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12/26/2019
The Virginia Railway Express (VRE) Operations Board last week announced it agreed to consider making a financial contribution to a second rail crossing over the Potomac River.
Preliminary discussions between VRE and Virginia’s Department of Rail and Public Transportation (DRPT) have identified the possibility of debt issuance and pay-as-you-go contributions to help fund the $1.9 billion bridge, VRE officials said in a press release.
The bridge is part of a $3.7 billion package of rail improvements announced last week that includes a fourth track between Crystal City and Alexandria, a third track between Franconia and Lorton, a Franconia-to-Springfield bypass for passenger trains, and six sidings to allow trains to pass.
An initial contribution of more than $100 million could come from a debt issuance backed by the Commuter Rail Operating and Capital (C-ROC) fund, which provides VRE with $15 million annually.
“The board believes that C-ROC funds should be used for transformative and capacity-enhancing projects,” said Operations Board Chair Katie Cristol. “There is nothing that will transform VRE more than a new bridge dedicated to passenger rail, which will allow us to increase service by as much as 75 percent and significantly improve reliability.”
VRE also will explore additional pay-as-you-go contributions of C-ROC monies during bridge design and construction. The earliest VRE would begin contributing to the new rail bridge is fiscal-year 2022.
The improvements would separate freight and passenger rail in the congested Interstate 95 corridor, officials said.
VRE provides commuter passenger-rail service in North Virginia and Washington D.C. The railway is a transportation partnership made up of the Northern Virginia and Potomac & Rappahannock Transportation commissions.