Editorial - Can Rail Project Be Rescued

According to an editorial in the Loudoun Times, "Can Rail Project Be Rescued," it's doubtful the Dulles Rail Project will get off the ground without the federal government's financial help.

The editorial says that the U.S. Congress could step in and give the project legs, granting an exemption from the regulations governing the FTA's New Starts program, from which the project is seeking the $900 million. Further, the editorial says that private investors could get involved, and that our lawmakers must step up to support Gov. Kaine's approach and insist that the agencies involved deliver.

Population Growth, Traffic and Dulles Rail

So, perhaps there's not going to be a Dulles Rail project. No big deal right?

After all, Dulles International Airport isn't that important!

And since 2000, Loudoun County has only grown 62.5 percent (accounting for one-sixth of the total population increase for the commonwealth of Virginia). Which by the way, the commonwealth's population reached 7.7 million last year, increasing by more than 633,000 new residents since the 2000 Census, making Virginia the 12th-largest population in the nation.

Oh well, at least it gives one pause to wonder why.

Read more media coverage on the Dulles Rail project...
The Washington Examiner reported today that a senior Metro official two weeks ago accused Dulles Rail project managers of failing to resolve a series of technical problems that are potentially serious enough to prevent the transit agency from operating the proposed line, letters between the two agencies show. The most recent letter, a Jan. 16 memo from John Thomas, director of Metro’s office of major capital projects, highlights a behind-the-scenes rift over dozens of complex engineering issues and illustrates one of the reasons why the Federal Transit Administration says it won’t fund a critical $900 million for the project’s first phase.

An Examiner editorial today also comments that funding is the least of Dulles Rail’s problems.

And an online AP story this evening on the Examiner's Web site reports that transit industry leaders suspect a Bush administration bias against public transportation is the reason a much-anticipated extension of Washington's Metrorail system has run into unexpected roadblocks.

Meanwhile, the Washington Times reports that Gov. Kaine said that he knew the Federal Transit Administration had serious concerns about the proposed $5.1 billion Dulles rail project months before the agency made the surprise announcement that it intended to pull $900 million in funding. But he thought the agency's concerns about costs had been addressed and was among those surprised Thursday when he and other state leaders met on Capitol Hill with Transportation Secretary Mary E. Peters and FTA chief James S. Simpson, who then made the public announcement.

And as Gov. Kaine works on a response to the FTA's denial of funding, work crews continue to labor in the center of Tysons Corner, relocating utilities to make way for a rail project that could be almost a billion dollars short, according to a story by the Fairfax Times. "Our position is that we don't want to fall behind schedule. That's why utility relocation began, to maintain the schedule," explained Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority spokeswoman Tara Hamilton.

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Neighboring Fairfax Sends Letter to FTA

At their meeting last night, the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors took action and sent a letter to the Federal Transit Administration administrator James S. Simpson, exhorting the United States Department of Transportation and the FTA to take a detailed appraisal of Governor Timothy M. Kaine’s response to indications that the FTA was likely to declare the Rail to Dulles Project unfit for federal funding.

According to Fairfax's press release, the letter cited recent polling data showing that more than nine in 10 adults living in Northern Virginia favor an extension of Metrorail to Dulles International Airport. The proposed Metro Silver Line would alleviate traffic congestion in an area recently cited as having the second worst traffic in the nation. In turn, this would result in significant environmental and quality-of-life improvements.

Meanwhile, Fox 5 TV reports tonight that Virginia Gov. Timothy M. Kaine said today that he has been talking directly with Transportation Secretary Mary Peters to address doubts raised by federal officials that could kill the long-planned rail extension to Dulles International Airport.

And on WTOP Radio's "Ask the Governor" program, Kaine said he doesn't understand why the Federal Transit Administration sent a communication to Congress just last week saying the Dulles project had a green light. "The communication to Congress had been what we had expected, which was the project met the criteria," says Kaine. "Why on Jan. 24 (was there) a memo that said the project had a green light? What happened in the last week to change it?"

