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Moving forward
Depending on which side of the Dulles rail debate one stands on, last week's announcement that the $5 billion project now meets federal funding standards is being translated in two very different ways.Rail advocates paint the decision as a Super Bowl-size victory. Others equate it to a preseason win in early August.
As with most opinions, the truth probably sits somewhere in the middle.
Gaining the support of U.S. transportation officials and the $900 million that comes with it was critical, but this project still has significant hurdles to clear before the phrase "done deal" is heard east of Falls Church.
Most troubling is U.S. Transportation Secretary Mary Peters' demand that Virginia, Maryland and D.C. address the Metro system's $500 million in unfunded capital improvements. Finding the dollars to perform that surgery may prove trickier than advertised.
A bill awaiting a vote in Congress would provide $1.5 billion in matching funds to localities in D.C., Northern Virginia and Maryland for Metro's operations, but Sen. Tom Coburn (R-Okla.) has told anyone willing to listen that he'll block the package because he doesn't believe the federal government should be in the business of funding private transit operations.
Perhaps someone needs to remind Sen. Coburn that he is holding up funds for a system critical to government operations. Without Metro, thousands of federal workers – including, we suspect, several members of Sen. Coburn's own staff – would have a difficult time making it to and from work every day.
There are also concerns about the ability of the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority to manage a project that's likely to see significant cost escalation in the coming months. After all, the price of concrete, steel, glass and gas have risen dramatically since December, and there's no sign of things slowing down.
A few potential lawsuits, ranging from Virginia's transfer of the Dulles Toll Road to MWAA's right to build the rail line, might also crop up before all is said and done.
We're not suggesting any of these issues will torpedo the project, but rail proponents would be wise to take each one seriously before ordering their next case of champagne.
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