Politics & Government

U.S. DOT to Review MWAA's Policies, Practices

Action comes at request of Wolf, Latham as agency finishes audit of Metro extension.

Starting next week, the U.S. Department of Transportation plans to analyze the “management policies and practices” of the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority at the request of congressmen Frank R. Wolf (R-VA-10) and Tom Latham (R-IA-4).

The move comes as the agency wraps up an audit of the first phase of the Metro’s Silver Line project to Dulles Airport. MWAA was granted control over that project, but recent disagreements with participating jurisdictions about whether to place the rail stop at Dulles underground, what type of labor will be used and who will pay for cost overruns on phase 2 have led to much finger pointing.

The federal government committed about $1 billion toward the cost of phase 1, but has long resisted a phase 2 contribution. The cost of phase 2, which would extend the phase 1 of the Silver Line from Wiehle Avenue to Ashburn, is estimated at $3.5 billion, or about $1 billion over initial estimates. Changing the station at Dulles to aerial, rather than subterranean, is estimated to cut at least $300 million of that additional cost, but the MWAA board of directors has pressed forward with the underground station. Initial cost estimates for the underground station were $600 million, but MWAA has estimated it could be done for $300 million.

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Virginia and Loudoun and Fairfax counties are the jurisdictions that have agreed to pay for the project’s second phase, but the standoff with MWAA over the rail station and whether to require project labor agreements, or unionized labor, have caused the government partners to reconsider. In addition, MWAA has indicated that overruns could be covered by raising fares along the Dulles Toll Road, a proposition opposed by Loudoun and Fairfax leaders. Significant tolls along the privately owned Dulles Greenway generate steady complaints from commuters, who must pay an additional toll to continue along the Dulles Toll Road.

The boards of supervisors from both counties, local business chambers, Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell and Virginia Sec. of Transportation Sean Connaughton have all urged MWAA to back off the underground station at the airport. More recently Virginia Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli weighed in, saying he hopes the project dies.

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In a letter to MWAA [see attached PDF], US DOT Inspector General Calvin L. Scovel III wrote that “recent decisions by the MWAA Board regarding the project have generated significant attention.” Scovel referred to Wolf’s and Latham’s request, which “stressed that the accountability and transparency of MWAA and its Board are important to ensure the success of the Dulles Corridor Metrorail Project.”

“Accordingly,” Scovel continued, “we plan to determine whether: (1) the policies and processes under which MWAA operates comply with the terms of the law and the lease between DOT and MWAA, and (2) MWAA’s policies and processes are sufficient to ensure accountability and transparency of its Board’s activities.”


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