Friday, January 25, 2008

Excerpts from a letter from Federal Transit Administration chief James S. Simpson to Virginia Gov. Timothy M. Kaine (D) regarding the Dulles rail project:

FTA is concerned that the cumulative risks and uncertainties that characterize the Dulles project in its current form are extremely likely to result in further cost escalation and schedule delays. Thus, the current Dulles Project does not appear to be a prudent investment under the New Starts program.

The Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority may in time be able to overcome some of the concerns . . . however, the sheer number and magnitude of the current project's technical, financial and institutional risks and uncertainties are unprecedented for a candidate New Starts project.

FTA also is deeply concerned that, because [Metro] faces significant, unresolved capital funding needs for maintaining the current system, the proposed extension to Metrorail may pose serious financial and operational challenges, and further strain the system.

The Dulles Project . . . has encountered an extraordinarily large set of challenges including . . . a dramatically escalating budget, delays in the development of the public-private contract, local dissension about the design of the project, and lawsuits.