For Immediate Release | View this Press Release as a PDF file

TYSONSTUNNEL.ORG SAYS FTA DECISION NOT FINAL WORD
Group calls for a comprehensive & fully independent review,
pledges to continue its campaign

Tysons Corner, Va. (June 1)—Yesterday’s “memorandum to file” decision by a Federal Transit Administration (FTA) regional administrator denying TysonsTunnel.org’s petition to reopen the environmental review of the Dulles Corridor Metrorail Project so a tunnel under Tysons Corner can be considered is not the “end all, be all decision on this controversial transportation project,” says organization President Scott A. Monett.

Following is TysonsTunnel.org’s complete statement, issued by Monett:

“The FTA regional administrator’s report is not the end all, be all decision on this controversial transportation project. Because the decision has not been ratified by the FTA administrator, it is not the final word from the agency or the U.S. Department of Transportation regarding a Tysons tunnel.

“Quite the contrary. The FTA response reinforces its opinion that the question of an elevated railway vs. a tunnel is a local decision. As such, TysonsTunnel.org and its supporters are working tirelessly to convince Virginia and Fairfax County elected leaders that a tunnel is by far a better choice for the present and the future of Tysons Corner.

“As for the FTA report, we question the FTA regional administrator’s decision to wholly disregard the independent peer review study conducted by an American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) expert panel appointed by Gov. Tim Kaine last year. In their review, these highly regarded professional engineers, who all possess extensive experience with the Washington Metrorail tunnel system, concluded that a tunnel was feasible, cost effective and had insignificant schedule impacts. The panel ruled that “it is feasible to construct the Metrorail system through the Tysons Corner area using a large bore tunnel” and estimated Phase I construction at $2.5 billion—a figure less than the current Dulles Transit Partners’ estimate of $2.67 billion.’

“TysonsTunnel.org and its supporters are extremely dismayed that the tainted Carter & Burgess study served as the basis for the regional administrator’s decision making. This study’s objectivity and thoroughness already have been discounted by the media and others, primarily because of legitimate questions about Carter & Burgess’ independence. At the time of its review, Carter & Burgess was negotiating with the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority (MWAA) to be the Dulles Corridor Metrorail Project program manager and thus could not be an objective third-party.

“Also, we question why the FTA and its consultant decided against meeting with our consulting engineering team and instead relied on the questionable Carter & Burgess study. These respected engineers could have provided valuable information to allay unfounded concerns cited in this report.

“Further, it is highly inconsistent that the FTA might disapprove of a tunnel for Tysons Corner when it already has approved as part of this project a short tunnel in Tysons and a longer tunnel at Dulles Airport as well as nearly half of the existing Washington Metrorail system, which was built underground in essentially the same geological conditions. 

“For these myriad reasons, TysonsTunnel.org appeals to FTA Administrator James S. Simpson to conduct a comprehensive and fully independent review of the tunnel option. We strongly encourage Mr. Simpson to meet with our engineering team and to take into account that a qualified and highly respected firm—ACS Infrastructure Development and Dragados USA—with considerable experience in tunnel construction has proposed in writing to build a Tysons tunnel for a fixed-price of $410 million and to assume the geological and schedule risks. These facts address several concerns cited in the FTA regional administrator’s report.

“The FTA material report does not diminish in any way the need for competitive bidding of this project and also returns the railways design decision to state and local authorities.

“It is clear that the confusion surrounding this project is a direct result of poor alternatives analysis and the distortions to the process created by the Public-Private Transportation Act. The Commonwealth has so deviated from traditional procurement practice that it is failing to fully and fairly consider all available options through competitive bidding. As a result, Virginia risks purchasing a railway that is so poorly designed that it will fail to generate adequate ridership to justify its costs.

“That’s why TysonsTunnel.org and its thousands of supporters are calling on Virginia and Fairfax County elected officials to open this public-transportation project to competitive bidding.

“We will take our campaign to a meeting of the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors on Monday. There TysonsTunnel.org and its supporters—who are county residents—will ask for the agreement with Virginia-Dulles Transit Partners to be fully disclosed so the public has a chance to review its provisions prior to the Board voting on it. This is the most responsible course of action the Board can take.

“We also will ask the Board to join us in calling on Gov. Kaine to open this multi-billion dollar project to competitive bidding, with a side-by-side comparison of the tunnel and elevated rail options. Only this common-sense approach will assure the citizens of Fairfax County that the best and most cost-effective option has been selected.”

TysonsTunnel.org represents an unprecedented coalition of community associations, small businesses, environmental groups, landowners, civic groups, homeowner associations, major corporations and private citizens calling for competitive bidding of the Metrorail extension to Dulles Airport and supporting construction of a tunnel under Tysons Corner.

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