For all you self serving I don’t give a crap about anyone elses problems but mine I hope you end up in a mess of traffic that drives you insane and you drive off a cliff… Listen up, you CAN NOT have growth without public transit. I have lived from the West coast to the East coast in large cities and small little nothing towns. I have seen what the transit does to a community and city after people had this same debate. Many who swore they would never use it have come back to praise it and use it often. They love it as it is much easier on many accounts. As for you lame people who can’t seem to fathom that there will always be someone out there to take advantage of someone else, well get over it, it sounds like you would beat up your mother to get your way. I have lived in North, South, East, and West Loudoun. I have commuted, and telecommuted. The problems will only get worse. And the toll road only rapes people of their money for nothing. So far I don’t see any “GOOD” alternatives besides a few whiners who need to move if they can’t take the progress.

Damtheman,
LoCo chamber and the other business groups were clear that they believe in the project and want it built. These groups have backed rail to Dulles for years. They just want to be smart about the project and cut wasteful spending. And they want to make sure that all the qualified companies out there get a fair shake at bidding the job. Nobody from that group said they were against rail. If they were against rail, they would shut up and watch this whole project implode and not give a hoot.

PS
If you are suggesting we don’t need more asphalt, you’re out of your mind. We need both rail and roads if we are going to remain one of the top states to do business in. Right now, I don’t know how anyone will get to the 606 station ... the traffic is a nightmare. It’s worse than 66.

Shawn, you don’t work in this business if you aren’t safe. You literally will not get hired.  We are not building tree forts. We are building amazingly complex structures; it is dangerous work, it is important to our society, it is the biggest thrill to be a part of. Our work stands as monuments forever. We can point to the structures within which our society works, plays, heals and learns. But if there is an accident on a project, the thrill is gone and the structure is ominous (and you aren’t ever getting hired in this town again).

We have rules and regulations and training, but a culture of safety from the top down is what makes that difference. That’s a benefit for non-union firms who have close-nit teams who have worked with each other for years.

Most people out there are concerned about safety. But you see, those 96% that aren’t in a union - they build quality projects and deliver them safely too. Why do people think we are not trained and we are not safe? That is an outright lie. For those making a living building mega structures, short cuts are not tolerated and safety comes first. How do you think the Pentagon renovation, Fed Ex Field, or the Capitol Visitor’s Center were built? Not with a PLA.

As far as wages and benefits go, I will take my 401k over an underfunded union pension any day. I can move around in the industry and take that retirement benefit with me. I’m not married to any employer or union. And I can take management training and move up the ladder and cross that line from field to management. There is nothing stopping me from running a construction company one day.

But all that is really a moot point because this project will be a prevailing wage job regardless of whether or not there is a PLA. That means with or without a PLA, wages will be set via Davis Bacon Fairfax rates.

Contracts have best practice safety, drug testing, and wage rates all the time. You don’t need a PLA for that. The PLA here is a handout to out-of-state union bosses and Virginians are expected to pay for it.

And respectively, I am going to get bent out of shape over the PLA. This whole issue has opened my eyes to a gigantic lie. The industry I love is one that is mostly non-union. Yet the public and media seem to think that we are not trained, not skilled, not safe, not paid well, and have no benefits. Who started this rumor? It’s simply not true and it is offensive. And besides that more emotional point, yes, I’m bent out of shape about a PLA on this project in my back yard. I drive the toll road. I pay local taxes. But they don’t want me as part of the team building this Virginia project?

Anon respectfully you are wrong. How are you going to get to these stations over priced toll road??? shellhorn?????? or the horrible future planned roads????  Business is not coming here because of the extremely high cost of living and the high salaries. and one of the worst road systems in the country. Rail will not solve those problems. Where is all this fantasy business???? I don’t see it except for more data centers that hire few people.

To the MWAA - I hope the politicians shut you down. You are a joke.

To everyone out there against Metro, this has been in the works for awhile. It will be a boon economically to Loudoun and reduce traffic. All of this talk about it being an inefficient mode of transportation on the surface appears true, until you consider all of the development it will spur throughout the county. Being a Loudoun business owner and Loudoun resident of 8.5 years, the promise of metro coming to Loudoun was one of many reasons I was attracted to the county. You get rid of that, look out!! There will be unintended consequences. One of which will be higher taxes and terrible traffic. Don’t say you weren’t warned.