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TV-7 Focuses on Loudoun County

On tonight's 5 p.m. news, ABC TV-7 reporter Gail Pennybacker reported live from Loudoun County with a feature on what the loss of the Dulles Rail project means to Loudoun County and it's development.

Meanwhile, the Associated Press is reporting this evening that the FTA will give Governor Tim Kaine until February 1 to address concerns about a plan to extend Metrorail to Dulles International Airport. A decision on funding for the $5 billion, 23-mile extension was expected sooner, but Kaine asked that it be delayed until he could respond to a critical report issued last week. Kaine said after the report was released that he believed the state had already addressed those concerns and that the FTA was putting up new roadblocks.

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Listen in and Comment on Dulles Rail

Washington Post columnist Marc Fisher has begun hosting a weekly podcast called "Raw Fisher Radio" that airs weekly each Tuesday at noon. And tomorrow's topic is one of interest for Loudoun County Traffic readers... the Dulles Airport rail issue.

Washington Post staff writers Eric Weiss and Lena H. Sun were online today, Monday, Jan. 28 answering questions and engaging with readers about the Dulles project. A transcript of the Q&A can be found here. Among Weiss's responses to someone from Arlington that was "estatic" that the Feds were denying funding... "I don't mean to be flip, but 40 years ago the region decided to invest heavily into Metro, but somehow the system left out the biggest airport and its largest sub-city. This was a late, bungled, controversy filled attempt to fix those oversights."

And later he comments, "But the bottom line is that the region is once again going to be relying for the foreseeable future (or at least someone invents those Jetsons-like flying machines) on highways such as Route 7, 123, 495, 66, 50, etc."

Meanwhile, today's Washington Post continues to follow the hot story with an article about possible alternative funding. Reporter Amy Gardner writes that private equity investors are drawing up proposals to partner with Virginia for a rail line to Dulles International Airport as hope fades that the federal government will help fund the 23-mile Metrorail extension. State officials said several equity groups have expressed interest in investing in a rail since Thursday, when U.S. transportation officials declared the project unfit for federal funding. The $5 billion project had been counting on a $900 million grant from the Federal Transit Administration.

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Leesburg Breaks Ground on Key Parkway

WTOP Radio reports that ground has been broken on a key stretch of the Battlefield Parkway, a small two-bridge connector in Leesburg, that will uncork one of the region?s bottlenecks for thousands of commuters. Connecting Route 7 to Kincaid Boulevard, the $35 million upgrade will divert heavy traffic coming out of West Virginia and Maryland away from the Route 15 bypass. The extension will be less than one mile, four lanes wide, and will be built with local, state and federal funds. The project is expected to be completed in late 2009.

Visit Loudoun County Weather for the latest weather forecasts for Loudoun County.

Travel Alerts and Advisories for Week of Jan. 28

Several Loudoun County roadways will be affected this week with VDOT activity:

Route 621 Evergreen Mills Road between Arcola Road and Rte 659 -- Alternating one lane traffic for road improvements, Monday-Friday, from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. beginning Monday, January 27 through February 1.

Route 28/ Nokes Boulevard Interchange Project (Loudoun Co.)
http://www.28freeway.com/

• Route 28 North/ South between Route 625 (South) and Route 7 (North), the right and left lanes closed, Monday - Friday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., on January 27 - February 2.
• Nokes Boulevard East & West, between Atlantic Blvd. (East) and Route 28 (West), the right and left lanes closed, Monday - Friday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., on January 27 - February 2.

Centreville Road Widening Project (Loudoun Co.)
http://www.28freeway.com

• Centreville Road North & South, from Metrotech Drive to Mclearen Road, the right lane and shoulder closed for construction work, Monday - Friday from7 a.m. to 3 p.m., January 27 - February 1.

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More on Dulles Rail... or Shoud we Say Dulles Rail NOT

This from Toll Road News on the Feds decision to turn down the request from Virginia politicians for financial support for the $5 billion Dulles Rail project proposed for the median of the Dulles Toll Road and Dulles Greenway. U.S. Secretary of Transportation Mary Peters told Virginia Governor Timothy Kaine and other Northern Virginia politicians in a meeting on Capitol Hill on Thursday and the thumbs down was formally announced in a four page letter to Gov. Kaine (PDF) by the head of the Federal Transit Administration James S. Simpson.

