Feds Sign Off on Dulles Rail

[WMATAGMOAGH]

From washingtonpost.com:

Federal Regulators Sign Off on Dulles Rail Extension

[size=-1]By Amy Gardner
Washington Post Staff Writer
Wednesday, December 3, 2008; 3:33 PM
[/size]  Federal regulators have signed off on a long-awaited extension of Metrorail to Tysons Corner and Dulles International Airport, officially reversing their threats earlier this year to kill the $5.2 billion project.
The Federal Transit Administration approved the extension, which now heads to U.S. Transportation Secretary Mary Peters and the Office of Management and Budget for final sign-off. Approval from the FTA, where regulators had attacked the proposal as too expensive and poorly managed, is widely viewed as a critical moment for a project that local and state officials say is crucial to relieve traffic and spur economic growth at Tysons Corner and along the Dulles corridor.
"Rail is really coming to Dulles," said Dan Scandling, chief of staff to U.S. Rep. Frank R. Wolf (R-Va.). "After so many years and the fits and starts, this is going to be reality. It's going to happen. Which is great news for people who are stuck in traffic.
The 23-mile Silver Line is expected to extend from Falls Church to Dulles and into Loudoun County. Its boosters say four planned stops in Tysons Corner will spur an urban revival in the suburban office park, which is Virginia's largest jobs center and one of its most successful shopping hubs.

[WayneNYC]

That's great.  I'm happy this is finally happening.

[WMAveteran]

Don't count your railcars before they are actually running because the Secretary of Transportation Mary Peters has a middle name of "all highways all the time."  Even if she is on the way out she could throw some major monkey wrenches into the machinery.

[WMATAGMOAGH]

The impression I get is that she will sign off, and if she doesn't it would be very surprising at this point.

[coneyraven]

Boy, talk about "burning your bridges" -- but in Washington -- nothing surprises me, Oren, I hope you're right.

[orionvii2680]

Yes! Bout time.

[LandoverDivision]

Thank god. Even though I haven't been to Dulles, I would rather catch the train than the 5A. But will they discontinue the 5A after the Dulles project is finished?

[orionvii2680]

Thank god. Even though I haven't been to Dulles, I would rather catch the train than the 5A. But will they discontinue the 5A after the Dulles project is finished?

I hope not that's my favorite line.next to 29X.

[WMATAGMOAGH]

Thank god. Even though I haven't been to Dulles, I would rather catch the train than the 5A. But will they discontinue the 5A after the Dulles project is finished?

Why would they continue to run the 5A after the Dulles Line is finished?  I wouldn't even be surprised if it is cut back to Whiele Avenue when that opens.

[MetroLinerXLZ]

Thank god. Even though I haven't been to Dulles, I would rather catch the train than the 5A. But will they discontinue the 5A after the Dulles project is finished?

Why would they continue to run the 5A after the Dulles Line is finished?  I wouldn't even be surprised if it is cut back to Whiele Avenue when that opens.

It's just like what currently goes on with the Red Line and the Q2. People want a easy (and cheap) one-seat ride from Shady Grove to Silver Spring.

It'll be the same with the Silver Line. And given the fact that it won't even go into Downtown D.C. (remember, it's proposed to start in the Falls Church area, more than likely at East Falls Church station), people will be pissed at taking an expensive 2 (maybe 3)-train ride to the airport. They'd rather take the least expensive and more convient option.

[rideonrulez]

It's just like what currently goes on with the Red Line and the Q2. People want a easy (and cheap) one-seat ride from Shady Grove to Silver Spring.

That will change this summer if all goes through....

[WMATAGMOAGH]

Thank god. Even though I haven't been to Dulles, I would rather catch the train than the 5A. But will they discontinue the 5A after the Dulles project is finished?

Why would they continue to run the 5A after the Dulles Line is finished?  I wouldn't even be surprised if it is cut back to Whiele Avenue when that opens.

It's just like what currently goes on with the Red Line and the Q2. People want a easy (and cheap) one-seat ride from Shady Grove to Silver Spring.

It'll be the same with the Silver Line. And given the fact that it won't even go into Downtown D.C. (remember, it's proposed to start in the Falls Church area, more than likely at East Falls Church station), people will be pissed at taking an expensive 2 (maybe 3)-train ride to the airport. They'd rather take the least expensive and more convient option.

The Silver Line will go downtown via the existing Orange Line route.  The Q2 does not only carry passengers from Rockville to Wheaton, but to intermediate points as well.  The 5A will be duplicated by the Silver Line in its entirety, and all current 5A stops will be stops served by the Silver Line.  I predict that the 5A will be truncated when the Silver Line to Whiele Avenu opens, and that it is discontinued entirely when the Silver Line is complete.

[MetroLinerXLZ]

Thank god. Even though I haven't been to Dulles, I would rather catch the train than the 5A. But will they discontinue the 5A after the Dulles project is finished?