@Leej: I think you’re referring to bus rapid transit.

I don’t know if any money would be saved by building only one set of rails and making the system one-way inbound until say noon then making it one-way outbound until closing—or if the savings wouldn’t be worthwhile (like say $20-30 million, when putting the station back aboveground would save $300 million and scrapping the union-only PLA would save a similar amount.)

@Shawn and @West Ender Well tele work could be solved by paying by the project not by salary or hours.

and Shawn I heard the crime thing from police I know that nick name the rail the crime train. To what degree I don’t know. I do agree with
West Ender. and I will add there are transit systems that use buses for a lack of a ward buses on steriods. riding a dedicated and grade separated road that can leave that road and deliver there passengers anywhere. then when needed the road system could become rail with stations.

If the economy was better yes it would be nice to have rail into Loudoun, but we do not in this economy. and buses to the Herndon station would be fine right now. And the money saved right now could solve numerous road problems for the many not just rail for the few at this moment

@West Ender:
Problem is, there’s still a lingering culture of “you gotta be there” and there’s been enough telework ****ups to make managers leery of allowing telework.

But yeah, Loudoun is coughing up in the mid eight figures initially and probably high seven figures to do Metro.

I’m open to out of the box alternatives that don’t involve “do nothing and don’t spend money on that wasteful bus service!”

Folks seem to be attributing a large degree of forward thinking and planning to criminals.

“Why yes, Antwane, I believe we should ride the Orange Line out to Vienna to commit today’s crimes, since the per-capita income in Fairfax County is much higher than the per-capita income here in Suitland. However, I wonder if we should use our cars, since our bling-carrying capacity is greatly reduced when we are riding Metro.” Using this logic, we could just as easily say, “Golly gee, Billy Bob, why we here in Winchester robbin’ houses to enable our crystal meth usage? Let’s go to that there Great Falls and rob us some houses! Yee-haw!”

FWIW, the Virginia end stations have lower crime than the Maryland end stations because the surrounding areas are already less crime-ridden to begin with. Most of the incidents we’ve heard of are occurring along the Red Line or in SE DC, which is already a **** hole.

@Actual commuter, I speak of Route 7/28/50 and other improvements to roads in Loudoun. I lived in Arlington when we had that sales tax referendum and that was one of the scare tactics, that the proceeds would be used to build/expand roads in the outer suburbs with nothing going to Arlington.

@HardHatMommy, I am concerned about worker wages and safety. A union PLA is not necessary, IMO, although I am not going to get bent out of shape about it.

@Leej, well that settles it. Tear up Metro now and pour concrete into the tunnels, since you don’t need it and all.

@West Ender, for LCT to be anything near what Metro is, it must: 1) run every 10 minutes during peaks and 2) run every 30 minutes during offpeak until at least 10-11pm.

@Leej,

Your comments gave me an interesting thought. What if, instead of spending the money on Metro stations, Loudoun county decided to do something truly useful with the money instead?

How about using the money to help establish corporate telecommuting partnerships with strategic businesses in the region? This money could be used as a seed to help establish regional telecommuting centers around Purcellville, Leesburg, Ashburn, and maybe even Sterling. The County could then reach out to businesses and encourage them to leverage this technology by allowing their employees to use these centers. The benefits abound:

1. Environmental impact: Less toxic fumes will be produced by fewer cars being on the road. And some of those that are will be on the road for considerably shorter distances.

2. Tax revenue impact: Instead of commuters leaving the County every day to go to work, and spending money on Starbucks and lunch elsewhere (like DC, Arlington, Fairfax, etc.) some of these folks would be doing this here in Loudoun. The result: taxes from breakfast, Starbucks, and lunch purchases that were going elsewhere now benefit Loudoun County.

3. Road maintenance: Fewer cars, and cars driving shorter distances, would theoretically produce less wear and tear on the roads. This might result in some savings in the long run. (Maybe not, maybe so… it’s a possibility worth mentioning.)

4. Family life/work-life balance: Loudoun County’s residents will be much happier. While we can’t quantify a direct economic impact of this happiness, I’d like to think it would make our county a better place to live.

I’m sure I’m missing a bunch of other things, but by now you get the idea…

@ West Ender

I agree with everything you say.
I am not a commuter as I work out of home.
So people that actually commute like you West Ender, well more of you need to speak out to our Loudoun politicians and MWAA how you feel.

