This document was last modified on 01/20/04

Multimodal Investment Network (MIN) Statement

DullesAirport Access Corridor

I. Introduction

A. Overview, purpose, and issues for consideration of the multimodal system

The Dulles Corridor Rapid Transit Project includes alternative transit system improvements extending along the 23.1-mile Dulles Corridor. The Dulles Corridor links Tyson’s Corner/Capital Beltway (I-495), Reston, Herndon, Washington-DullesInternationalAirport, EasternLoudounCounty and Leesburg. The Dulles Corridor, located in Northern Virginia west of the nation's capital, is one of the Washington metropolitan region's most dynamic and rapidly growing areas. The corridor is characterized by a wide range of uses and opportunities, and includes major business, residential and recreational destinations. The Dulles Corridor is home to the headquarters of leading technology firms and Tyson's Corner, one of the nation's largest employment and retail shopping centers. In addition, the corridor is characterized by recreational attractions such as the Washington and Old Dominion (W&OD) RailroadRegionalPark, major transportation facilities including WashingtonDullesInternationalAirport, and many of the most desirable residential neighborhoods in the region. As population and employment continue to grow significantly over the next 25 years, the demand for travel will continue to stress existing transportation facilities, and will exceed the capacity of planned transportation improvements.

Dulles Corridor is between the West Falls Church Station on the Metrorail Orange Line in Fairfax County, Virginia and Route 772 in Loudoun County, Virginia.

Exhibit I-1: Map of the Dulles Corridor Rapid Transit Project

Source (s):

B. Sponsoring agency, participating agencies, non-public participation, with points of contact

FTA, FAA, VDRPT, WMATA, CTB, MWAA, VDOT – Nova District, NVTC, NVPDC, Heads of Fairfax and Loudoun counties, City of Falls Church and Town of Herndon

Dulles Corridor Rapid Transit Project

1550 Wilson Blvd., Suite 300
Arlington, VA22209

1-888-566-7245
TTD 202-638-3780

C. Distribution list of agencies, organizations, others from whom comment is solicited

TBD

D. References, web sites, etc.

II. Need and purpose of the multimodal system

A. Provide summary of the need and purpose, including assessment of intermodal connectivity

The Dulles Rapid Transit project aims to provide a seamless link between the WashingtonDullesInternationalAirport and the region’s core.

The Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority (MWAA) controls the right-of-way for the Dulles Connector Road and the Dulles Airport Access Road (DAAR).The median for the roadways has been reserved for future rail transit use since the 1960s. Since the 1950s, many studies have been prepared to evaluate the transportation needs and potential improvements within the Dulles Corridor. The following list includes the major studies conducted:

  • Consideration as part of the Metrorail System. ServingDullesAirport with rail was considered in the 1960s during the initial planning and construction of the Metrorail system.
  • Northern Virginia Light Rail, Inc. In 1983, Northern Virginia Light Rail, Inc. proposed to collect contributions from local developers to build a light rail line to DullesAirport.
  • Airport Master Plan. In 1985, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) updated the Master Plan for DullesAirport, which recommended the continued reservation of the DAAR median for the future expansion of Metrorail or another transit system.
  • Urban Mass Transit Administration Privatization Study. The Urban Mass Transit Administration (now the Federal Transit Administration) sponsored the Dulles Corridor Transit Development Feasibility Study, which was completed in 1985.
  • DartRAIL. From 1985 until 1992, Dulles Access Rapid Transit (DartRAIL) sponsored a proposal to build a rail transit line between the West Falls Church Metrorail Station and DullesAirport. This study proposed to raise capital funds through assessments and donations from interested parties, property owners, developers, and the operators of DullesAirport, in addition to using surplus revenue generated by the Dulles Toll Road.
  • Alternatives Analysis. In 1990,FairfaxCounty sponsored the Dulles Airport Access Road Corridor Transit Alternatives Analysis Study to consider alternatives that included expanded express bus service on the DAAR, construction of an exclusive high occupancy vehicle (HOV) facility in the median of the DAAR, use of light rail or automated guideway transit facilities, and the extension of Metrorail.
  • Dulles Corridor Plan. A resolution by the Commonwealth Transportation Board (CTB) in 1990 led to the adoption of the Dulles Corridor Plan for transportation improvements in the corridor. The plan endorsed implementation of rail in the Dulles Corridor by 2005. Among the actions identified in the Plan were:
  • Implementation of a high level of bus service to develop transit ridership patterns for future rail service, as well as start-up of a number of intra-county feeder bus services;
  • Construction of park-and-ride lots, Dulles Toll Road interchanges, direct HOV-ramp access for those lots, and other efforts to preserve future rail station sites;
  • Further analysis of the long-term need to make major improvements to interchanges in the corridor; and
  • Preparation of a detailed financial plan to determine funding needs and funding sources for a rail project; and the use of federally authorized funds to begin development of a rail project (including alternatives analysis and environmental studies).
  • Dulles Corridor Transportation Study Major Investment Study. The Virginia Department of Rail and Public Transportation (DRPT) initiated a Major Investment Study (MIS), the Dulles Corridor Transportation Study, in response to the adopted Dulles Corridor Plan. Following completion of this study in 1997, a supplement to the MIS was prepared in 1999 to address the possibility of using Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) in the corridor.

