FTA: Dulles Subway Proposal Not Cost-Effective

Federal Transit Administration chief James S. Simpson yesterday said a proposal to build the first phase of a roughly $5.1 billion, 23-mile subway extension to Washington Dulles International Airport does not currently meet cost/benefit requirements for federal funding.

“If we had to make a decision today ... the project does not meet the requirements necessary to advance,” Simpson said at a press conference after meeting with project sponsors Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority and Virginia’s congressional delegation.

In addition to failing cost/benefit tests, Simpson said FTA has concerns with MWAA’s ability to build a “mega project.” MWAA operates Dulles International Airport and Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport.

“We still have questions of the ability to build this project on time and on budget,” Simpson said, adding that while MWAA is competent with airport infrastructure it has never built heavy rail.

“We’ve got a lot of concerns about that,” Simpson said.

The authority had planned to issue about $2 billion of bonds to finance the $5.1 billion cost of the project. The bonds would be backed by tolls on the Dulles toll road, but FTA suggested the toll revenue estimates are unrealistic.

The federal agency is expected to provide $900 million for estimated $2.7 billion first phase of the project — an 11-mile stretch between the West Falls Church Metrorail station to a new station at Wiehle Avenue in Reston.

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