Monday, April 2, 2012
The love story and deaths of the Fogelsville, Pa., couple are making headlines across the country.
The 60-year love story and deaths of former Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority Chairman Charles Snelling and his ailing wife, Adrienne, are making headlines from Tampa to Seattle for many reasons. The couple was found dead in their Fogelsville, Pa., home Thursday morning. Charles Snelling died of a gunshot wound, the Lehigh County coroner has ruled. His wife's cause of death is still under investigation. The college sweethearts were each 81. They are survived by five children and 11 grandchildren. The murder-suicide follows the deteriorating health of Adrienne, an accomplished fine arts photographer diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease six years ago. Charles Snelling wrote a poignant biographical column for the New York Times in 2011…
Monday, January 9, 2012
New line opens in 2013.
Construction of Phase 1 of the new subway line from Falls Church to Reston is 60 percent complete, according to an update from Dulles Metrorail, the folks building the new Silver Line. The tracks are being laid along some sections of the 11.8-mile route. The Silver Line will allow passenger to travel on the same train from downtown D.C. to McLean, Tysons Corner and Reston. The long-awaited and much debated new line is on schedule to open in late 2013. A highlight of the construction continues to be the ongoing construction of the tie-in for the Silver Line to the existing Orange Line which operates from Vienna, through Washington and into Maryland. Five things to know about the status of the construction: The project's first Traction Power…
Wednesday, December 22, 2010
All that construction probably won't change how bad the traffic is.
In this series, Patch looks at the Silver Line, Metro's largest expansion in its 34-year history. The Dulles Metrorail is expected to remove thousands of cars from Northern Virginia's roads and ease the daily gridlock that has come to characterize the region. But some question whether traffic will ever improve — even with the addition of the 23-mile Silver Line to the existing 106-mile Washington Metro system. "There are some parts of the country that would be glad to have traffic, because it indicates someone wants to get somewhere. It's better than depression," said Zachary Schrag, an associate history professor at George Mason University, who specializes in transportation issues. "No jobs, no traffic." Schrag said other metropolitan …
So many different groups have been involved with this "Virginia Megaproject." Here's a list of some the major players.
MWAA is managing the construction of phases one and two of the Dulles Corridor Metrorail Project. Online: www.dullesmetro.com www.metwashairports.com WMATA will assume control of the new silver line when construction is complete. Online: www.wmata.com VDOT and the Department of Rail and Public Transportation oversee all "Virginia Megaprojects." The departments also help coordinate lane closures associated with construction. Online: www.vamegaprojects.com Dulles Transit Partners is a partnership between Bechtel Infrastructure, Inc. and Washington Group International. These groups designed and are building phase one of the Dulles Metrorail. Online: www.dullestransitpartners.com
Tuesday, December 21, 2010
The cost of not building the Silver Line exceeds the $6.5 billion price tag, economists say.
In this series, Patch looks at the Silver Line, Metro's largest expansion in its 34-year history. When the Dulles Metrorail is fully up and running — probably sometime in 2016 — it will likely have cost a grand total of about $6.5 billion to build. And while some may balk at that price tag, several regional experts say this "megaproject" is vital to Northern Virginia's economic vitality. "Many people likely take the ongoing expansion of Northern Virginia for granted, given how vibrant the region's economy has been over time and is today. It has become an economic juggernaut," said Anirban Basu, the CEO of Sage Policy Group. But, Basu said, the daily gridlock that constantly clogs the region's major thoroughfares will have long-term …
Tracks will run above ground through Northern Virginia's largest employment hub.
Just a few years ago, McLean resident Scott Monett had 30,000 signatures and 1,700 businesses in favor of tunneling the entire length of the Silver Line Metro that will eventually run through Tysons Corner. But it wasn't enough. Although a small portion of the Dulles Metrorail will run underground at Tysons Corner, the majority of the railway will run on aerial tracks. It was a battle that Monett — and an organization he founded called Tysons Tunnel — lost. "(Cities) that have it below ground tend to development much nicer. You have a lot more freedom of planning. … You don't have to plan it around bridges," said Monett, the former chairman of the McLean Chamber of Commerce. "It just allows more creative and better land use." Monett argued…
Monday, December 20, 2010
In this series, Patch looks at the Silver Line, Metro’s largest expansion in its 34-year history.
If you live in the metropolitan Washington region or have ever driven out to Dulles International Airport, you've probably asked yourself at least one of these basic questions: Why is traffic so bad? What is all this construction? How much is all this road work costing taxpayers? From these questions has stemmed a three-part series on the Dulles Metrorail. Patch has taken a deeper look at several aspects of this Virginia "Megaproject" and will be rolling out articles, photos and a video this week on topics ranging from highway congestion to economic development — all related to the new metro line. "Silver Lining: Light at the End of the Track" Video: A Brief History of the Dulles Metrorail "Silver Lining: How Future Economic …
The end of the project is in sight, but the day passengers climb aboard isn’t.
In this series, Patch looks at the Silver Line, Metro's largest expansion in its 34-year history. The first 11.7-mile phase of the new Dulles Metrorail is scheduled for completion in less than three years, but there is no official prediction when the line will actually open for commuters. The Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority — which is managing the new Silver Line construction — says it cannot estimate an open-for-business date because safety tests will be conducted on the new rail after construction is finished and Metro employees must be trained to operate the new track. "At this point in time, we haven't worked out the details," said Pat Nowakowski, executive director of the Dulles Metrorail Corridor Project. The first phase …
Although construction only began in March 2009, this project's history dates back decades.
This video features recent construction photos from the various Dulles Metrorail project sites around Northern Virginia. For a comprehensive timeline of the project, visit the Dulles Corridor Metrorail Project's website. Article and Map: "Silver Lining: Light at the End of the Track"
Shaun Courtney
5:23 pm on Thursday, April 5, 2012
Jason, thanks for your input. more ›