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COALITION FOR SMARTER
GROWTH
For Immediate Release: July 27, 2006
For more information, contact:
Stewart Schwartz 202-244-4408 ext 3#
Laura Olsen 202-244-4408 ext 4#
Tunnel May Hold Key to Success of Dulles Rail in Tysons Corner
Tunnel Links to Urban Redesign Which is so Important for Meeting Ridership Goals
“We hope that leaders do not forget the potential importance of the tunnel to the success of the Dulles Rail project in Tysons Corner,” said Roger Diedrich, Chair of the Virginia Chapter of the Sierra Club.
Stewart Schwartz, Executive Director of the Coalition for Smarter Growth concurred, “The success of the project depends on seamless interconnection between the four stations and a redesigned, pedestrian-friendly urban fabric around the stations. The tunnel may hold the key to achieving the redesign of Tysons Corner which is necessary to maximize ridership and reduce auto trips. We should not forget that the success of the Orange Line through the Rosslyn-Ballston corridor comes from a combination of a tunnel and well-planned transit-oriented development.”
Schwartz continued, “Put another way, an expensive transit project like Dulles Rail does not exist in a vacuum. Without strong interconnections between the stations and urban design, the project managers risk building an expensive piece of elevated sculpture that too few people ride. While it may be possible to address some of the limitations of the elevated version, the reason the tunnel is so important is that it allows for a much better urban design for Tysons Corner.”
Many have long questioned the current proposal for elevated tracks, particularly after additional cuts to pedestrian facilities. Just a couple of months ago the Dulles Rail consortium deleted numerous, critical pedestrian facilities from the design, reportedly to save money and make the project more “cost-effective”. However, the stations in Tysons Corner will not have dedicated Metro parking and are to be designed for an urban community, so wide sidewalks, bicycle lanes, redundant elevators, and wide pedestrian bridges from multiple points are essential for maximizing accessibility for all passengers.
Douglas Stewart of Fairfax Advocates for Better Bicycling noted, “There is also more to this story than the tunnel. Too often ignored is the absolutely critical need to convert Route 7, Route 123 and other massive arterials into urban boulevards which are much safer for pedestrians and bicyclists. Without this these roads will continue to divide Tysons Corner and undermine transit ridership.”
As pointed out by William Gallagher and Peter Bass in their “Taming Tysons” presentation, the Route 7/Route 123 interchange must also be redesigned as an urban interchange. The interchange sits right between the two central stations which are only about ½ mile apart, and would undermine any new Tysons Corner plan if left in its current configuration. Moreover, Gallagher and Bass point out the additional redevelopment potential and the revenue for the project that could be generated from sale or lease of the land. Removing the elevated tracks would also raise the market value of the land and development near the stations.
Schwartz turned to the rest of the project, stating, “Even with the tunnel, the Dulles Rail project beyond Tysons Corner still faces serious challenges due to its location in the middle of the Dulles Toll Road and nearly ¼ mile walk from either side. Without a better plan for linking urban redesign in the key ¼ and ½ mile rings around the station, both ridership and cost effectiveness may still be at risk.”
Diedrich concluded, “With the leadership of Chairman Connolly in promoting national consulting assistance for the redesign of Tysons Corner, we have the opportunity to ensure that rail into Tysons Corner is successful. The tunnel may be a critical piece of that redesign.”
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