Congressman Jim Moran's News Commentary

Working with my colleagues in the Northern Virginia congressional delegation, we secured authorization of construction funds for the Dulles corridor transit project and other vital transportation projects in Northern Virginia as part of the $275 billion Transportation Act that passed the House of Representatives on Friday, April 2nd by a vote of 357 to 65.

By listing Dulles in the bill's "Final Design and Construction" funding category, the project will be in an advantageous position for future funding when the Federal Transit Administration awards grants to major transit projects around the county. We anticipate initial federal funding of $600 million.

In addition to getting the Dulles rail project included in the bill, an additional $20 million was provided to benefit the Eighth District. These funds will go to some of our most pressing transportation needs in Northern Virginia and help alleviate congested roadways, improve access to transit, and contribute to the economic development of Northern Virginia.

This funding directly impacts the economic vitality of this region by linking Northern Virginians to the places where they live, work, and play.

To continue the prosperity we have enjoyed, we must continue to invest in transportation with an emphasis on public transit. This money is part of that investment.

Projects requested and funded include:

* $2 million to reconstruct three deteriorating highway bridges and to rebuild two interchanges on Arlington Boulevard (Route 50) and Washington Boulevard (Route 27) in Arlington.

* $2 million for the Richmond Highway (Route 1) transit initiative to improve bus service and pedestrian access and to construct a new transit center in Fairfax County.

* $2 million for the design and building of a multi-use transit center in downtown Falls Church City.

* $5 million for the engineering and construction of a Columbia Pike transit way connecting the Pentagon to Route 7 in Fairfax County via Columbia Pike.

* $4 million for the engineering and construction of a transit way along the Jefferson Davis Highway (Route 1) through Crystal City and Potomac Yards.

* $2.5 million for the construction of shelters, walkways, and traffic light signals to increase bus ridership and improve connections between the King Street and Eisenhower Avenue Metro stations in Alexandria.

* $2 million for the purchase of new environmentally friendly Metro buses and to finance relocation of the 58-year-old Royal Street bus garage in Alexandria.

* $500,000 for the concept design and scoping of a slip ramp from the Beltway to the Eisenhower Valley area of Alexandria. The bill also authorizes three transit projects for future federal grants:

* Bus Rapid Transit/HOV in Fairfax County along Route 1

* Crystal City, Pentagon City, and Potomac Yard Transit in Arlington County.

* Columbia Pike Rapid Transit Project in Arlington County. These authorizations will enable these projects to receive future federal appropriations.