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B. Identify relevant goals, objectives, performance measures, stakeholders

  • Increase transit ridership and capacity
  • Enhance property values and serve as focal points for development
  • Improve mobility and accessibility
  • Enhance economic development opportunities
  • Enhance community and environmental resources

C. Identify strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, threats (including socio-demographic trends)

The Dulles Corridor improvement project as a threat or an opportunity has been addressed by an article whose internet link is

  • Need based upon projected growth in mobility needs of citizens within corridor
  • Increased congestion
  • Declining levels of accessibility
  • Dulles is the fastest growing airport in the world
  • Most travelers arrive at airport in private vehicles
  • National Air and SpaceMuseum, three times the size of the main museum on the National Mall, is going to be located at DullesCenter, a site south of the airport
  • Tysons Corner is a major employment center that continues to grow
  • Increased growth in traffic will cause increase in air pollution affecting the ability to meet VirginiaState air quality Implementation Plan (SIP)
  • Purpose is to provide high-quality, high-capacity transit improvements in the Dulles Corridor

D. Identify precedents and lessons learned

TBD

III. Rationale for the selected alternative

A. Provide summary rationale for the selected alternative, e.g., benefit-cost evaluation

The Metrorail alternative was favored by 78 percent of the individuals and organizations that provided comments on a preferred alternative during the Draft EIS public comment period that ended August 28, 2002. This alignment was selected because it offers the highest passenger ridership with the fewest impacts on residential areas. CTB and the WMATA Board selected the 24-mile Metrorail extension as the LPA because this alternative would:

• Serve Tysons Corner directly

• Allow seamless travel without changing travel modes (i.e., from rail to bus)

• Offer shorter travel times

• Attract the highest number of new riders and total riders

• Support the comprehensive plans of FairfaxCounty and LoudounCounty

• Support “smart growth” by allowing more transit-oriented development near stations

• Increase overall mobility in the corridor and the region

• Enhance air quality more effectively than any of the other alternatives

Exhibit III-1: Map of the selected alternative for the Dulles Rapid Transit project

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B. Identify alternatives, including the no-action alternative

  • No-build option
  • Build option
  • Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) 3 options based on different number of stations and stops
  • BRT/Metrorail
  • Metrorail
  • Phased Implementation

C. Identify alternatives not explored below and explain why

  • Personal Rapid Transit
  • Light Rail Transit (LRT)
  • Monorail
  • Bus System Improvements
  • Express Bus Service

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D. Contrast alternatives with respect to goals, objectives, selected measures

Alternatives were assessed in terms of how well they achieved the following objectives:

  • Enhanced transportation service
  • Increased transit ridership
  • Supported future development
  • Supported environmental quality
  • Provided cost-effective, achievable transportation solutions and
  • Served diverse populations

Source (s):

Exhibit III-2: Comparing the different alternatives for the Dulles Rapid Transit project

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E. Contrast alternatives by cost

Capital Costs (Year of expenditure dollars in millions)
BRT / Metrorail / BRT / Metrorail
(BRT 1/T6) / Phased
Implementation
BRT 1 / BRT 2 / BRT 3 / T1 / T6 / T9 / T4
$481.4 / $349.1 / $342.7 / $2,937.3 / $3,101.3 / $2,982.6 / $3,080.4 / $1,454.1 / $3,295.4

