The Price of a Rail Line
Kenneth R. “Ken” Plum

After years of working with a “guesstimate” of the cost of the concept of building a rail line in the Dulles corridor we finally have a range of prices of the actual cost of building such a system from a contractor based on preliminary engineering. There should be little surprise that the price is higher than the guesstimate that was made many years ago before the escalation of steel and concrete prices. Likewise, there should be little surprise that such a system with the capacity to carry such a great number of people costs a lot of money. Whether or not it is expensive should be measured in relation to its benefit to the community.

Already commuters in Northern Virginia spend up to an estimated nine work days per year in traffic congestion. Job growth in the Dulles corridor and traveler growth at Dulles International Airport without the rail system will make gridlock even worse. An extensive, federally required study found the rail alternative to be the preferred alternative for the future demand in the corridor. All the local governments as well as affected agencies adopted rail as the locally preferred alternative after reviewing the analysis of the benefits of rail over other alternatives that were studied. Transit ridership is already being built by an extremely successful rapid bus transit system that operates in the corridor.

Now that a price range is available, important decisions can be made concerning the project. Metro standards on which the price is based must be evaluated as to their necessity for a suburban setting. Certainly the monumental stations downtown are appropriate for the Nation’s capital, but the need for such station standards in the suburbs is highly questionable. There are numerous examples in other areas of stations that are safe and functional and much less costly that could be utilized in the corridor.

Value engineering that has been effective in reducing costs in Virginia and throughout the country must be applied to the project. The project is being managed by the Virginia Department of Rail and Public Transit that has an opportunity to review every price estimate to ensure the best value for commuters. Under the public-private partnership under which the project is being managed, a new contractor can be selected if the current contractor is not able to meet budgetary limitations.

Persistent opponents of the rail line propose solutions that are short-lived and ultimately more costly to commuters. Now that we know the price of a rail line, important and informed decisions can be made to move the project forward in a timely, cost-effective way.

ANNOUNCEMENTS

Thanks to all who stopped by my booth at the Reston Festival, July 9-10. I enjoyed meeting new people, seeing old friends, and finding out about your interests and concerns. Many new friends signed up to receive “Virginia E-News.” Please keep in touch. If there is an upcoming event or community issue that you would like to see mentioned here, email me at kenplum@aol.com to let me know.

Nominations for the Governor’s Community Service & Volunteerism Awards are now being accepted. The prestigious award has been honoring exemplary Virginians for more than 15 years and recognizes excellence in community service and volunteering. The awards include service on the part of businesses, faith-based groups, seniors, youth, families, individuals, government, homeland security, national service, nonprofits, and civic engagement organizations. The nomination process will end at 5:00 p.m. on Friday, July 15. A narrative and two letters of support are required. The awards ceremony will take place on Thursday, October 6 in Richmond. You may download the form to fill out and fax or mail it in or complete the nomination online. Go to the home page at www.vaservice.org.

The 20th Annual Governor’s Conference on Education begins on Tuesday, July 19, at the Richmond Marriott. Register online at http://vsba.org/confregform.htm or contact VSBA offices at 434.295.8723 or 800.446.8722.

The Greater Reston Chamber of Commerce is seeking to pinpoint great companies for their good business practices, their work in the community, and their service to the Chamber through the Awards for Chamber Excellence program. Honorees will be recognized at a fun and formal dinner on Thursday, September 29, 2005, at the Hyatt Regency Reston. Please help the Chamber find the best and the brightest by participating in the nomination process. The deadline for nominations is July 29, 2005. Contact twhite@restonchamber.org for a nomination form.

The Virginia Board for People with Disabilities is seeking nominations for the Jackie Crews Excellence in Leadership Award in memory of Jackie Crews, a Partners in Policymaking graduate, who passed away in April, 2004. This annual award, to be presented for the first time in the fall of 2005, is designed to honor a self-advocate who has demonstrated excellence in Virginia through his/her work on behalf of people with disabilities. The award includes a $1,000 stipend. Nominations forms and additional information about the award, Jackie Crews, and the Partners in Policymaking program can be downloaded from the VBPD website at www.vaboard.org or can be requested by mail by calling 1.800.846.4464 (voice/tty). The deadline for receipt of nominations is 5:00 p.m. on September 9, 2005.

The Virginia Small Business Development Center Network (SBDC) is available to help with business planning, financing sources, and marketing. Contact your local SBDC office for counseling, training, and information assistance to start or grow your company. Visit www.virginiasbdc.org. Visit or call the Virginia SBDC Network offices at 4031 University Drive, Suite 200, Fairfax, VA 22030; 703.277.7700.

The Virginia Economic Development Review is now available as an electronic newsletter. Send an email to virginiaedreview@e.mailzeen.com or call 434.245.9700 to subscribe.

The Dulles Corridor Metrorail Project has launched a new website, www.DullesMetro.com, to provide information on the planned 23-mile extension of the regional rail system from Falls Church to eastern Loudoun County. The new website provides information on the project’s background, schedule, and route, plus station locations, maps, and links to environmental studies and other reports.

The Community Emergency Alert Network, or CEAN, a service of the Fairfax County Office of Emergency Management, provides a personal connection to real-time updates, instructions on where to go, protective actions that need to be taken, and other important information such as National Weather Service watches and warnings in the event of any kind of emergency. To receive email or to receive text messages via cell phones, text pagers, satellite phones and wireless PDA’s that are registered on the CEAN system, visit the Fairfax County Web page, www.fairfaxcounty.gov/cean. For additional information on the CEAN, contact the Office of Emergency Management at 703.324.2362, TTY 711.

The Potomac Council, an association of Northern Virginia’s six soil and water conservation districts, will be hosting Potomac Watershed Forum IV, a day-long public event featuring presentations on the most innovative tools and techniques for protecting Potomac River water quality. Attend the Potomac Watershed Forum IV on Friday, August 12, 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. at the Manassas campus of George Mason University. Registration is $20 and includes parking, continental breakfast, and lunch. Download a registration form at www.potomacroundtable.org or www.fairfaxcounty.gov/nvswcd/forumiv.pdf. Call Nick Kokales at the Northern Virginia Soil and Water Conservation District at 703.324.1460 or email conservationdistrict@fairfaxcounty.gov.

The Greater Reston Arts Center’s (GRACE) 2005 C-NOTE SALE will be held Sunday, September 25. Last year GRACE received more than 220 donated pieces of art from artists participating in the Northern Virginia Fine Arts Festival, GRACE artist members, and other supporting artists and patrons. Mark your calendars and watch for future announcements about the C-NOTE SALE here and in local newspapers.