The WMATA Board Takes the Gloves Off
Well, it was bound to happen eventually. WMATA's long history of regional cooperation may well be nearing an end. Encouraged by Herndon's recent torpedoing of the financing plan for the Dulles extension, Maryland's representative on Metro's board of directors said the will refuse to pay its share of the operating costs for the line. According to the Washington Post Ehrlich administration appointee Robert J. Smith "said the Republican administration that took office in January believes bus rapid transit is a cheaper and faster solution to the region's transit needs."
Smith went on to call Fairfax leaders "rather negligent" for pushing the Metro extension. Smith's statement prompted a terse response from Virginia's Metro representatives. Again, the Post:
"Across the river, T. Dana Kauffman, a Fairfax supervisor who represents the county on the Metro board, unleashed a sharp retort. "I continue to be amazed at Mr. Smith's understanding of the price of everything and the value of nothing," Kauffman said. "This is a state priority project, not just a Fairfax project. He's picked a bad fight."
The Ehrlich administration is promoting buses because it favors roads over rail, Kauffman said. "Many of us don't buy into their current love affair with anything asphalt," he said."
Smith wants to change the complicated current funding structure, in place since 1976. This prompted another Virginia representative to Metro to issue a not-so-veiled threat to Maryland, saying, "Virginia is always open to discussing funding formulas, but far more of the long routes today are in Maryland than they are in Virginia. Bob [Smith] may want to be a little careful what he asks for. It may be time for everyone to have a tutorial on how the formula works."
In short, it seems that none of us will be seeing rail to Dulles in our lifetime.
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cs | 10:25 AM |
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