I will say in these tough economic times the two loudoun stations are not needed at this time.

@Leej,

No need for express lanes for the buses. Loudoun County Transit already makes decent time to and from DC by using 66 during HOV times, the airport access lane of the Dulles Toll Road (although I wish they would make an exit directly from the airport access road closer to the airport for the buses to use), and the Greenway.

Buses are, at least for the next 10 or so years, a far better solution to Loudoun’s traffic and commuting issues than Metro can possibly be. In all the times I’ve used LCT to go between DC and Leesburg (or Purcellville) I have yet to see a homeless person on them, be threatened with physical violence by an employee, see someone urinating in public on them, or watch someone break the law by stealing on them.

I only wish I could say the same for the out-of-control system that is Metro. Beggars in the entryways, employees sleeping on the job, employees threatening you with physical violence when you point out that they were sleeping on the job to them, and station managers that act clueless and helpless and just don’t care…

Metro may bring commuters to our county but it will also bring crime, filth, and vermin that need to be tossed out in order to keep those of us who live here safe.

And I hope I never see a day when Metro makes it anywhere near the west end of the county.

Actual commuter in Loudoun;;;;;;;  You are correct about about that commuter abortionon 66 and nothing in the immediate future to fix it. How in the world did these planners ever think what they built would ever work.

Here is another thought build Dulles above ground NOT build the other two stations in Loudoun and take that savings to fix 66 inside the beltway. The Loudoun stations are not needed right not and buses would do just fine to get commuters to the herndon future metro. Or build express lanes for buses etc from Leesburg to herndon with the money. Although the 66 thing inside the beltway need the most help.

Shawn, what roads do you speak of? Maybe Virginia should just make the dulles toll road go all the way to dc(66East of beltway), be more fair. I doubt many from arlington pay tolls? Somehow, northern va is punished even though we send more money to Richmond then any other area. The toll Road was suppose to be a regular road after it was paid for. I’m sure the residents of northern va have paid their fair share. I don’t care whether metro comes out to the airport, but it should be above ground, since it’s less expensive.

Are they jocking ? The railroad system is a mess that need far more investment and support .

the crime train

http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/metro-needs-more-officers-to-deal-with-crimes-on-trains-officials-say/2011/06/24/AG3q0ejH_story.html

Springfield is famous for the crime from murders to everything else once they got the end station.

Business leaders? What business leaders?

When the LoCo Chamber of Commerce speaks I hear white noise. The only people they’re looking out for is themselves and they’re bummed that they don’t stand to gain as much political pork from Metro as they usually get from roads.

Any business leader worth their salt knows well the benefits of public transportation within the communities they serve- the LoCo Chamber is about new houses, strip malls and asphalt. Their lobbying should be recognized as such.

in metro section of the washington post for saturday there is a article on the crime issues metro has and is dealing with.

It is their own fault! There are soooo many ways they could have paid for this by now… They let a private citizen buy the Toll Road and rape all the residents with hikes every year when had the county and DOT owned it and taken those funds then they could be helping in offsetting the costs. There are soooo many possibilities to help offset costs but all these people ever see is let’s whine cry and complain or raise taxes. They should have charged every builder a transportation tax to build on a piece of land around the county and they would have been able to fund not only the Metrorail, but nicer roads to travel on without the problems. I do not accept their answers. The Metrorail is needed all the way to the West Virginia boarder weather or not people are smart enough to realize this because they don’t want the growth… well nothing they have done in the past has stopped the growth. Look around at the last 10 years and you can see that we are overcrowded now in many ways. Having lived in places where public transportation was more readily available, I have seen how it helps pay for itself.

Shawn,
The overwhelming majority of commercial constructors in Virginia are not in a union. We have an elite construction workforce in Virginia - both the majority (non-union) and the minority (union).

This project will be prevailing wage meaning union and non-union will have the same wage and benefits scale regardless of whether there is a PLA.

There are many reasons for the jump in project cost courtesy of the PLA, but the biggest is that the majority of non-union contractors won’t bid the work. And those that do will have to either use strangers from a union hall (instead of their own team of employees) - a very inefficient scenario OR if they are allowed to use a percentage of their own workforce, they will have to continue to pay their own 401k and health benefits and also pay into union benefits funds (that their employees won’t be able to take advantage of unless they leave and join the union). So they would be paying benefits twice - another example of driving that cost up for no good reason. There are many more examples. The PLA is a scam that does nothing to help workers.

