Sunday, September 9, 2007

Tom Toles's Sept. 2 editorial cartoon showed a stranded traveler looking forlornly across an expanse of empty land, to an airport on the horizon. The traveler stands next to a large sign that says "Metro Dulles Rail Coming August, 2057." This depressing illustration could become a sad reality if the Federal Transit Administration does not recognize that the Silver Line to Dulles is not only an important part of the Washington area's transportation network but also a federal project that will serve the nation's capital.

Dulles International Airport was completed in 1962. Since then, the nearby planned community of Reston has made history with its mix of residential and employment opportunities. Thirty percent of Reston residents are able to work in the Dulles Corridor area, reflecting one of the key goals for which it was planned. And, just as Reston has grown successfully, the rest of the corridor has also developed with mixed use -- all in anticipation of rail. In 2000, the Dulles Corridor area boasted 205,000 jobs; it is projected to have 337,000 jobs in 2025.

Tysons Corner, Fairfax County's "downtown," is overdue for the rail infrastructure necessary to create a pedestrian-friendly urban center. The Tysons Corner and Dulles Corridor areas represent the largest employment center in Virginia. The airport itself employs more than 18,000 people. None of these jobs are served by rail. Not only are these jobs key to the corridor, but they also are part of the balance in serving those who travel to and from employment centers throughout Maryland, Northern Virginia and the District. Completion of the Silver Line would provide the Tysons and Dulles areas with a seamless link to the 106-mile Metrorail system, which recently carried a record 800,000-plus riders in July.

In 2005, Dulles airport served 27 million travelers. It is expected to eventually serve 55 million travelers a year, yet it remains the only airport in a major metropolitan area in the developed world that is not served by a rail line. The airport is not only important to our regional economy but also is a vital link in the global economy.

Should the Federal Transit Administration cancel the project, the future would indeed be as bleak as Toles's cartoon envisions. It is not only the forlorn traveler we must rescue; it is also Fairfax County and the region that need this project to remain a magnet for high-quality services for residents and businesses. With federal approval, the region could move forward into the confident future that so many have planned.

-- Cathy Hudgins

Fairfax

The writer, who represents Hunter Mill District on the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors, is chairman of the National Capital Region Transportation Planning Board and a member of the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority board.