friday, May 17, 2013
Public transportation never pays for itself. Consequently, tax payers are forced to make up the shortfalls. We are broke. Stop spending money we don't have. more ›