When you discourage the majority of your state’s workforce from bidding on a job (so that you can send the job to out of state union workers as a political favor), you drive the cost of the project up dramatically. And the real shame of it is the guy mixing that concrete doesn’t see a dime more.

The PLA needs to be removed so that the project is built by both union and non-union just like it was in Phase 1 (where non-union was exempted from DTP’s PLA). Otherwise Virginians are paying taxes and tolls to send jobs out of state.

West Ender, you are a bigot of the highest degree. It is repulsive that you represent Western Loudoun County with your opinions. I’m just guessing, but you probably also call yourself a Christian, which would be even more ironic, given the way you classify people and treat them as less than human, as statistics that you judge will lower your quality of life by the mere chance they might get on a train and arrive closer to you.

I’d pray for you soul, but I don’t see any in your comments. I thank God that you won’t be around forever, and can only hope that your words don’t influence anyone else.

I agree with Leej, Metro to Dulles will happen. Whether it goes beyond Dulles is another issue.

@Loudoun Resident: You’re complaining about a Metro that “you’ll never use.” Arlington folks complain about roads here that “they’ll never use.” Downstate folks complain about money going to roads up here. See the pattern?

I’m going to imagine most Dulles station users will be commuters. So opponents of Dulles Rail are wrong and so are the underground Transit Mahal proponents, since the above-ground station will be a longer version of what’s there at National *and be closer to the office buildings*. If you have to have the Transit Mahal, charge $2-$5 a ticket, charge a meal tax of 1%, etc., etc., so that folks who actually use Dulles Airport will get stuck with the bill.

The Project Labor Agreement is a null issue for me. If scrapping it makes Metro to Ashburn a reality, then we scrap it. OSHA and relevant civil engineering standards will be followed, one hopes, as will citizenship requirements.

Loudoun will likely see 500k people by 2020. How do you propose ensuring these folks all get to their jobs which are, more than likely, in Fairfax, Arlington, and DC? Mass rail transit is ONE part of a balanced transportation package for the county. If we can get our share of rich yuppies and rich yuppie stores and companies that like being on a Metro line by building attractive mixed-use developments (and Kincora, One Loudoun, etc., will pale in attractiveness to these developments IMO), good. Better than than data centers as far as the eye can see (and I work in IT as a system administrator.)

There are some economic benefits to bringing Metro out to Ashburn. I hope the BOS have gotten the developers to put some proffers in a general fund to help improvements on 50 and/or finish the Loudoun County Parkway. Whether the benefits outweigh the cost, both of maintaining the track and any hypothetical increase in crime, outweigh the costs are another issue.

I mean if thugs are so willing to roam around the entire area—which has the lowest crime rate of any major metro in the nation—then why isn’t Vienna getting overrun? Will shoppers in Tysons Galleria have to fear for their lives from thugs taking the Silver Line? Why wouldn’t they just stop near Georgetown or the nice areas along the Red Line and wreak havoc there?

For every thug that sees an opportunity to commit crime, there’ll be several yuppies that previously turned up their nose at Loudoun, but who can’t afford $800k for a townhouse near Metro in a nice part of DC or in Orange Line Arlington.

I do wonder where the folks grumbling about Metro are from and where they work. I live and work in Leesburg, FWIW. But I realize that the needs of folks in Sterling, Ashburn, South Riding, and those Leesburg residents who aren’t fortunate to have a good job in town also matter.

Maybe they like driving. Maybe they think limited-service bus lines are the solution to Loudoun’s commuter needs.

Shawn, unless I’m missing something in the article or unaware of other plans for the metro to dulles? Most on here are discussing the high cost of metro to extend to dulles. Having it built to the dulles airport does no good for Loudoun residents, nor do they care that it’s underground. However the cost is being paid for by Loudoun residents by taxes and toll road increases. They could easily make it so if you get off at Dulles airport, an extra $1 fee is subtracted. 99.9% of residents in Loudoun and eastern fairfax will either drive or take a taxi(or have someone drop them off).

@Loudoun Resident: Why should folks in Arlington pay for roads out here, that they’ll never use?

something to think about maybe the MWAA does not give a rat’s butt id loudoun drops out. Maybe they actaully want Loudoun to drop out because Loudouns two stations will be the biggest cost savings if they are not built compared to how much money Loudoun is putting in.

