Bill Text: VA SR50 | 2014 | Regular Session | Introduced

NOTE: There are more recent revisions of this legislation. Read Latest Draft

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Bill Title: Commending the Dulles Corridor Metrorail Project partners.

Spectrum: Moderate Partisan Bill (Democrat 11-2)

Status: (Passed) 2014-03-08 - Bill text as passed Senate (SR50ER) [SR50 Detail]

Download: Virginia-2014-SR50-Introduced.html

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14105361D
SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 50 Offered March 3, 2014 Commending the Dulles Corridor Metrorail Project partners. ----------
Patrons-- Howell, Barker, Black, Colgan, Ebbin, Favola, Marsden, Miller, Petersen, Puller, Saslaw, Vogel and Wexton
---------- Referred to Committee on Rules ----------

WHEREAS, the Dulles Corridor Metrorail Project, a 23.1-mile extension of the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority's (WMATA) 106-mile Metrorail system continuing through Tyson's Corner to and beyond Washington Dulles International Airport into Loudoun County, is being constructed by the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority, working in cooperation with the Virginia Department of Transportation, the Virginia Department of Rail and Public Transit, Fairfax County, Loudoun County, the U.S. Department of Transportation, and WMATA; and

WHEREAS, the Commonwealth strongly supports efforts to create jobs, enhance transportation capacity, and make positive long-term impacts on local communities; and

WHEREAS, completion of a rail line enhancing transportation access to Washington Dulles International Airport has been envisioned since the Eisenhower administration; and

WHEREAS, the Dulles Corridor Metrorail Project represents a broad-based investment by federal, state, and local partners, with strong, regional business partners contributing to the project through self-imposed taxing districts; and

WHEREAS, when completed, the Dulles Corridor Metrorail Project will provide significant economic and transportation assistance to the Commonwealth, including improved access to major job centers in Fairfax and Loudoun Counties that attract workers commuting from other, local jurisdictions, as well as to Washington Dulles International Airport; and

WHEREAS, the Dulles Corridor Metrorail Project is an approximately $6 billion investment that is being funded by a U.S. Department of Transportation grant of $900 million; grants and aid from the Commonwealth of Virginia totaling $725 million, a portion of which includes $75 million in federal Surface Transportation Program grants administered by the Virginia Department of Transportation; and contributions totaling 25 percent of the total project cost from Fairfax and Loudoun Counties and the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority, with the remaining funds derived from Dulles Toll Road users; and

WHEREAS, the Commonwealth's commitment includes a grant of $300 million passed during the 2013 Session of the Virginia General Assembly, which reduces the amount required for financing and assists to alleviate the burden for drivers using the Dulles Toll Road; and

WHEREAS, the project funding represents an extraordinary local commitment for a major project of state and national significance; and

WHEREAS, the project is one of the highest transportation priorities in the Commonwealth and has received expressions of support from the Virginia General Assembly and gubernatorial administrations since the early 1990s; and

WHEREAS, to expedite completion and enhance the economic impact of the project, the local funding partners of the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority, Fairfax County, and Loudoun County have been invited by the U.S. Department of Transportation to apply for a combined $1.9 billion in federal loans with favorable interest rates under the Transportation Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act (TIFIA); and

WHEREAS, every dollar of TIFIA loan assistance will lessen the burden on taxpayers and on Dulles Toll Road users by reducing project finance costs and enabling the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority to minimize required toll rate increases, including the potential to hold toll rates constant through 2018; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED by the Senate of Virginia, That the Dulles Corridor Metrorail Project partners hereby be commended on being invited to submit a TIFIA loan application to the U.S. Department of Transportation, ensuring significant positive impacts for taxpayers and users of the Dulles Toll Road; and, be it

RESOLVED FURTHER, That the Clerk of the Senate prepare a copy of this resolution for presentation to the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority as an expression of the Senate of Virginia's admiration for the Dulles Corridor Metrorail Project partners' work to enhance the Dulles area and the Commonwealth.