Board of Supervisors Transit Summit Set for 6 p.m. Tonight

The Loudoun County Board of Supervisors will hold a Transit Summit beginning at 6 p.m., tonight, Monday, March 10, in the Board Room of the Loudoun County Government Center, 1 Harrison Street, S.E. in Leesburg.  
 
Topics to be discussed include:   

• The Local Fixed Route Bus Service, including the branding and naming of the service; paratransit service; bus stops, shelters, and maintenance; Leesburg Transit Service; and ownership of the buses.
• The Loudoun Commuter Bus Service.
• The new Metrorail Silver Line.
• Future transit funding.  

 
The meeting will be available for viewing on the Loudoun County Government television channel: Comcast Government Channel 23, Open Band Channel 40, and Verizon FiOS Channel 40. The meeting will also be available for viewing through the Loudoun County webcast system at www.loudoun.gov/webcast. 
 
The packet prepared for the Transit Summit is available online at www.loudoun.gov/transit-summit. 


 

Loudoun County Urges Residents to Use Online Road Condition Tools and Drive with Caution

As crews from the Virginia Department of Transportation continue to work to clear the snow-covered roadways, Loudoun County officials encourage motorists to make use of online tools to check road conditions before venturing outside.  
 
At last report, VDOT was categorizing major roads in Loudoun as bare pavement with isolated spots of snow, ice or slush. Driving with caution is recommended.   
 

• To get current road condition information, call 511 or visit www.511Virginia.org. (Type in Loudoun.)
• For Loudoun County traffic incident activity, visit www.loudoun.gov/traffic-incidents. 
• To check the status of plowing in your neighborhood, go to www.vdotplows.org. 

 
Links to this information and more safety tips are online at www.loudoun.gov/winter. 
 
In addition to the Loudoun County website, residents can stay informed by signing up for alerts from the county through Alert Loudoun at www.loudoun.gov/alert; following Loudoun County on Twitter at www.loudoun.gov/twitter; and on Facebook at www.loudoun.gov/facebook.  


 

Use Extra Time if Driving Tonight, Tomorrow

Loudoun County officials remind motorists to use extra caution and allow extra time for their commutes tonight and Tuesday morning.

The slushy, wet roads are becoming icy this evening. Crews from the Virginia Department of Transportation will continue to treat roads through Tuesday morning.
 
Links to information about staying safe during winter weather, including the latest road condition reports, are online at www.loudoun.gov/winter.


 

Loudoun Bus Service Canceled for Monday

Loudoun County officials report that all Loudoun County commuter and local fixed route bus services have been canceled for today, Monday, March 3.

 

Be Safe This Morning

With sleet, freezing rain and ice, Loudoun County officials remind residents to be prepared for treacherous conditions on roadways, sidewalks and parking lots if you must be out this morning. In addition, there is the possibility of downed trees and power lines and possible flooding of streams and creeks. 

 

There are precautions you can take to stay safe: 

 

• Remember the phrase; "Get where you need to go before the weather gets bad."  

• Do not travel unless absolutely necessary.  

• Use extreme caution when driving and walking.  

• If sidewalks are icy, take short steps and bend slightly. 

• If you fall, avoid using your arms to protect against breaks. 

More information on winter preparedness is online at www.loudoun.gov/winter.


 

Three Pedestrians Struck in Wreck

The Ashburn Patch reports that three pedestrians were injured in a wreck Tuesday morning, according to the Loudoun County Sheriff's Office. The women had exited their car to assist another motorist.
 
Read the complete article at http://ashburn.patch.com/groups/police-and-fire/p/police-three-pedestrians-struck-in-wreck-ashburn.

 

Airports Authority Statement Regarding Invitation to Apply for TIFIA Loan

Below is a statement from the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority regarding the invitation from the U.S. Department of Transportation to apply for a Transportation Infrastructure and Innovation Act (TIFIA) loan for the Dulles Corridor Metrorail Project.  The Airports Authority is seeking the loan in conjunction with its local partners on the Metrorail Project, Fairfax County and Loudoun County.

 

"Today's formal invitation to apply for a federal low-interest TIFIA loan for the Dulles Corridor Metrorail Project is a major step forward in the Airports Authority's effort to minimize toll rate increases on the Dulles Toll Road.

 

While the loan still requires final federal approval, it would directly benefit drivers on the toll road. By supplying financing at more favorable interest rates than through private capital markets, less money would need to be generated by tolls to cover long-term costs for the project.

 

Assuming the process is completed successfully, and with the added $300 million from the Commonwealth of Virginia, the loan will be instrumental in helping the Airports Authority's achieve its goal of holding toll rates constant through 2018.

 

Since jointly submitting a letter of interest in October 2012 the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority has worked diligently with our partners in Fairfax and Loudoun counties and the U.S. Department of Transportation to secure a TIFIA loan, leading to today's announcement. We will continue working with our partners to complete the application process over the next several weeks."

 

For more information about the Dulles Rail Project and the Dulles Toll Road, visit www.mwaa.com.

 

Loudoun County Formally Invited to Apply for TIFIA Loan for Dulles Rail Project

Loudoun County announced today that it has been formally invited to apply for credit assistance through the Transportation Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act (TIFIA) program for Loudoun's portion of the Dulles Corridor Metrorail Project. Loudoun County is applying for a $200 million, low-interest-loan to help finance the extension of Metro's Silver Line into Loudoun County.   

 

Loudoun's funding partners in the project, the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority (MWAA) and Fairfax County, also have been invited to apply for TIFIA assistance.  

