Firms that prepared an engineering study of a Metrorail tunnel under Tysons Corner are firing back at a withering critique of their work, rebutting a consulting firm and officials who they believe unfairly dismissed their analysis.
The feud over the report, which charts how a 3.4-mile stretch of the $4 billion Dulles Corridor Metrorail Project could run under Tyson Corner, mirrors the larger fight over whether a Metro line to Dulles should run underground or on an overhead rail. Supporters of the underground option have been rallying to resurrect the idea after Gov. Tim Kaine abandoned it in September. They commissioned the multimillion-dollar engineering study from three firms — Arup, Dr. Sauer Corp. and KGP Design Studio — to prove the tunnel could indeed be constructed at a reasonable price.
The Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority, which is slated to take over the rail extension, paid $200,000 for a study from Carter & Burgess that criticized the engineering study and bolstered arguments against the tunnel. Carter & Burgess charged that critical information on cost and schedule was left out, and reiterated the argument that the tunnel could risk federal funds.
Each of the three firms told The Examiner earlier this week they were never contacted by Carter & Burgess during the review, which left Dr. Sauer Corp. President Walter Mergelsberg “very much surprised.” He said firms typically share information during such a process.
Carter & Burgess, it was later revealed, has already done millions of dollars of work for the airport authority and is seeking a major contract with the agency. Critics allege a conflict of interest.
The three firms on Thursday made public their rebuttal, challenging Carter & Burgess’ assertions.
Their statement follows what executives in the groups say was an unproductive meeting with Virginia Department of Rail and Public Transportation Director Matt Tucker earlier this month. Tucker said the tunnel died last year and isn’t coming back.
“One question we have is, why were we all put through this expensive exercise and bringing in experts from many places to a meeting if the decision had been made?” William Gallagher of KGP Design Studio wrote in an e-mail.
