By Neil H. Simon
Media General News Service
Media General News Service
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WASHINGTON-As several Virginia officials Tuesday praised a $900 million federal investment toward expanding Washington's Metro rail service closer to Dulles International Airport, Rep. Gerald E. Connolly was unimpressed.
Connolly, D-11th, whose suburban constituents would benefit from the expanded service, said the federal share was too small.
"This is the nation's capital. This is not rural Wyoming," Connolly said. "Does not the federal government have some responsibility to pay for the link to the national capital airport?"
Department of Transportation officials declined to comment on Connolly's criticism. The $900 million federal share is the third-largest newly started transportation project ever, federal officials said.
But it's less than one-third of the $3.1 billion price tag to build 11.7 miles of Metro rail from Falls Church to Reston, beyond Tysons Corner, by 2013.
Planners hope the new Silver Metro rail line will reach the entire 23 miles to the airport by 2015.
At a signing ceremony for the federal-state partnership, Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood said the Northern Virginia project marks a "new era" in public transportation.
"If this is not the greatest day for Virginia, I don't know what is," LaHood said.
Connolly, on the same stage, compared the project to those in other international capitals.
"This is not how it was done in Tokyo or Paris or London or Rome," he said. Other federal governments "stood up to the plate and paid for that -- except here."
Gov. Timothy M. Kaine said he was happy with the federal government's contribution to the rail project.
"There was a particular federal dollar amount we were seeking for this project. As project costs have gone up, we've taken more of it on our shoulders," he said.
Onstage at the Department of Transportation under a banner that read "Ready to go to work," the Northern Virginia congressional delegation applauded the partnership.
"This is the most important transportation project that Northern Virginia has ever seen," said Rep. Frank R. Wolf, R-10th.
As recently as a year ago, the rail project was feared dead because of lack of federal support. Democrats and Republicans alike praised former Bush administration transportation secretary Mary Peters and Kaine with keeping the project alive.
We were "down on the 1-yard line," said retired Republican Sen. John Warner. "Both of you are entitled to the game ball," he said, praising the project as a model for bipartisanship.
Rep. Jim Moran called the rail extension the "ultimate shovel-ready project," but he too pushed for the further extension of Washington's Metrorail system. "We've got to get it out through Loudoun County," he said.
(Contact Neil H. Simon at nsimon@mediageneral.com)
Connolly, D-11th, whose suburban constituents would benefit from the expanded service, said the federal share was too small.
"This is the nation's capital. This is not rural Wyoming," Connolly said. "Does not the federal government have some responsibility to pay for the link to the national capital airport?"
Department of Transportation officials declined to comment on Connolly's criticism. The $900 million federal share is the third-largest newly started transportation project ever, federal officials said.
But it's less than one-third of the $3.1 billion price tag to build 11.7 miles of Metro rail from Falls Church to Reston, beyond Tysons Corner, by 2013.
Planners hope the new Silver Metro rail line will reach the entire 23 miles to the airport by 2015.
At a signing ceremony for the federal-state partnership, Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood said the Northern Virginia project marks a "new era" in public transportation.
"If this is not the greatest day for Virginia, I don't know what is," LaHood said.
Connolly, on the same stage, compared the project to those in other international capitals.
"This is not how it was done in Tokyo or Paris or London or Rome," he said. Other federal governments "stood up to the plate and paid for that -- except here."
Gov. Timothy M. Kaine said he was happy with the federal government's contribution to the rail project.
"There was a particular federal dollar amount we were seeking for this project. As project costs have gone up, we've taken more of it on our shoulders," he said.
Onstage at the Department of Transportation under a banner that read "Ready to go to work," the Northern Virginia congressional delegation applauded the partnership.
"This is the most important transportation project that Northern Virginia has ever seen," said Rep. Frank R. Wolf, R-10th.
As recently as a year ago, the rail project was feared dead because of lack of federal support. Democrats and Republicans alike praised former Bush administration transportation secretary Mary Peters and Kaine with keeping the project alive.
We were "down on the 1-yard line," said retired Republican Sen. John Warner. "Both of you are entitled to the game ball," he said, praising the project as a model for bipartisanship.
Rep. Jim Moran called the rail extension the "ultimate shovel-ready project," but he too pushed for the further extension of Washington's Metrorail system. "We've got to get it out through Loudoun County," he said.
(Contact Neil H. Simon at nsimon@mediageneral.com)