 

"This is good news for our taxpayers and commuters," said Scott K. York, Chairman of the Loudoun County Board of Supervisors. "This will help finance the project with the least cost to Loudoun taxpayers and will help keep rates down on the Dulles Toll Road." 

 

The TIFIA loan has the potential for a delayed repayment schedule, which would allow the Metrorail Service Districts located in the areas surrounding the three planned Loudoun County Metro stations to accrue revenue. The service districts were created to help pay for the construction of the Silver Line to Loudoun and for the ongoing costs of providing the Metrorail service at those stations. An additional real property tax may be levied in the districts for these purposes, at a maximum rate of $0.20 per $100 of assessed property value. 

  

Chairman York praised Loudoun County staff for their work leading up to the formal TIFIA invitation to apply for TIFIA financing. The lengthy pre-application process included a detailed Letter of Interest, a credit-worthiness review and a presentation to federal transportation officials.  

 

More information about the Dulles Rail project is online at www.loudoun.gov/dullesrail.  

 

VDOT Snow Removal

VDOT crews will be conducting snow removal efforts throughout the duration of this evening's storm, focusing first on heavily traveled interstate and primary roads, then turning to secondary roads and subdivision streets.

VDOT also has coordinated efforts with utility companies in anticipation of downed power lines. In an effort to restore power as soon as possible, the power company removes the lines, then VDOT removes trees and debris from the roads. Never attempt to drive over or remove downed power lines yourself.

Motorists are encouraged to stay off roads unless travel is absolutely necessary.

VDOT offers these winter weather tips:

• Monitor your local news sources for the latest weather conditions 
• Avoid driving during the storm 
• Prepare your home for winter weather conditions in case of power outages 
• If you do have to travel, before getting behind the wheel, call 511 or go to www.511virginia.org to get the latest information on road conditions 
• Call VDOT’s 24-hour Customer Service Center at 800-FOR-ROAD (800-367-7623) to report road hazards or ask road-related questions 

For more winter travel information, go to www.virginiadot.org/travel/snow.asp.

You can also use VDOT's Snowplow tracker that lets you find out where plows have been and where they’re going in Northern Virginia. Watch this video for more information.


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Preparations for Removal of Murray’s Ford Bridge

Preparations are underway for removal of the Murray's Ford bridge located over Goose Creek, south of the Sycolin Road bridge. Loudoun County officials have been working with residents of the area in connection with the project and have advised them that they will notice heavy equipment at the site over the next two months.

 

The contractor on the project, Facchina Construction Company, Inc., is expected to begin setting up at the site the week of February 10. The company will build a construction entrance designed to keep their trucks from tracking mud onto Sycolin Road. Stabilizing material will be added to the old Sycolin Road roadbed which will serve as the contractor's access route to the bridge. The contactor will also remove some existing trees and grade a staging area for equipment. 

 

Silt curtains will be installed across Goose Creek to contain loose debris and silt. That will be followed by the placement of large rocks in the creek to form a causeway for an excavator. The excavator will remove the large woody debris that is currently trapped behind the bridge and place it on the bank to be ground up and hauled to the landfill. The excavator will be turned downstream and it, together with other equipment, will be used to remove the bridge, crush the concrete, and remove the reinforcing steel.  After the bridge is removed, the causeway material will be removed as the excavator leaves the creek. 

 

All work within the creek is scheduled to be completed by April 15. After the bridge is removed, the contractor will stabilize the area with vegetative plantings, remove the stabilizing material they had added to the roadbed, and leave the site. 

 

In January, the Board of Supervisors authorized the county to enter into a contract for the removal of the bridge, which has not been in use as a road since the 1960s and is acting as a dam on the creek, causing harmful sediment and debris buildup. 

 

Four Teams Selected to Compete for Silver Line Rail Yard and Maintenance Facility

The Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority announced yesterday that four teams have been selected to bid in the competitive procurement process to design and build Package B of Phase 2 of the Silver Line project. Package B consists of the design and construction of a rail yard and maintenance facility to be built at Dulles International Airport.

The teams selected to compete for the contract are listed below in alphabetical order, along with their equity members:

• Capital Rail Constructors Clark Construction Group. (LLC Kiewit Infrastructure South Co. and Hensel Phelps Construction Co.)
• Metrorail Constructors Group  (JV Turner Construction Co., Southland Industries and Freestate Electrical Construction Co.)
• Skanska USA Southeast Co. 

The teams were selected following a "request for qualifications information," a process intended to emphasize design and construction experience and professionalism.

For more information about the Dulles Rail Project and the Dulles Toll Road, visit www.mwaa.com.

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Proposed Fiscal Year 2015 Budget

Loudoun County Administrator Tim Hemstreet today presented a proposed fiscal plan for the Loudoun County government for Fiscal Year 2015 (FY 15) to the Board of Supervisors. The fiscal plan totals about $2 billion in appropriations for the general county government and school system.

Hemstreet said the proposed fiscal plan focuses on the Board’s strategic priorities and incorporates the continuation of a pay-for-performance plan for employees, enhances critical public safety services and protects human services safety net programs.

The proposed FY 15 Capital Improvement Program (CIP) includes $198 million for general government projects and $121 million for public schools. The largest expenditure category is transportation infrastructure at $126.5 million, which includes $40 million for Dulles Corridor Rapid Transit; $80.3 million for roads; and $6.2 million for transit buses and facilities.

Read more from Loudoun County at www.loudoun.gov/CivicAlerts.aspx?AID=1520.

   For the latest Loudoun County traffic news and information, subscribe to Loudoun County Traffic via your favorite RSS reader, or get Loudoun County Traffic by e-mail.