Historians will be hard put to explain why politicians in the 21st century wanted to pour so much money into mostly 19th century rail technology that, in urban areas, operates at 25 mph at best. Recently elected Republican governors around the country have blown the whistle on wasteful passenger rail projects. Will Virginia Governor Bob McDonnell join them, or will he let the Dulles Rail train wreck run over his conservative credentials?
In Florida, Rick Scott refused $2.4 billion in “free” federal money because it would entail a state investment of $200 million – less than half of the projected 2040 annual tolls on the overburdened Dulles Toll Road (DTR).
In Ohio, John Kasich refused $400 million of federal money for a Cincinnati-Columbus-Cleveland rail line because it would require a $17 million annual subsidy – two months worth of current DTR tolls.
In Wisconsin, Scott Walker refused $810 million in federal funds for a Madison-to-Milwaukee rail line that would have obligated his state for $9 million a year – just one month’s worth of tolls on the DTR today, and less than one week’s worth of tolls by 2040.
In New Jersey, Chris Christie turned down $3 billion in federal money for the Access to the Regional Core rail project because of undefined state obligations. Christie called the use of zero coupon and capital appreciation bonds—one financing mechanism for Dulles Rail Phase I—“Wall Street trickery.”
In Virginia, the so-called “free” $900 million federal grant for Phase I actually ends up costing Virginians since it requires Davis-Bacon labor contract obligations that inflate the project cost by more than that amount.
In contrast to the mostly federally funded projects above, hapless DTR users – who already paid $500 million more than DTR’s initial construction costs – are on the hook for over 60 percent of total rail costs in after-tax money – without ever being offered a choice on the matter. Dulles Rail is unique in the country because its funding plan was never approved by the local jurisdiction in a popular vote.
The commonwealth lied when it promised them that the tolls would end once initial construction and finance costs were paid off. Lack of adequate management controls have ballooned the total capital cost for the 23-mile rail project to more than $7 billion – more than the cost building the expanded Panama Canal. But the Panama Canal will generate profits. Passenger rail is bankrupt by design.
Seventeen stops – and travel times of well over an hour from Dulles International Airport to the nation’s core – will deter most potential riders. Very few passengers with heavy baggage will endure another 600-to-1,000 foot trek to Metro after traversing Dulles’ extensive walkways to reach the baggage claim area.
In the absence of overwhelming local support, Governor McDonnell should rescind the unconstitutional transfer of the DTR to the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority and revoke its unauthorized implicit taxing authority. HOT lanes should be added to link the Dulles Corridor to the HOT lane network being built on I-495, 95, and 395, with the outer lanes free for local users, while the inner lanes are time- of-day tolled, with the airport charging for direct access if it sees fit.
Does Bob McDonnell have the courage to liberate the Dulles corridor from the machinations of Tysons Corner property owners who have already been rewarded with huge land windfalls? It should be an easy decision. If Metrorail riders want Dulles Rail, let them pay the majority of its capital and operating costs at the fare box.
We’ll soon know if McDonnell is a real conservative.
Christopher W. Walker is founder of the Dulles Corridor Users Group and a developer of mixed use projects in the Dulles Corridor.