Why would they continue to run the 5A after the Dulles Line is finished?  I wouldn't even be surprised if it is cut back to Whiele Avenue when that opens.

It's just like what currently goes on with the Red Line and the Q2. People want a easy (and cheap) one-seat ride from Shady Grove to Silver Spring.

It'll be the same with the Silver Line. And given the fact that it won't even go into Downtown D.C. (remember, it's proposed to start in the Falls Church area, more than likely at East Falls Church station), people will be pissed at taking an expensive 2 (maybe 3)-train ride to the airport. They'd rather take the least expensive and more convient option.

The Silver Line will go downtown via the existing Orange Line route.  The Q2 does not only carry passengers from Rockville to Wheaton, but to intermediate points as well.  The 5A will be duplicated by the Silver Line in its entirety, and all current 5A stops will be stops served by the Silver Line.  I predict that the 5A will be truncated when the Silver Line to Whiele Avenu opens, and that it is discontinued entirely when the Silver Line is complete.

Now it's just a matter of cost. Again, people may find the train ride to Dulles expensive. This will definately come to fruition if WMATA designates the Silver Line (or a portion of it) as an express train, as they designated the 5A as an express bus.

[WMATAGMOAGH]

Thank god. Even though I haven't been to Dulles, I would rather catch the train than the 5A. But will they discontinue the 5A after the Dulles project is finished?

Why would they continue to run the 5A after the Dulles Line is finished?  I wouldn't even be surprised if it is cut back to Whiele Avenue when that opens.

It's just like what currently goes on with the Red Line and the Q2. People want a easy (and cheap) one-seat ride from Shady Grove to Silver Spring.

It'll be the same with the Silver Line. And given the fact that it won't even go into Downtown D.C. (remember, it's proposed to start in the Falls Church area, more than likely at East Falls Church station), people will be pissed at taking an expensive 2 (maybe 3)-train ride to the airport. They'd rather take the least expensive and more convient option.

The Silver Line will go downtown via the existing Orange Line route.  The Q2 does not only carry passengers from Rockville to Wheaton, but to intermediate points as well.  The 5A will be duplicated by the Silver Line in its entirety, and all current 5A stops will be stops served by the Silver Line.  I predict that the 5A will be truncated when the Silver Line to Whiele Avenu opens, and that it is discontinued entirely when the Silver Line is complete.

Now it's just a matter of cost. Again, people may find the train ride to Dulles expensive. This will definately come to fruition if WMATA designates the Silver Line (or a portion of it) as an express train, as they designated the 5A as an express bus.

What are you talking about?  The Silver Line will not be an "express train" and its fares will be charged using the same mileage based formulas used on the rest of the Metrorail.  If the 5A were a local route that actually made local stops, you might have an argument for running a bus paralleling the rail line, the way the L2 and Ride On 46 parallel the Red Line's western half.  However, no matter how many people would rather take the 5A instead of the Silver Line, WMATA is not going to appease them and run duplicative services like that.  Those resources can be used in a far more productive manner elsewhere.

[MetroLinerXLZ]

Thank god. Even though I haven't been to Dulles, I would rather catch the train than the 5A. But will they discontinue the 5A after the Dulles project is finished?

Why would they continue to run the 5A after the Dulles Line is finished?  I wouldn't even be surprised if it is cut back to Whiele Avenue when that opens.

It's just like what currently goes on with the Red Line and the Q2. People want a easy (and cheap) one-seat ride from Shady Grove to Silver Spring.

It'll be the same with the Silver Line. And given the fact that it won't even go into Downtown D.C. (remember, it's proposed to start in the Falls Church area, more than likely at East Falls Church station), people will be pissed at taking an expensive 2 (maybe 3)-train ride to the airport. They'd rather take the least expensive and more convient option.

The Silver Line will go downtown via the existing Orange Line route.  The Q2 does not only carry passengers from Rockville to Wheaton, but to intermediate points as well.  The 5A will be duplicated by the Silver Line in its entirety, and all current 5A stops will be stops served by the Silver Line.  I predict that the 5A will be truncated when the Silver Line to Whiele Avenu opens, and that it is discontinued entirely when the Silver Line is complete.

Now it's just a matter of cost. Again, people may find the train ride to Dulles expensive. This will definately come to fruition if WMATA designates the Silver Line (or a portion of it) as an express train, as they designated the 5A as an express bus.

What are you talking about?  The Silver Line will not be an "express train" and its fares will be charged using the same mileage based formulas used on the rest of the Metrorail.  If the 5A were a local route that actually made local stops, you might have an argument for running a bus paralleling the rail line, the way the L2 and Ride On 46 parallel the Red Line's western half.  However, no matter how many people would rather take the 5A instead of the Silver Line, WMATA is not going to appease them and run duplicative services like that.  Those resources can be used in a far more productive manner elsewhere.

I understand where you're coming from with the service duplication point. I still think people will want some bus service. We'll just have to wait and see what happens.