Toll Road News adds that the choice of the the Airports Authority (MWAA) to run the project raised eyebrows at the FTA. The administrator notes that MWAA is "a first-time New Starts applicant that lacks experience" with rail projects and design-build contracts "raising serious questions about its ability to control project costs and schedule." The Transit Administrator says nothing about the MWAA's complete lack of expertise in running a toll road - supposedly the basis for generating surplus revenues to be pledged in the bond markets as security for borrowings to cover the Airport Authority's financing of the loser rail line. The FTA chief notes that the design-build (DB) contract for the first segment of Dulles Rail which would fizzle out in the median of the Toll Road midway between Tysons Corner and Dulles Airport is for $1.6 billion, the largest DB project proposed in the history of FTA programs.

Dulles Rail Project on its Death Bed

Thursday's announcement from the Federal Transit Administration that the $5 billion rail line would not qualify for federal dollars without drastic changes in price and management appears to have all but killed the effort, as state officials have said all along that without that money, the project would die.

Today's Washington Post says that regional business and political leaders have looked to a rail connection between the nation's capital and its premier airport as more than a congestion reliever. It was to be an organizing principle around which Northern Virginia would grow.

The Post also features a video with Northern Virginia residents' comments.

"Time-Out" for Dulles Rail?

According to the Washington Examiner, the Federal Transit Administration has begun to hear requests for a “time-out” to allow for major design and procurement changes without risking the funding.

The paper reports that newly elected Fairfax County Supervisor John Foust sent a letter to the agency this month urging the delay so officials could not only bid the project out, but also reconsider a tunnel under Tysons Corner, “without the project losing its place in line.” The article also says that Sen. Chap Peterson, D-Fairfax, also sent a similar letter, but quickly recanted a week later in a joint letter with other Northern Virginia legislators urging the FTA to move the project forward.

The FTA is expect to announce by the end of the month whether the first 11.6-mile leg of the rail extension will qualify for funding, and is reportedly concerned that the project won’t serve enough riders to justify its estimated $2.5 billion cost.

Meanwhile, an editorial in the Fairfax County Times says that "the debate over Metrorail to Washington Dulles International Airport has gone on too long. It is time to end it and fix the project."

Watch the latest NBC TV-4 story, WJLA TV-7 story or WUSA TV-9 story.

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Avoid a Service Call While Out on Those Wintry Loudoun County Roads

Winter has definitely arrived, and AAA Mid-Atlantic issued some good advice today for Loudoun County drivers during this extremely cold weather.

According to AAA, the cold weather can have an impact on your car's battery. “Although a weak battery may have enough cranking power to start a car one day, it may not have enough to start it again the following day,” stated Kristie A. Helmick spokeswoman at AAA Mid-Atlantic.

AAA offers these tips and reminders:

• As the mercury drops, so does your car’s battery power. At zero degrees, a car’s battery loses about 60 percent of its strength, yet the engines they must start need about two times more power to start. At a comparatively mild 32 degrees, a battery is 35 percent weaker. AAA recommends that if your battery is more than two years old to have it tested by a reliable repair shop.
• Winter weather also takes a toll on a car’s belts and hoses, making ones which are already worn more likely to break. AAA recommends that all belts and hoses be visibly inspected for wear. Belts which are glazed or frayed should be replaced as well as hoses which are worn or bulging.
• Fluid levels are also critical for proper operation of the vehicle and should be topped up in preparation for the cold weather. Oil, transmission fluid, antifreeze and windshield washer fluid should all be at the recommended levels.