Further congress has to approve phase two and most of congress is not from here. so they will see a big cost savings by not building loudouns stations.

one thing for certain the rail will go to dulles past that is iffy in this new world economic crisis.

Mr. MICROMANAGER, most in northern va recall that the Dulles toll road was suppose to go away once paid for. Well it’s been paid for 10 times plus and yet the cost keeps going up to pay for other transportation type items. I would have been fine with it stopping at Tysons. The people using the metro should pay for the extension to Dulles. The metro(poorly run) has too many security, safety, costs, and overpaid workers for me to ever want to use.

Mr. MICROMANAGER, I would trust them more with my money then you. It’s obvious you own/work for the current contractor. And why should I pay $50K for something I’ll never use? What a dolt. Oh, and please show me where any Metro or transportation costs in this region that were ever even close to budget and on time. I’d wager 100% are over budget and behind schedule. And where is the logic that a loudoun resident will use the metro to get to the dulles airport??? And to think you might someday be on a jury….

Perhaps if the lady on the MWAA board would exercise, should could handle a walk from outside and save us all money. Unsure who in Loudoun would use the metro to Dulles? Why not charge the people that want the underground and not raise the toll road? Like anything with politics/boards, they’re corrupt and a clusterfuc&. I say shut it down until the price is lowered.

It looks like there are about ten people behind the podium.  Who gave them the right to speak on behalf of all businesses in Loudoun and Fairfax?  I’m a business owner and I don’t support what they are saying.  Cutting cost by cutting the quality of construction on a major infrastructure project, the largest current project in the country, is not what I consider a good idea.  The Unions bring skilled labor to the job that we wouldn’t have otherwise.  For example, mixing concrete is a science, not an art.  Having illegal inmigrants from Guatamala pouring the structure for Metro is not a good idea.  Aren’t those the same illegals being employed here in the “right to work” state that the same people are saying should not be allowed to work here?  Wow, what hypocracy coming from this party.  It makes sense to have a solid contract to build this project on time, on budget and in a quality, solid way.  How much experience does any of those ten people standing there have with a major construction project?  I would bet you the cost of this metro that none…NONE…have experience with construction that goes beyond building a deck on their home.  It’s a travesty for all of the people in Loudoun County that these anti Metro stalworts would attempt to say they represent this community because they don’t.  Metro will help this County in so many ways.  It will not increase crime…that’s a fallacy and another way for anit-Metro stalwarts to bring fear to the equation.  The statistics show crime is on the decline nationwide.  It will help homeowners get to work, to the airport, bring business to Loudoun, etc. etc.  What were really talking about here is the cost of one dinner out for each Loudoun resident.  If every Loudoun resident paid $50.00 toward building the Metro, we would be making up the difference in cost.  Some people can’t see the forest through the trees.  It makes me think they have other objections then those presented.

@West Ender: Remember that transportation referendum? Folks in Arlington opposed it because they thought the money would all go to buy roads out in Loudoun and western Fairfax, folks in Loudoun and western Fairfax opposed it because (like you), they thought it’d all go to Metro and other things they found “frivolous.”

I think we’re doing a better job at attracting business than Prince William, but large numbers of us go into Fairfax, Arlington, and DC every day to work. How do you propose we accommodate this traffic?

Does anyone have any hard stats about crime increasing once a Metro stop is included? Of course you’ll have crime anywhere you have 1000s of parked cars, whether it be a mixed-use development like Kincora or a Metro station.

rail and subways with police departments are nicknamed the crime trains by the police. And I have heard this from LA to NYC and everywhere in between.

all this talk of these toll hikes and how they will be 7 - 10 dollars one way is the same doom and gloom the loudoun county school board uses every year.  unless there is hard facts to support that the toll will cost 10 dollars on such and such day one way it is just not supported by facts.  just projections and speculation that are biased and skewed to derail the project. some one throws a number out and says this is what will happen if we build under ground and every one is opposed to it now.  maybe if we force mwaa to split the cost of the white boards in our schools the board of supervisors will get their noses out of this. spend this much energy fixing our roads and removing traffic lights.

dont worry about the homeless movining to loudoun they are already here. i see them begging for money all the time around the intersections of the dulles mall. what you should be worried about is all the students from dc who ride the metro for free and will comming out to fairfax (tysons mall) and loudoun.  the crime will go straight up.

loudoun resident for 32 years, use the toll road to dc everyday, use the airport, and will use the metro and toll road in the future even regardless of the price and location of the station.

