Another Setback for Dulles Rail

Wednesday, July 23, 2008

Another Setback for Dulles Rail

Citing officials with the project, WTOP Radio reported this afternoon that construction on the Dulles rail extension will be delayed for at least a year and that the cost of the project will increase by over $50 million.

The Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority announced today that construction will not begin until March of 2009, at the earliest. The project was supposed to begin in February 2008.

A statement from the Airports Authority statement said:

"In preparation for submitting our Full Funding Grant Agreement application for the Dulles Corridor Metrorail Project, it is necessary for the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority to update our previously executed design-build contract with Dulles Transit Partners. The Airports Authority Board of Directors has agreed to incorporate the requirements outlined by the Federal Transit Administration in May 2008 when it authorized the project to move into final design, as well as to update the contract schedule and cost to reflect delays that haveoccurred in starting construction."

"The contract amendment approved today sets March 2, 2009 as the date for construction to begin with an expected completion date of July 31, 2013, and renegotiates the contract price at $1.63 billion."

"The Airports Authority is committed to bringing rail to the Dulles Corridor, and is continuing to work with all of our partners to ensure the timely completion of this project."

The first phase of the project will take Metro out to Wiehle Avenue. The second phase of the project -- extending Metro to Loudoun County -- is still in the planning stages.