Exhibit 3.D.1: Comparing the cost of the different alternatives for the Dulles Rapid Transit project

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IV. System integration and implementation plan

A. Provide summary of the integration and implementation plans

Implementation of transit in four phases:

  • Express bus service (Phase I)
  • Enhanced express bus service (Phase II)
  • BRT (Phase III)
  • Extension of the regional rail system to Tysons Corner and BRT between Tysons Corner and LoudounCounty (Phase IVA), and
  • Full rail service between Metrorail's Orange Line and LoudounCounty (Phase IVB).

B. Identify constituent projects of the multimodal system

The Dulles Corridor Rapid Transit Project :

  • Phase I: Express Bus – Starting in 1999, this phase provides express bus service and new bus routes within FairfaxCountyserving Herndon/Monroe and Wiehle Avenue to Tysons Corner and the West Falls Church Metro station.
  • Phase II: Enhanced Express Bus – Starting in 2001, this phase provides additional bus routes and buses serving eastern LoudounCounty and FairfaxCounty to Tysons Corner and the West Falls Church Metro station.
  • Phase III: Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) – Starting in 2003, this phase provides new BRT routes and buses serving eastern LoudounCounty, DullesAirport, Reston/Herndon, Tysons Corner, and the West Falls Church Metro station.
  • Phase IV: Rail – Starting in 2006, this phase provides rail from Metrorail’s orange line East Falls Church station through Tysons Corner. Starting in 2010, it extends rail from Tysons Corner to Reston/Herndon, DullesAirport, and Routes 606 and 772 in LoudounCounty.

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C. Describe government, private, stakeholder coordination and source(s) of funding and resources

Virginia Department of Rail and Public Transportation (DRPT) is the project sponsor.

The following abstract from the update 12 of the Dulles Corridor Rapid Transit newsletter shows the coordination between the various agencies involved in the project.

CTB and the WMATA Board selected the Alternative after consulting with the Virginia Department of Rail and Public Transportation (DRPT), the Project Steering Committee, the Virginia Department of Transportation, FairfaxCounty and LoudounCounty, the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority (MWAA), the Town of Herndon, and state and local selected officials. They took into consideration the public hearings record, the Public Hearings Report and Supplement, and all comments received.

The Project Team (comprised of DRPT, project sponsor and WMATA, technical lead) is now seeking Federal Transit Administration (FTA) approval to enter into preliminary engineering. The Project Team has also begun preparing the Final Environmental Impact Statement (EIS). This document will present responses to comments received on the Draft EIS, and document any additional analysis that was undertaken in

response to these comments. The Final EIS will also document the Alternative and mitigation measures. At the same time that the Final EIS is being prepared and preliminary engineering gets underway, the team will continue coordination with FTA, public agencies and local communities to address outstanding issues and mitigation measures. In addition, the team will continue coordination with DRPT, WMATA, MWAA, FairfaxCounty, and LoudounCounty regarding financial planning and Project funding. Upon completion, the Final EIS will be circulated for agency review. Then the FTA will issue a Record of Decision, which will complete the environmental review process. DRPT and WMATA also will identify federal and non-federal funding commitments with completion of the Final Financial Plan. DRPT proposes to request federal funding at a 50% share for the Dulles Corridor Rapid Transit Project. The remainder of the project capital funding will come from non-federal funding partners – the Commonwealth of Virginia, FairfaxCounty and

LoudounCounty, and MWAA. In addition, there is the possibility of private funding for portions of the project through the implementation of the Commonwealth of Virginia’s Public- Private Transportation Act of 1995 (PPTA). The financial analysis in the Draft EIS did not assume any contribution from the recently defeated sales tax referendum.

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D. Describe progress/status of environmental approvals

TBD

E. Describe milestones, schedule, expenditures/resources, and project interdependencies

Exhibit 4.D.1: Dulles Rapid Transit project planning schedule

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Exhibit 4.D.2: Dulles Rapid Transit project implementation schedule

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F. Describe interim assessment and evaluation plans

TBD