Forty years since the conception of a rail line to connect Washington D.C. with Dulles Airport, the project is still being debated.Up until last week it appeared that the 23-mile long rail project would move forward, relieving traffic congestion while boosting the local economy by attracting visitors to the area. Now lawmakers are in a bind as they search for funding for the proposed silver line.
According to the Washington Post, the proposal does not qualify for federal funding because the government is concerned of the ability for Dulles to handle its construction. This would be the first project under their watch. Officials also worry about the ability for the underfunded, overcrowded metro system to handle the expected increase in passenger volume.
Virginia Governor Timothy Kaine said he would respond to Department of Transportation officials regarding this assessment by Friday. Kaine told members of the press that the project should be federally funded considering that members of congress, diplomats and their staffs would use the rail to access the airport.
"This is a huge federal asset, a huge asset in this region," Kaine said. "There is really not an effective future for the growth of Dulles or the growth of the region without the rail."
Others have raised the possibility that the project could be funded privately, but Kaine insists other sources would also be necessary. Another possibility is increasing the fee on the Dulles Toll Road, though the price as already been raised to pay for parts of the project.
- Jesse Regis
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