HR 55
112th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 55
To authorize alternatives analysis and preliminary engineering for
new Metrorail capital projects in Northern Virginia and surrounding areas.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
January 5, 2011
Mr. CONNOLLY of Virginia (for himself and Mr. MORAN) introduced the following
bill; which was referred to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure
A BILL
To authorize alternatives analysis and preliminary engineering for
new Metrorail capital projects in Northern Virginia and surrounding areas.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United
States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the `Northern Virginia Metrorail Extension Act of
2011'.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS.
Congress finds the following:
(1) The Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (Metro) maintains
the second largest rail network (Metrorail) in the Nation.
(2) Local governments in Northern Virginia have led efforts to extend Metrorail
service, and any future Metrorail extension will be provided only with their
collaboration, consistent with local planning objectives.
(3) More than 120,000 Federal employees ride Metro to work.
(4) Metro takes 580,000 cars off the road each day, eliminating the need
for 1,400 lane miles of highway and eliminating 1 million tons of greenhouse
gas emissions annually.
(5) Metrorail stations enable transit-oriented development, which is critical
to protecting open space regionally.
(6) Metro stimulates economic growth.
(7) Real estate near Metrorail stations is worth in excess of $25 billion.
(8) The Virginia Department of Transportation and Department of Rail and
Public Transit completed a Major Investment Study that concluded that a
multimodal transportation strategy is required to accommodate projected
travel demand in Virginia along Interstate Route 66 from Interstate Route
495 to Haymarket, the area to be served by the proposed Orange Line Metrorail
extension.
(9) The population of the area to be served by the proposed Orange Line
extension is expected to be 681,000 individuals by 2025, while employment
in the area is projected to increase to 362,000 individuals by that date.
(10) As a result of military base realignments and closures, thousands of
jobs will shift from the area of Crystal City, Virginia, which is served
by Metrorail, to Fort Belvoir, Virginia, and its engineering proving ground,
which are not served by Metrorail.
(11) Despite recent road improvements, including the Springfield Mixing
Bowl, Interstate Route 495 continues to experience congestion at both Potomac
River crossings during normal rush hours.
(12) It is critical that extensions of transit service are coordinated with
local land use planning, including the use of smart growth principles and
transit-oriented development.
SEC. 3. PROJECT AUTHORIZATIONS FOR NEW FIXED GUIDEWAY CAPITAL PROJECTS.
(a) Alternatives Analysis- The following project is authorized for alternatives
analysis under section 5339 of title 49, United States Code: Northern Virginia--Metrorail
Purple Line extension.
(b) Preliminary Engineering- The following projects are authorized for preliminary
engineering under section 5309(m)(2)(A) of such title:
(1) Northern Virginia--Extension of Metrorail Blue Line.
(2) Northern Virginia--Extension of Metrorail Orange Line to Centreville.
(3) Northern Virginia--Extension of Metrorail Yellow Line.
(4) Virginia, District of Columbia, Maryland--Metrorail capacity expansion.
END