In addition to basic car maintenance, AAA Mid-Atlantic offers the following advice to motorists for those cold winter mornings:

• Use your garage if you have one.
• If you must park outside, check your vehicle first thing in the morning. Check to see if the windows are covered with frost and determine if it is possible the door locks are iced over. It may be necessary to allow some extra time to get underway.
• If the door locks are frozen, carefully heat the end of the key with a match or lighter. A squirt of deicer spray is another quick method, or you can fill a container with lukewarm water and poor it on the lock. This should melt the ice away enough for you to insert a key and unlock the door. Never pour hot water on door locks or windows, as they may crack. Also, don’t try to chip the ice away with your key, as this may damage the key and your vehicle’s finish.
• Start the car, making sure the transmission is in park and the brake is set. If the vehicle is inside, open the garage door so carbon monoxide doesn’t build up. Switch the heater to the defrost setting and turn on the rear defroster if you have one.
• Allow the vehicle to run for about five minutes. While the vehicle begins to warm up, it will do most of the work of clearing the windows for you.
• At this point, you should be able to get most of the ice or frost off the windows with a little effort and an ice scraper.

For more information on AAA Mid-Atlantic, please visit their Web site at www.aaamidatlantic.com.

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Transportation/Land Use Committee Special Meeting

The Loudoun County Board of Supervisors Transportation/Land Use Committee will hold a special meeting on Tuesday, Jan. 29, at 6:30 p.m. in the Board Room of the Loudoun County Government Center, 1 Harrison Street, S.E. in Leesburg, to consider six monopole proposals forwarded from the Board's Jan. 8, public hearing.

The committee will address outstanding issues and concerns about the proposed telecommunications towers raised by the large number of speakers at the public hearing. The committee will hold its regular monthly meeting beginning at 5 p.m., Monday, Jan. 28, in the Lovettsville Room of the Government Center to discuss other applications forwarded from the Jan. 8 public hearing.

Beginning Feb. 25, the Transportation/Land Use Committee will hold its regular monthly meetings on the fourth Monday of each month at 6:30 p.m. in the Lovettsville Room. The agenda packet for the meetings will be posted on the Loudoun County Government Web site.

Dulles Rail Project Appears to be Losing Steam

Federal officials remain skeptical of the plan to extend Metrorail to Dulles International Airport and might reject it, even though their consultants recently found that the proposal meets requirements for full funding. That from government and project sources according to an article in today's Washington Post.

In the story by Amy Gardner, the Post says officials with the Federal Transit Administration say they are concerned about the price tag and the specter of another Big Dig, the Boston project built by the same contractor in charge of the Dulles rail line, which took years longer and cost millions more than planned, according to the sources, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because the negotiations are sensitive. In addition, the agency has been reluctant to promote large-scale transit projects.

The Post adds that numerous sources close to the project -- in congressional offices, the airports authority and state government -- say their optimism soured in recent days as they began hearing from the FTA and Transportation Department officials.

Bill Would Limit Dulles Greenway Toll Increases

Del. Joe T. May (R-Loudoun) has introduced a bill that would place new limits on toll increases on the Dulles Greenway starting in 2013, while also capping the amount of property taxes the road's owners would have to pay -- a fair compromise, he says. But the Loudoun County Board of Supervisors isn't buying it according to today's Washington Post.

On Tuesday, the board passed a motion opposing the bill in its current form. Supervisors said that although they favored limiting toll increases on the privately owned highway, they could not support a measure that would hamstring the county's ability to raise funds.

The article reports that under May's bill, toll increases beyond 2013 would be limited to the percentage increase in the Consumer Price Index since the date the State Corporation Commission had last approved a toll increase, plus 1 percent. May said the details of the proposed limits on real property taxes were being finalized.

The bill would allow the SCC to approve a higher toll increase, however, if the owner could prove that it was otherwise unable to meet the terms of its debt agreements.

A spokeswoman for the Greenway's operator, Toll Road Investors Partnership II (TRIP II), said the company supports May's bill.

The company said its property tax bill rose from about $2 million in 2005 to about $3 million in 2007. Those figures include taxes paid to the Town of Leesburg and the Route 28 tax district, but at least 95 percent of the money went to Loudoun County.

TRIP II won approval in September from the SCC to increase the one-way toll from $3 to as much as $4.80 by 2012. Several toll increases have taken effect since the road opened in 1995, when the fee was $1.75.

More on Loudoun Road Funding

Today's Washington Post features an article about the $53 million approved by the Northern Virginia Transportation Authority for Loudoun County road and transit projects over the next two years. The projects were part of the NVTA's $392 million regional transportation spending
plan that will use taxing power granted from the state General Assembly.

