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Region can't afford further delays on Dulles rail project
Metrorail appears to be on its way to the Dulles corridor.
That's the word from the Federal Transit Administration, which approved $900 million for the 23.2-mile rail line that will eventually roll through Tysons Corner and Reston on its way to Washington Dulles International Airport.
Last week's news comes less than a year after the FTA hammered project officials for everything from cost overruns and application delays to infrastructure and communication shortcomings.
With those hurdles apparently cleared, the only things standing between rail and reality are the signature of U.S. Transportation Secretary Mary Peters and congressional approval.
Given the extraordinary time, effort and money it's already taken to reach this point, Peters and Congress would be well advised to move expeditiously. After all, every rock between Falls Church and Ashburn has been turned over and polished four or five times.
The last thing our region needs is another 20 meetings over six months to reach a decision that should have been made more than a year ago.
Whether the subject is congestion, security, energy or the environment, it's tough to argue against a project that takes 50,000 people off traffic-choked arteries like Route 7 and I-66 and puts them in a Metro car.
Perhaps the strongest case for moving quickly is the economic one. By all accounts, this project will be a boon to our region, bringing thousands of jobs and millions of dollars to Fairfax and Loudoun counties.
A healthy chunk of that money will be spent in our restaurants, clothing stores and car dealers. It will also aid school systems and local governments that are facing drastic budget cuts early next year.
At this point, every week that passes without a decision only adds to the project's cost and penalizes residents and retailers who will ultimately benefit from it.
This thing has dragged on far too long. Make a decision and move forward.
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