@wake up-

Public transit *is* different, though. It’s slower, and inefficient, and full of homeless people and beggars. And WMATA is just filled with incompetence. And, unlike roads, it’s not something that we all use - or even want to use, given the overcrowding and flagrant mismanagement that is WMATA.

If public transportation is so important, then let it pay for itself. Look at it this way… Our roadway system is like basic cable, funded at the “cheapest” rate possible through tax dollars. Things like toll roads are akin to pay-per-view; not totally necessary, but really nice to enjoy once in a while. Public transportation is like HBO and Showtime… a premium that folks mostly treat like subscriptions. Those who only buy basic cable don’t subsidize Showtime for other users. Neither should those of us who don’t use Metro.

To put it another way: public transportation, public radio, and public television should all be in the same boat. Either get your own funding through subscriptions and contributions, or go the way of the dinosaur.

I agree with West Ender. I could be satisfied with a 15 minute or more drive within a station, but even that may be cutting it too close

I frequent the restaurants and shops on my lunch break around the Bethesda Station. Every now and then I see a vagrant or drifter begging for my hard earned money. I smile and keep walking. The other day I found one urinating near my car in the parking garage. I called the security and he was detained in the manager office until MOCO police showed up and he was arrested for other charges.

My point is get used to these occurances in LOCO, b/c the trash will funnel through.

West Ender, I got a better solution - put tolls on every state road in the region. Then you’ll be paying your fair share on Routes 7, 9, 15, 28, and 50. These roads weren’t built with fairy dust, but public tax dollars, just as the Metro largely is.

You want to talk “mass transit” - our state roads are the most clogged out there, because they are deemed “free”.  How about we all pay the real cost upfront to drive, just like you want the user fee of the METRO to be.

So yes, let’s cut the percentage Counties and State put into Metro, and institute a larger user fee on all the infrastructure that the taxpayers have paid for for decades, which will fund the infrastructure of rail for the decades to come.

What fools we all are to be duped into thinking public transit is any different than our highway system.  Talk about the wool pulled over the eyes, my goodness!

how in the world can construction cost being going up when we are in a deep recession. I agree stop it at reston. Not worth it. I was in the beginning was a big proponent then the bureaucrats ruined it. Further the first phase is far more complicated then the second phase. Just being raped again.  And how are you going to get to the Loudoun stations without causing massive traffic jams ?????? ha ha ha ha is there enough parking or do they repeat the Vienna station fiasco where people could not find a parking spot. At least there they have a freeway not a toll road. It should of been a grade separated bus system at a fraction of the cost and that is what the second phase should be.

@Sabrina -

MWAA is building a below ground station as it stands right now. I think the article’s author was a bit hasty.

@Shawn -

John does have a good point, though. Running Metro into Loudoun County does make it easier and cheaper for the homeless people and other trash to get out of the District and come harass a whole new set of decent people.

I certainly wouldn’t want to live within any reasonable distance (walking or otherwise) of a Metro station these days, and am glad they’re not planning to bring a stop in as far as Leesburg. Hopefully it never happens.

I’m a little confused on one part of the article. Is MWAA building an above-ground or underground station at Dulles?

“Curtis spoke against MWAA’s recent decision to build an above-ground Metro station at Dulles International Airport, which increased the project’s overall cost by $300 million.

‘The decision to construct an underground station is not only more expensive …’ “

If the author could clarify this, that would be great.

Wow, John, if Bethesda is going downhill, we’d better just hole up in our Unabomber shacks on the back 40 right now

Everything they’ve said - other than having Loudoun County finance more of the cost - makes at least some degree of sense. I vehemently disagree with their thoughts that county governments should open their budgets even further for this project, though.

If anything, county governments and state governments should be paying less for this project. The MWAA and WMATA should find a way to work together to finance the entire project through increased fares on Metro or something else. Let those who will actually ride this thing and benefit from it finance it, rather than piling more onto the backs of taxpayers.

It would be a good idea just to end at phase 1 in Reston. I work in Bethesda and I see the filth and homeless people it brings in from parts of DC and PG county. I would rather not have the peasants so close to my house. I am happy to drive the 1 hour into work and any associated monetary costs along with it.

I would recommend taking all this money and widening route 7 from Leesburg to Tysons, and for those that take 267 keep the tolls where they are.