Loudoun's projects include:
- An interchange at Edwards Ferry Road and the Route 15 Bypass in Leesburg
- The widening of Route 15 in southern Leesburg
- An interchange at Route 7 and Belmont Ridge Road
- Land acquisition for a park-and-ride lot in Sterling

The funding isn't a done deal though. Loudoun County government and a group of anti-tax activists are challenging NVTA's right to raise taxes in a case that was brought before the Virginia Supreme Court last week.

Leesburg Projects Among Those to Receive NVTA Funding

According to Leesburg Today, when the Northern Virginia Transportation Authority voted last week to approve a $392 million spending plan, it included two major road projects in Leesburg in its Six Year Plan. (see last Friday's Loudoun County Traffic post for more details.)

The paper reports that the two projects -- the interchange at the Rt. 15 bypass and Edwards Ferry Road and the widening of Rt. 15 between Evergreen Mill Road and the southern corporate limits of the town -- received unanimous support from NVTA members, who will dedicate over $11.5 million in FY2009 and FY2010 to them. Also included in the approved funding plan was the funding toward the construction of the Rt. 7/Rt. 659 interchange.

Funding relies on the package of regional taxes and fees imposed by the NVTA as part of the General Assembly's 2007 transportation funding package.

In Case You Were in the Area Sunday Night

The Loudoun County Sheriff's Office is searching for the driver involved in a single vehicle crash that took the life of an Ashburn man Sunday night.

The victim, Arturo Rivera, 35, was a passenger in a 2004 Toyota Sienna that was being operated by an unknown driver. The crash occurred on Loudoun County Parkway near Hillsboro Hunt Drive and was discovered by a motorist shortly after 10 PM. The driver was no longer at the scene and the victim was discovered outside of the vehicle.

The initial investigation indicates the vehicle was traveling in excess of the posted 45 mph speed limit westbound on Loudoun County Parkway. The vehicle left the roadway and proceeded into the grass median, causing the driver to lose control. The vehicle swerved back to the right and struck a guardrail on the northern shoulder. The victim, who was not wearing a seatbelt, was ejected from the vehicle. He lost his life at the scene.

The Sheriff's Office is currently working to identify the driver of the vehicle. If you have any information about this crash, contact Deputy Specialist S. Allen of the Sheriff's Office Traffic Safety Unit at 703-737-8308. If you wish to remain anonymous, call Loudoun Crime Solvers at 703-777-1919.

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Traffic Update: Route 7 Now Cleared

A crash on westbound Route 7 at East Loudoun Street near Round Hill is
now cleared. The exit ramp from Route 7 to East Loudoun Street was
closed for due to a crash with a fuel spill.

Route 7 Fuel Spill Affecting Monday Morning Commute

Traffic Update:
Motorists who travel westbound Route 7 at East Loudoun Street should expect delays. The exit ramp from Route 7 to East Loudoun Street could be closed for at least two hours due to a crash with a fuel spill.

Northern Virginia Transportation Authority Approves $392 Million Spending Plan

According to today's Washington Post, the Northern Virginia Transportation Authority voted unanimously yesterday to approve a $392 million spending plan that has been under development by local officials for months. Under the plan, funding will go to Metro and several projects, including a park-and-ride lot in the Sterling area, bus shelters in Falls Church, the widening of the Prince William County Parkway and the construction of a streetcar line along Columbia Pike.

Scott K. York, Chairman of the Loudoun County Board of Supervisors, is a voting member of the NVTA, which is chaired by Christopher Zimmerman, a member of the Arlington County Board of Supervisors. Martin Nohe of the Coles Magisterial District on the Prince William Board of County Supervisors serves as vice chairman.

NVTA has information on their Web site explaining the tax fee collection guidelines and other information, including "Tax & Fee Guides," which include:

• Initial Vehicle Registration Fee
• Auto Repair Sales Tax
• Vehicle Safety Inspection Fee
• Motor Vehicle Rental Tax
• Congestion Relief Fee (Grantor's Tax)
• Annual Regional Registration Fee
• Transient Occupancy Tax

More on Dulles Rail -- Today's Editorial from the Examiner

From today's Washington Examiner... an editorial on the Dulles Rail project.

