Second phase of Silver Line project sees costs soar ( DC Metro train )

Washington Post ^ | September 16, 2010 | Derek Kravitz

[george76]

The second part of Metrorail's extension from Falls Church to Dulles International Airport and Loudoun County could cost as much as $1.3 billion more than original estimates, which may mean higher rates for people who use the Dulles Toll Road.

The new estimate was provided Wednesday to members of the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority, which is overseeing construction. The first phase is costing $2.75 billion, the authority said. Early estimates had placed costs of the second phase in the same range. The new price range increases the cost by at least $690 million and potentially twice as much.

The plan to extend Metro's rail service deep into Northern Virginia was first developed in 2002 by state and airports officials...The second phase of the project, covering 11 1/2 miles and six stations, does not have federal funding. It is expected to be completed by December 2016. Toll road funds are expected to cover nearly 53 percent of the entire project's costs.

[DrC]

“Every time I get or do a cost estimate for the government I take what it should cost and multiply it by 2.5 and it usually comes out pretty close.”

This makes Silver Line a huge bargain. It was supposed to cost $5.5B, but it is “only” $1.3B (24%) over budget.

[meyer]

Toll road funds are expected to cover nearly 53 percent of the entire project's costs.

WTH??? Shouldn't the cost of the railroad project be borne solely by those using the train? If highway tolls are collected, they should be used for highway construction and maintenance ONLY!

[bmwcyle]

This is the new line. The real traffic problem is on this map. The real problem is the one bridge across the river on I495 on the right of this map. This is a waste of money if they think will will improve traffic.

[meyer]

So basically, they should correct the bridge problem, not build the unnecessary railroad. And, for a great deal less money.

This whole project sounds like payola to the road construction unions.

[dennisw]

You know the terrain... I don’t

Who will ride these trains? Mostly Federal employed drones?

[bmwcyle]

Four new bridges across the river and use Rt 301 as I 95 bypass of the Washington DC area will solve our traffic problem. MD will not allow any new bridges since they control the river. Liberals are always the problem.

[knarf]

So the addition of more of the same is a relief?

[Melchior]

Feds. Absolutely.

[ArrogantBustard]

I-495 (AKA The Capitol Beltway) crosses VA-267 (AKA The Dulles Toll Road) on a bridge. I see the construction area regularly. The MetroRail line is above ground (I think) at the Beltway crossing. It is between the two sides of the Toll Road, and under the Beltway bridge.

[hal ogen]

So you drive a car and pay gas taxes and tolls so eco-morons can ride a train. Yeah...that makes sense. If these trains weren’t subsidized these dreamy mass commuter types would probably have to pay $50 per trip. They should be forced to wash and wax peoples cars for free each time they enter and exit mass transit.

[ArrogantBustard]

And after the Silver Line is built, I'll still be driving ... Metro doesn't (and won't) serve the worksite I'm going to when I make that drive.

[Republic of Texas]

Where’s Willie Green?

[Blue Jays]

Unless we can boost the popularity of hovercraft. LOL!

[dearolddad]

could cost as much as $1.3 billion more than original estimates ...

Does anyone recall ever hearing of a goveco project coming in at or near the original estimate?

[george76]

The thieves ( politicians ) usually steal 33 percent for their commissions / management and divert another 33 percent to government mass transit / unions.

The roads and bridges might get the rest of the gasoline taxes that we pay everytime we visit a gas station.

[mo]

they’re merely becoming brazen in their theiving at this point...just like a 3rd world kleptocracy.

We the People are gonna need to get ugly...

[Fundamentally Fair]

IBWG.

That's just plain funny!

[tanknetter]

I am still trying to visualize this project. It would seem that one of the major difficulties would be crossing the interstates to get to Dulles. Once that was done, however, I don’t see the problem with aboveground transport to Dulles itself.

That's part of Phase I and is already well underway. From an engineering perspective it's pretty impressive, the flyovers are being built using these big blue and yellow assembly apparatuses that will slide from one pier to the next while lifting the horizontal segments into place.

The BIG issue here is that while the rail extension to Tysons (and maybe out to Reston Town Center) is a pretty good idea to draw people out to two of the larger of DC's "satellite cities" (revenue driven into those areas by people taking Metro will recoup the costs in something like 5-7 years), the extension beyond Reston to Dulles is just dumb. There's no reason for it other than to get people to/from the airport using rail.

The Dulles Toll Road is really two separate roads. The first is the Toll Road, which charges tolls (go figure). However there is an inner road that's called the "Access Road" that doesn't charge tolls and only permits cars/trucks/cabs going to/from the airport ... and busses running from the suburbs into the city or other mass transit hubs.

That road is seriously underutilized, and a much simpler and more cost effective solution would be to put more on/off ramps to it and use busses to carry the people.

That's how I currently commute. I drop my car at the Herndon/Monroe Park and Ride, catch a 980 or 950 express bus to West Falls Church Metro. Biggest problem is that the first on-ramp to the Access Road is below Hunter Mill so many days it takes 30-45 minutes to cover the 15 miles between Herndon/Monroe and WFC Metro. Solution: build another frikkin' on-ramp from the Park and Ride to the Access Road.

So instead ... when the Silver Line goes in I'm probably going to see a 60-70% increase in my daily commuting costs (additional $5 for parking, which I don't pay now since parking is free, plus an additional $2 or so above the still-cheap bus fares) PLUS with all the Metro stops between Herndon/Monroe and the junction with the Orange Line it'll probably take 15-20 minutes LONGER than now (which is already 15-20 minutes too long since the busses have to sit in Toll Road traffic before hitting the Access Road.

[Tolerance Sucks Rocks]

The second part of Metrorail's extension from Falls Church to Dulles International Airport and Loudoun County could cost as much as $1.3 billion more than original estimates, which may mean higher rates for people who use the Dulles Toll Road.

Typical choo-choo pusher mentality: make the toll road users pay for the overruns, rather than the eventual rail passengers.

[Tolerance Sucks Rocks]

Self-indulgent, well-off Montgomery County (MD) residents don’t want a second crossing.