The idea seems simple enough: connect the ninth busiest airport in the country with the nation's capital. The execution, well, makin' progress...
After a decade of planning and with phase one of the project finally nearing completion, a new dispute has involved, this time involving the infamous Virginia Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli.
Cuccinelli, apparently dissatisfied with the mere existence of the line, is now attempting to influence Loudon County voters to reject the second phase of the project (the one which would include the Dulles Airport station) by electing officials who would refuse to contribute funding towards it.
Not only is Cuccinelli in the dark on this issue and willfully ignoring the economic development that the line would bring, but his actions regarding this project do not fall within his job description as Attorney General.
And, like the Tysons' tunnel dispute, this is all over a relatively simple matter: Should the Dulles station be above ground, or underground?
The Washington Metropolitan Airports Authority (which is overseeing the project, not the Washington Metropolitan Area Transportation Authority, interestingly enough), wants to build an underground station, claiming that it will streamline connections from Metrorail to the terminal and decrease overall travel time.
Stakeholders including Virginia Governor Bob McDonnell want an above ground station, claiming that it will cut $330 million from the cost of the project, but increase travel time by three minutes.
The solution for this is simple: design the above ground and underground stations for the same plot of land. Build the above ground station directly on top of the main terminal parking lot (where the underground station is currently poised to go). This would solve any dispute and create the best of both worlds for travelers and taxpayers.
The link to the editorial which inspired this post.
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