"It would be poetic justice indeed if the Metropolitan Washington Airport Authority’s hasty takeover of Dulles Rail, cynically designed to further shield this $4.5 billion boondoggle from public scrutiny and accountability, turns out to be very thing that kills it by altering the complicated calculus used by the Federal Transit Administration to evaluate new projects."

"Dulles Rail won’t work without a circulator, but a circulator will work just fine without Dulles Rail. FTA’s job is to spend federal funds wisely and minimize risk, and the best way to do both is to give the money to a far more worthy project than this."

Not too much doubt about where the Examiner stands. How about you? What are your thoughts on Dulles Rail? Loudoun County Traffic wants to know.

New Regulations Affect Transportation Impacts of Land-Use Applications

Here's a reminder from Loudoun County of new regulations imposed by the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) which took effect on January 1, 2008. These regulations are a result of General Assembly action in 2006, which sought to better standardize the procedures for analyzing transportation impacts of land-use applications.

The regulations require a Traffic Impact Analysis (TIA) of certain subdivision, site plan, rezoning and comprehensive plan amendment applications. The implementation of the regulations took place through a phased-in approach, beginning in July 2007, with full implementation occurring on January 1.

The regulations require that an applicant submitting a request for a Preliminary Subdivision Plat (SBPL), Site Plan (STPL), or certain legislative applications submit a Traffic Impact Analysis if the proposed development generates a “significant impact” upon the VDOT road network.

A significant impact is defined as:

• For residential projects – more than 100 vehicle trips per peak hour, or more than 200 daily vehicle trips which at least doubles the daily traffic volume on a state highway.
• For non-residential projects – more than 250 vehicle trips per peak hour, or more than 2,500 daily vehicle trips.
• For mixed-use projects – if the residential portion generates more than 100 vehicle trips per hour, or if the entire project generates more than 250 vehicle trips per hour or more than 2,500 daily vehicle trips.

Should a proposal meet the criteria above, a TIA must be submitted as part of the initial application. If the traffic generated by the proposal does not meet the thresholds, the applicant must furnish a letter stating as such, using standard ITE trip generation figures as a guide.

For a TIA package to be deemed complete, it must contain all of the items described in the VDOT “Traffic Impact Analysis Regulations, Administrative Guidelines.” Page 39 of the Administrative Guidelines provides a checklist of required items for SBPL and STPL applications; Page 27 provides a checklist of required items for rezoning applications. This document can be found on the Internet at: www.virginiadot.org/projects/chapter527.

Any applicant required to provide a TIA is strongly encouraged to attend a scoping meeting with VDOT and the Loudoun County Office of Transportation Services. A scoping meeting is required of all projects that generate more than 1,000 vehicle trips per hour. An applicant can contact OTS to schedule a scoping meeting.

More details can be found at: www.loudoun.gov/tia.

For more information, questions may be directed to:

• VDOT’s Northern Virginia District Office, Land Development Section: 703-383-8368
• Loudoun County Department of Building and Development: 703-777-0397
• Loudoun County Office of Transportation Services: 703-737-8624

High Court Hears Challenge on Transportation Authority

The Virginia Supreme Court this morning heard arguments in a case challenging a ruling earlier this year by an Arlington Circuit Court. That court upheld the power of a regional authority -- set up to finance transportation improvements in Northern Virginia -- to impose taxes to pay for the bonds that would underwrite new roads.

According to the Richmond Times-Dispatch article, opponents say that's illegal because the General Assembly can't grant tax powers to unelected entities. Supporters say there's nothing unusual about this arrangement -- that, for example, since the early 20th century, it's existed in other forms. They note that circuit judges appoint members of drainage authorities, who -- in turn -- impose taxes to pay for projects.

The decision of the court, expected later this year, ultimately could determine whether these authorities can legally do what their backers envision: help ease traffic congestion in the state's fast-growing suburbs.

So... pretend you're a judge on the state's top court. What do you do? Do you vote to keep the authority and it's taxing power, or do you say "no way" to another taxing entity? Let's us know by posting a comment below.

