Ravenwood - 08/11/05 07:30 AM
The cost estimate for the Tyson's Corner Metrorail extension has been trimmed 25% reports the Washington Post.
Engineers said they have reduced the estimated cost of the 11-mile Metrorail extension from $2.4 billion to $1.8 billion by shortening a proposed tunnel through Tysons Corner, altering the "architecturally significant" design of the columns supporting the elevated portions of the track and revising the design of stations.This would be great news, if just six weeks ago they hadn't increased the estimate 60%. They are still $300 Million above the original $1.5 Billion estimate. But in Washington, this is considered a cut. Given that daily ridership is only expected to increase by 15,100, that still works out to nearly $120,000 per rider.
Comments
Frankly, they could be $100 billion over budget for all I care - as long as they don't move the location of the first stop on the extension.
Right now, if the project is constructed acccording to current proposal, the first stop (closest to W. Falls Church) will be less than 1/4 mile from my townhouse and will increase its value at least $200k
Sure, it might be a bit selfish of me, but there ya go.
Posted by: countertop at August 11, 2005 10:55 AMIt sounds like it would be cheaper to buy each rider a new car and a hire a chauffeur.
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