Patrick Nowakowski, executive director of the Dulles Corridor Metrorail Project, said in a statement that MWAA would select “a highly qualified team to design and build Phase 2 in the most cost-effective manner.”
The contract could be awarded as soon as late spring, and construction of Phase 2 is estimated to be completed about five years after that, MWAA officials said.
Statements of qualifications will be gathered from prospective bidders and then narrowed down to no more than five teams, the MWAA said. The contract will be awarded to the team that meets the requirements and has the lowest price, officials said.
The first phase of the Silver Line’s development, expected to be completed by August 2013, runs from Tysons Corner to Wiehle Avenue in Fairfax County. When both phases are finished, the line will have 23 miles of rail between East Falls Church and Ashburn.
As the MWAA moves forward, Loudoun leaders are also preparing for the work ahead. Along with the July 3 vote to participate in the second phase of the Silver Line, supervisors voted to begin the process of establishing a special tax district to fund Loudoun’s share of the project costs, about $270 million toward construction and about $17 million in annual operating costs, beginning in 2019.
The tax district, proposed by Supervisor Shawn Williams (R-Broad Run), would encompass commercial and undeveloped properties surrounding the Metro stations. The district is described as “hybrid,” because, under the plan, it would have multiple subsets: Properties within a half-mile of each Metro stop would pay a tax of 20 cents per $100 of assessed value; properties in the outer portions of the district would probably pay less than 20 cents per $100 of assessed value. The board also supported creating an airport district surrounding Dulles Airport, which could be used to fund operating costs after the county’s debt service for the project has been paid off.
Almost all existing residential property is excluded from the tax district, with the exception of 37 parcels. Future residential development within the tax district would be subject to rail taxes.
As soon as the county has drafted an ordinance to establish the tax district, the ordinance will be advertised, and county residents will have a chance to voice their opinions. A public input session will be scheduled no later than Nov. 1, officials said. The county might arrange for additional public input, they said.
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