Volunteers Needed for the Loudoun County Transit Plan

Loudoun County is seeking citizen volunteers for an advisory committee that will guide the development of the Loudoun County Transit Plan. This new plan will shape public transportation infrastructure, investment and alternatives for the next 20 years.

The Transit Plan Advisory Committee will be composed of citizens/citizen groups, transit users, transit service providers, and members of regional groups and county advisory boards who represent potential and underserved transit populations. Members will be asked to participate in at least five evening meetings and up to two public workshop meetings over an approximate 12-month period with the first meeting anticipated in March 2008.

To ensure representation from the entire county, residents from each of the following geographic areas are needed to fill advisory committee positions:

• Two representatives from the Sterling/Sterling Park Area (generally east of Route 28, south of Route 7)
• Two representatives from the Cascades/Sugarland Run Area (generally east of Broad Run and north of Route 7)
• Two representatives from the Ashburn/Belmont/Lansdowne Area (generally north of the airport, east of Leesburg, west of Route 28)
• Two representatives from the Arcola/South Riding Area (generally east and south of Dulles Airport and east of Route 15)
• Two representatives from the Dulles South area (generally south of Route 7 and east of Route 15 but not residing within corporate boundaries of a town)
• One representative from the Western Loudoun Area (generally west of Route 15, and not residing within the corporate boundaries of a town)

Note: The towns will be represented by participants from the Coalition of Loudoun Towns.

Citizens are invited to apply for a position on the advisory committee by submitting a Transit Plan Advisory Committee Interest Application. You may pick up an application at the County Government Center, Office of Transportation Services, 4th floor, 1 Harrison Street, S.E., in Leesburg; or you may download a copy of the form at http://www.loudouncountytransitplan.com/; or you can request that one be mailed to you.

If you have any questions, please contact Sharon Affinito at 703-771-5251 or Sharon.affinito@loudoun.gov. Applications are due to Loudoun County by close of business on January 25, 2008.

Loudoun County's Most Crash Prone Intersection in 2007

And the winner is... the intersection of Harry Byrd Highway (Route 7) at Potomac View Road in Sterling, which tops the list of the most crash prone intersections in Loudoun County for 2007. Route 7 at Potomac View Road saw 81 crashes in 2007, rising from 64 crashes in 2006.

The intersection of Harry Byrd Highway (Route 7) at Belmont Ridge Road in Ashburn topped the list as the most crash prone intersection in 2006. The intersection saw 78 crashes in 2007, up from 67 in 2006.

Two intersections making the list for the first time are Route 50 and Loudoun County Parkway and Route 7 and Loudoun County Parkway. The intersection of Route 28 and Old Ox Road remains in the top ten. Crashes at the intersection dropped slightly from 60 crashes in 2006 to 52 crashes in 2007. This is a significant drop off from 2004 when there were 79 crashes in this area.

Route 28 and Sterling Boulevard has dropped off the list of the most crash prone intersection. There were 55 crashes at this intersection in 2006, down from 67 crashes the previous year. Both of these areas have added flyovers to help alleviate traffic conditions at these intersections.

Route 7 continues to have a number of crash prone intersections throughout the county. They include Route 7 at Ashburn Village with 48, down from the previous year. Route 7 and Sterling Boulevard saw a decrease with 43 crashes in 2007 as compared to 56 in 2006.

Every year the Loudoun County Sheriff’s Office Traffic Research Analyst compiles the top ten intersections in the county with the highest number of crashes. This year's traffic related statistics include 21 fatalities investigated by the Loudoun County Sheriff’s Office in 2007, up from 16 in 2006. There were no traffic fatalities at any of the intersections on the list of the most crash prone intersections.

The following is the annual ranking of those intersections for accidents for the calendar years 2005-2007. These statistics are compiled based on Sheriff’s Office data and does not include accidents worked by the Virginia State Police nor the Leesburg Police Department.

