Dulles Corridor Rail Association
Annual Meeting, November 30, 2006, Capital One

On November 30, 2006, the Board of Directors of the Dulles Corridor Rail Association (DCRA) held its Eighth Annual Meeting and Reception at the headquarters of Capital One in McLean.  More than 170 members and friends attended.

Fairfax County Board of Supervisors Chairman Gerry Connolly welcomed the group.  Connolly said that we know that rail to Dulles is not going to happen by luck. It's going to happen by effort.  We are all united in bringing rail to the Dulles corridor. We are remapping the corridor.  We are looking at Tysons Corner to make sure we get the density right and the mix of uses right.

Connolly noted that all of downtown Boston would fit into Tysons Corner.  But Tysons has only 16,000 residents and 115,000 commuters.  Connolly referred to the good news last week with the finalizing of the Record of Decision on the project.  He said he hoped the project would have a Full Funding Grant Agreement (FFGA) with the federal government by September 2007.  “After that, we are going to turn dirt,"  Connolly said.

Scott Silverthorne, Director of Government Relations, Capital One, welcomed the group to the newly opened Atrium wing.  He noted that at the last DCRA event 3 1/2 years ago, we had half the crowd.  You could argue we built this beautiful facility to welcome the growing number of supporters of the project.  Silverthorne said the bank had changed dramatically during that time. It had bought a series of banks, including most recently North Fork Bancorp.  It is expanding its bank presence in the mid-Atlantic and in Virginia. Silverthorne said that Capital One is happy to show the flag for transit as an employer and for its employees.

DCRA Chairman Delegate Ken Plum thanked the members and guests for joining the Board for the meeting.  He noted that this was DCRA's eighth Annual Meeting.  A lot of progress has been made.  As a concrete and steel man, Plum said that he was looking forward to the project being built.  But when someone puts half of the money on the table, he noted, we need to go through the process that they require.  We are now on the brink of putting a shovel in the ground and we look forward to it.

Plum noted that a major step forward this past year has been approval of the amended Record of Decision which completes the planning process and finalizes approval of the alignment of the entire 23-mile project.

Plum noted and thanked state and local elected officials for being there and introduced the new Director of Rail and Public Transit Matthew O. Tucker.  Tucker said that it was an honor and a privilege to return to Virginia at this exciting time.  He was there to celebrate the advance of the Metrorail project.  He said he hoped folks understood the project's complexity and how difficult getting approvals of a project of this size is.  He said when he talked to people about the project what always resonates is that the project has reached the stage where it is not if, but when, we are going to get rail in the Dulles corridor and not when, but now.  He said he looked forward to advancing this project.

Plum then asked Sam Carnaggio, Director of the Dulles Corridor Metrorail Project to provide a brief update.  Carnaggio focused on three items. First, he noted that Governor Tim Kaine had made significant commitments to the project: first, to move it to the jurisdiction of the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority (Airports Authority) and second to move forward with the Locally Preferred Alternative (elevated).  On October 31, 2006, a letter was sent to the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) informing them that informal agreement had been reached with Dulles Transit Partners on the project. The state expects to reach agreement with the Airports Authority by the end of the year and to have the formal transition of the Metrorail project take place in March 2007.  Carnaggio noted that the FTA was on board all the way.  He had just received a fax of a memo that indicated the Airports Authority had been certified as an FTA grantee.

In providing a project update, Carnaggio noted that a study was undertaken to evaluate the tunnel this summer.  The Governor decided to move forward with the elevated alignment through Tysons Corner.  The team is addressing the concerns of Fairfax County about streetscape designs, especially on Route 7.  Design work is underway with Fairfax County, the Virginia Department of Transportation, and the project team. They have also reinstated several elements desired by the County including widening the pedestrian bridges and adding the redundant elevators.  These and other additions are being pursued.

The last item Carnaggio mentioned was the negotiation underway with Dulles Transit Partners.  Matt Tucker had sent a letter to the Airports Authority assigning them the lead to negotiate with Dulles Transit Partners. They are negotiating intensely and expect that the cost estimates will be delivered by the end of the year.  Hopefully, there will be an agreement to undertake construction of Phase 1 by the end of February.

Carnaggio noted that every time Chairman Connolly spoke, he shaved a month off the date of the FFGA.  He noted that they are working feverishly and closely with FTA, which visits every month.  We have a milestone schedule and we are adhering to it.

Chairman Plum said that next time the group met he expected the brief report to be, Sam says, "We're building it."

Chairman Plum noted that the project has had wonderful support from the Chief Executive of the Commonwealth.  Secretary of Transportation Pierce Homer had accepted a leadership award previously on behalf of then Governor Mark Warner.  Plum said that we are pleased that this great support has continued with Governor Tim Kaine.  Tough decisions have to be made.  Plum noted that this Governor has been willing to step up to the plate and has done what needed to be done to keep the project moving forward.

Chairman Plum and DCRA Vice Chairman Delegate Vincent Callahan presented the Leadership Award to Secretary of Transportation Pierce Homer.  Homer accepted the DCRA Leadership Award on behalf of the Governor.  Homer said, "This Governor was elected to and chose to make hard decisions and to implement them.  In just 11 months, Governor Kaine made a significant decision with respect to turning over the operation of the Dulles Toll Road and management of the Dulles Metrorail project to the Airports Authority and made a decision about the tunnel option. The direction he has given to us is to make this project happen.  We hope to fulfill your request for a Full Funding Grant Agreement as quickly as possible.”

Chairman Plum also recognized DATA, the Dulles Area Transportation Association, noting that it had recently celebrated its 20-year anniversary.

Plum noted that DATA:  Plays a key role in identifying regional transportation needs and advocating solutions; provides an important forum for providing information and an opportunity to participate in activities and improve the transportation system; acted as the catalyst for the public/private partnership that built Route 28 and has since been instrumental in seeing a second and third phase of improvements be implemented; is currently working with stakeholders on plans for the Routes 606/50 corridors around Dulles Airport; and has worked with state, local governments, and the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments to provide commuter services for both employees and residents.

Plum said, "We at DCRA love working with DATA.  We have worked with them to put on five successful seminars on Transit-Oriented Development and are looking forward to doing more in the future."  Chairman Plum and Vice Chairman Callahan made a presentation to current DATA Chairman Randy Sutliff, Executive Director Jim Larsen, and DATA founder Sid Steele.  Larsen acknowledged DATA’s first Policy Committee Chairman David Gehr and thanked DCRA for the award.

Plum noted the sponsors that had helped support the event whose names were listed in the program and on digital displays.  Plum then announced the current members of the 2006 board and invited them forward for a group photo.  In a brief meeting, the 2006 Board of Directors elected the 2007 Board of Directors.  Members who left the board are Bill Nussbaum, The Mark Winkler Company, and Eric Olsen, Lafarge North America.  Jennifer Blackwell, Chairman of the Board of the Reston Association, was elected along with the other 2006 board members to the 2007 Board.

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