As feared, politics has turned this into a boondoggle.

We are now at the 11th hour. I am confused as to why the Fairfax Board of Supervisors insists on voting tomorrow on a project that is being majority funded (75%) by a tiny percentage of repeat toll users including all Fairfax Co. citizens of Herndon and Reston who need access to the areas east of their communities.

I will be totally disgusted by our elected Board of Supervisors IF they persist on approving this project with a funding scheme that is abusive of their own citizens as well as our Loudoun neighbors who can not use the Metro. Readers need to know that an audit of this project by the U.S. Dept. of Transportation is in progress and results are imminent yet the BOS rushes to approve it BEFORE the results are known. IS this responsible or intelligent governance? I think not.

Has the county done due diligence to protect its citizens in the corridor from unfair and dangerous tax burdens by a funding "scheme" that is utterly incompetent? I think not.

Has the Reston Association been responsible stewards of Restonians’ best interest by its recent banal statement that it wants Metro to extend into Loudoun Co.? Aside from the fact that MOST of us would like that result as well, must we swallow a poison pill to get it? Does RA not understand the incredible harm that exorbitant tolls will inflict on our community, both residential and commercial? I think not.

continued:
Have all our elected officials, local, state and federal, done everything in their power to construct a responsible, equitable and sane solution to the funding of the entire Silver Line project? I think not.

Do the citizens who live and work in the Dulles corridor deserve to be shafted like we will be if the BOS rushes to vote “yes” tomorrow, April 10th?
I think NOT.

What do YOU think?

I think the Fairfax County BOS certainly needs to reschedule any consideration of approval of the Dulles Rail Phase II project until AFTER the US DOT makes the results of its finanicial audit of the project available. I believe that is supposed to happen on May 15, 2012.

I find it very strange that this audit has not been mentioned by our business or political leaders, or reported in the news to this date - because it was made public on March 15, 2012, and it has been under way since the week of March 19, 2012. Then again, probably about 1.5 billion dollars of overcharge are at stake, so I suppose that strange things are to be expected.

From the US DOT:
Audit Initiated of Phase 2 of the Dulles Corridor Metrorail Project
March 15, 2012
Project ID: 12M3001M00
http://www.oig.dot.gov/library-item/5747

Full PDF Document:
http://www.oig.dot.gov/sites/dot/files/Dulles%20Phase%202%20Announcement%20Letter%5E3-19-12.pdf

From this document:
"Our objectives will be to (1) determine whether DOT's proposed oversight role for phase 2 adequately addresses key project risk areas, including cost, schedule, and financing and (2) assess whether MWAA's phase 2 project plans rely upon reasonable assumptions of revenue from the Dulles Toll Road.

We plan to begin this audit next week and will contact your audit liaisons to schedule an entrance conference. We will conduct our work at DOT, MWAA, and other related sites as needed."

Michael Longhi, the Fairfax County Auditor, today indicated that he continues to monitor Phase 1 construction and the potential for cost overruns but the Board has not yet asked him to provide any evaluation of Phase 2 costs and risks. Mr. Longhi in a 2010 report outlined concerns about the failure of the 2009 Dulles Toll Road Traffic and Revenue study by CDM Smith (then known as Wilbur Smith) to properly evaluate potential traffic volume changes which will result from the advent of rail. I suggest strongly that the Fairfax County Board defer action on Phase 2 and ask Mr. Longhi to investigate the Phase 2 issues and report to the Board within the next 60 days.

There has never been a public process, hearing or referendum to evaluate and approve a change in the Dulles Rail capital funding plan from the one outlined in the 2004 Final Environmental Impact Statement. Consider, how would residents of Fairfax, Annandale and Springfield react if, without a public hearing, the Board approved at the behest of an unelected, unaccountable authority comprised mostly of board members from outside Virginia, tolls of $10 or more each way on Braddock Road, Little River Turnpike and Route 50 to pay for trolleys on Columbia Pike and Route 7?

If the Board approves Phase 2 without waiting for most facts and figures such as ridership forecasts and economic impacts of toll increases on Dulles Corridor residents and businesses, then certain Supervisors should be recalled from office.

I was told by the Fairfax County attorney's office that the county supervisors cannot be recalled. That was when I inquired a while back.

Kathy Kaplan

This vote by the Fairfax Board of Supervisors must NOT take place in such a rushed manner. The proposed funding is totally unacceptable, particularly because of the exorbitant, unconscionable tolls on theToll Road. We must not be a cash cow, sheep to be shorn, for this project. Go back to the drawing board, if necessary, but do not let this monstrosity pass as currently proposed.

For Reston 2020's last attempt to persuade the Board of the costs to toll road users of re-affirming their commitment to the current Phase 2 funding arrangement, see this:
https://docs.google.com/file/d/0BwmHIwRgx6DTVjBNbzhqaXlTVml1WVlmMU1sV2dRQQ/edit