2007
Harry Byrd Hwy./Potomac View Rd. - 81
Harry Byrd Hwy./Belmont Ridge Rd. - 78
Waxpool Rd./Loudoun County Pkwy. - 64
Rt. 28/Old Ox - 52
Harry Byrd Hwy./Ashburn Village Rd. - 48
Harry Byrd Hwy./Route 9 - 44
Harry Byrd Hwy./Sterling Blvd. - 43
Route 50/Loudoun County Pkwy. - 40
Route 28/Waxpool Rd. - 40
Harry Byrd Hwy./ Loudoun County Pkwy. - 38
Harry Byrd Hwy/George Washington Blvd. - 38
Waxpool Rd./Pacific Blvd. - 37

2006
Harry Byrd Hwy./Belmont Ridge Rd. - 67
Harry Byrd Hwy./Ashburn Village Rd. - 65
Harry Byrd Hwy./Potomac View Rd. - 64
Route 28/Old Ox Rd. - 60
Harry Byrd Hwy./Sterling Blvd. - 56
Harry Byrd Hwy./Route 9 - 56
Route 28/Sterling Blvd. - 55
Waxpool Rd./ Pacific Blvd. - 48
Harry Byrd Hwy/George Washington Blvd. - 47
Waxpool Rd./Loudoun County Pkwy. - 46

2005
Harry Byrd Hwy/Ashburn Rd./Lansdowne Blvd. - 101
Harry Byrd Hwy./Belmont Ridge Rd. - 79
Harry Byrd Hwy./Potomac View Rd. - 73
Sully Rd./Church Rd./Waxpool Rd. - 73
Sully Rd./Sterling Blvd. - 67
Harry Byrd Hwy./Ashburn Village Blvd. - 63
Waxpool Rd./Loudoun County Pkwy. - 50
Sully Rd./Old Ox Rd. - 46
Harry Byrd Hwy./Sterling Blvd. - 39
John Mosby Hwy./Loudoun County Pkwy. - 37

Financial Deal for HOT Lanes

Here's a great article, from Toll Road News, about the financing for those new HOT lanes. We realize the story is a couple of weeks old, but we just came across it and though our Loudoun County Traffic readers would find it interesting.

According to the story, Virginia DOT, Transurban and Fluor have signed the contracts and gone to financial close for the construction of four toll lanes plus direct connector ramps on 14 miles of the Capital Beltway (I-495) in Northern Virginia between the Springfield interchange and just short of the Maryland line at the Potomac River.

The $1.52 billion project involves a fixed price design-build contract with Fluor for completion by spring 2013 and a toll concession with Capital Beltway Express LLC (Transurban 90%, Fluor 10%) which gives them responsibility and reward of the toll enterprise over 75 years from opening. They have to make money providing a superior service in their central four lanes to the service in eight free lanes straddling them on either side of what becomes a 12 lane highway.

Read the complete article here and visit the VDOT HOT Lane Web page or Virginia Hot Lanes for more information.

According to Virginia Hot Lanes, the projects on the Capital Beltway and I-95/395 will expand the region's most heavily traveled roadways and provide a new choice for motorists when they need a faster, more reliable trip. Together, the projects will create a 70-mile, congestion-free network for buses and carpools — providing travelers new opportunities and incentives to leave their cars at home.

D.C. Buyout Firm to Invest in Dulles Rail?

So, did you see today's Washington Post article about the Carlyle Group? According to the Post, the D.C. buyout firm has raised $1.15 billion for an infrastructure fund that it will use to partner with federal, state and local governments in running vital public projects in the United States, including water and sewer systems, bridges, tunnels, highways and airports.

And the article says that "Carlyle would even consider putting money into the controversial Dulles Rail project, which does not have money from private sources. 'If Governor Tim Kaine and state and local leaders decide to move ahead with private investment, as the hometown firm, Carlyle would be particularly interested in partnering with them and committed to the project's success,' Barry Gold, a Carlyle managing director, said yesterday."

"Some toll roads, such as the Dulles Greenway, are owned and managed by private companies. But the push by private equity is different because buyout firms prefer to partner with municipalities rather than run the projects on their own. This type of relationship is more appealing to state and local governments and is expected to spark the privatization of huge swaths of infrastructure," says the Post.