MWAA wants Dulles Toll Road and control of Dulles Rail construction

[Wesley McGee]

The Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority is laying claim to the
land underneath the Dulles Toll Road, and is thus is considering a
hostile takeover of the Dulles Toll Road in order to expedite the
construction of rail -- and guarentee its arrival to the airport.

Airports Authority Might Adopt Dulles Rail Project

By Steven Ginsberg and Lyndsey Layton
Washington Post Staff Writers
Wednesday, December 21, 2005; Page A01

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/12/20/AR2005122000935.html
http://www.tollroadsnews.com/cgi-bin/a.cgi/iOKgYnHuEdqcEIJ61nsxIA

The authority that controls Dulles International Airport made a move
yesterday to take over the state-run Dulles Toll Road and seize control
of construction of a rail line to the airport, hoping to ensure that
the troubled project moves forward.

As owner of the land on which the toll road is built and much of the
rail line would reside, the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority
could stop efforts underway to privatize the highway if its proposal is
rejected. Because of the authority's clout, the proposal carries
enormous consequences for one of the biggest rail projects in the
nation and promises higher tolls on one of the most heavily used
commuter routes in the region.

Airport officials said they could build the entire Metrorail line from
the West Falls Church Station to Loudoun County faster than current
plans, which call for it to be done in two phases, completed by 2015.
They said they were concerned that the second half of the project --
bringing rail to the airport -- would be abandoned for lack of funds
and political will.

"There is a certain amount of uncertainty associated with phase two . .
. and this proposal attempts to eliminate that uncertainty," said James
E. Bennett, president and chief executive of the airports authority.
"This ensures the costs of Metrorail for its entire length."

Under its plan, the authority would take over the toll road from the
state government and use its revenue to fund the state's portion of the
first half of the rail line as well as the state and federal share of
the second phase.

Bennett said rates on the Dulles Toll Road would rise "regularly" to
keep pace with inflation and pay off bonds used to finance the project.
Tolls now range from 50 to 75 cents.

The authority's bid counters the state's recent interest in allowing
private corporations to take control of the toll road.

[Wesley McGee]

Press release from the MWAA
http://www.metwashairports.com/authority/pr/pr122005.pdf

For Immediate Release
December 20, 2005
Contact: Public Affairs Office, 703-417-8370
Airports Authority Offers Plan
to Bring Rail to Loudoun and Operate the Dulles Toll Road
Today the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority announced its
proposal to operate the Dulles Toll Road and oversee the construction
of a rail line through the Dulles Corridor to Fairfax and Loudoun
Counties.
Under the proposal, the Airports Authority would invest all the
revenues generated from the Toll Road into road and rail projects in
the Dulles Corridor. It would also sell bonds to fund construction of
rail to Loudoun County and improvements to the Toll Road.
James E Bennett, President/CEO of the Airports Authority, said, "The
Airports Authority has played an integral role in the development of
the Dulles Corridor. The existence of Washington Dulles International
Airport is the catalyst that has led to the development of much of
northern Virginia. We believe that the economic future of this Corridor
and the future success of the Airport depend on a viable road and mass
transit network. This will only happen if there is an
investment in both improving the Dulles Toll Road and complementing
that Road with rail to Loudoun County."
"Today, we are presenting our plan to accomplish this investment in
the future of our region. We believe that the Toll Road is a valuable
asset that can provide major transportation benefits for the residents
and the businesses in the corridor. It is important that all the
revenues of the Toll Road continue to remain in the corridor and to be
used for transportation improvements in the public interest,
particularly expedited rail to Dulles. The Toll Road, and the revenue
it
generates from the citizens, must be preserved for the public and
safeguarded as a valued asset for the corridor well into the future."
The Airports Authority Board of Directors held a special meeting today
and approved a resolution to send a proposal for the operation of the
Dulles Toll Road and the construction of rail in the Corridor to the
Governor of the Commonwealth of Virginia.
The Commonwealth, through the Virginia Department of Transportation,
currently operates the Dulles Toll Road, which is located on Airports
Authority property, under an easement for the land. That easement would
be returned to the Airports Authority and in return, the Airports
Authority would take over the state's role in operating the Toll Road
and construct the rail extension to Loudoun County.

In the last year, the Commonwealth of Virginia has received proposals
from private companies for the operation of the Dulles Toll Road. After
considering the impact of this type of private arrangement on the
future of the Dulles Corridor and the Airport, the Board of Directors
of the Airports Authority authorized the development of an alternative
proposal. The public policy goal of the Authority's alternative
proposal is to ensure that the Dulles Toll Road will continue to be
operated in a manner that will both maximize improvements to the Road
and ensure that all the revenues earned on the Toll Road can be
invested in the Dulles Corridor and support rail in that Corridor.