Dulles Toll Road Operator Faces Federal Government Action to Purge Board

The Toll Road News reports that U.S. transportation secretary Ray LaHood says he is moving against the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority (MWAA) -- which runs the Dulles Toll Road and a new train line as well as airports -- saying he has been discussing action to change its membership.

MWAA's board is made up of appointees of the governments of Virginia, Maryland and D.C. as well as the U.S. Government.

The secretary made his comments in an interview with Washington Post reporters, as they wrote in a piece in this past Sunday's newspaper. LaHood is also calling on MWAA to immediately terminate contracts he says have been given to former board members, senior employees and families.

A report produced by USDOT Inspector General on MWAA for Northern Virginia Congressman Frank Wolf in May cites: conflicts of interest, no-bid contracts, secrecy, and extravagance. On extravagance the IG report lists board members buying  bottles of wine for $238, dinners at $1,600, a $9,200 airline ticket to a conference in Prague, and a $4,800 first-class ticket to Florida.

The Inspector General counted $220m in uncompeted contracts for the Dulles corridor rail project -- which is being majority funded in its second phase with toll revenue bonds on the Dulles Toll Road. 

Read the Toll Road News article

Read The Washington Post article

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