For Immediate Release: View this Press Release as a PDF file
Copy of Letter: View the Letter

LOCAL BUSINESS AND CIVIC LEADERS ASK HOUSE TRANSPORTATION
CHAIRMAN TO WORK WITH OBAMA ADMINISTRATION TO DELIVER A
TUNNEL FOR TYSONS CORNER

TYSONS CORNER, VA, December 19, 2008 — Two elected officials and 10 area business, civic and environmental organizations—all supporters of a tunnel under Tysons Corner—have appealed to House Transportation Committee Chairman Jim Oberstar (D-Minn.) to work with the coming Obama Administration to fix the Dulles Corridor Metrorail Project.

In a Dec. 16 letter to a key figure in Congressional consideration of funding for the Metrorail extension, the leaders, including Virginia State Sen. Chap Petersen (D-34th District) and Fairfax County Supervisor John Foust (D-Dranesville), made a direct appeal to Chairman Oberstar: “We urge you to work quickly with the coming Obama White House to fix this project by giving proper consideration of a Tysons Tunnel,” the letter stated.

It continued by offering strategies for federal and state leaders and relevant agencies to review a tunnel. Those include a “parallel track” course, direct executive action or special legislation such as a possible economic stimulus package or other appropriate legislative vehicle.

The letter comes on the heels of the Federal Transit Administration’s (FTA) recent approval of $900 million for Phase One of the Dulles Corridor Metrorail Project.

In the letter the groups said consideration of a Tysons Tunnel has been frustrated by a lack of leadership, which is necessary for a tunnel to be considered on a “parallel track” with the aerial structure. They applaud Chairman Oberstar’s position that federal funding would not be jeopardized by a “parallel-track” pursuit of a Tysons Tunnel. 

The groups are reaching out to Chairman Oberstar because he had stated his support for a tunnel under the busy business and shopping district at a transportation-focused town hall meeting in July sponsored by local Congressional Rep. Jim Moran (D-Va.). “We should have a tunnel!” said the chairman at that meeting. He added that with political will the FTA could be forced to consider both the aerial option and tunnel option on a double track.

“There are still very strong feelings in this community that a tunnel must be given proper consideration by federal authorities,” asserts the leaders in the letter, adding that a tunnel would provide an economic stimulus to the region, create hundreds of thousands of new local jobs, signal federal government commitment to mass transit and “green” development, and bring low-cost, high-performance tunneling technology to America.

“The time for leadership is critical and we sincerely ask for your help,” wrote the leaders to Chairman Oberstar.

In addition to Sen. Petersen and Supervisor Foust, signatories of the letter include the Arlington Coalition for Sensible Transportation; Sierra Club (Great Falls Group); Greater McLean Chamber of Commerce; The Lewinsville Coalition; McLean Citizens Association; North East Vienna Citizens Association; TysonsTunnel, Inc.; Town of Vienna; Vienna Tysons Regional Chamber of Commerce; and Westbriar Civic Association.

Note to Editors/Reporters: To obtain a copy of the letter sent to Oberstar please send an e-mail to Alan Greilsamer at agreilsamer@communications-resources.com.

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