Metro Rail - Public Outreac 5/24

I have been through this twice already and don't need to go for three.

I grew up in PG County, MD and I can tell you that all of the promised riches and conveniences of Metro are not true. The area I grew up was just a couple miles from the DC/MD line. The station at Ft. Totten was described as being any alternative to driving on North Capitol St., Riggs Rd. and New Hampshire Ave. but, to get to the station you had to drive on these roads. So that benefit was false to begin with. You could take a bus that stopped 2 or 3 times on a block for the couple of miles needed. The 10 minute ride to the station took about 30 minutes when taking the bus. The parking at the station was very limited and the traffic lights were not setup to handle the volume of traffic in and around the station. Also, the "kiss and ride" lane was really a "park and wait" lane in the afternoon. The proposed increases in property value did not extend to the areas over a mile away. The homes in the area near the Metro increased slightly, but with some abandoned homes being sold for $10,000 (if you could prove you had the funds available to restore them) the values could only go up.

Now when the West Hyattsville station opened, the same promises were made and again they fell short of expectations. The homes within walking distance did increase slightly, but a lot of the region had apartments. The rent went up in the apartments and the monies received did not improve the grounds or services for the renters. The local businesses were told to expect increased customers, the only store that saw an increase was the liquor store that had a drive-in window. The sales picked up before and after work during the week and was normal on the weekend. However, this profits gained were turned back into paying for the higher rent. I had two friends whose parents owned businesses (restaurant and Optician) 2 blocks away from the station. They did not see any increase in customers and only saw the rent increase. Each one of them sold the business and only the Optician opened a new store (about 5 miles away). Both of them had been at their locations for many, many years and when they left the places were vacant for a while.

One thing that did increase were the number of homeless who were always around the stations. I realize the PG county is different from the makeup of Loudoun and that doesn't mean the same will happen here, but I am only stating what I saw, so there is no need to tell me I am trying to add to the fears of Metro coming.

I don't need to take Metro to get to work, nor the toll road so the increases in tolls, etc. do not have an effect on me. Also, I wouldn't take it in and out of DC as I like to drive to the stadiums, museums, and monuments. But the property tax increase does and that I will fight that fight. I don't see the benefit of extending the line past the Airport but I still look at the data for the extension and if I see a benefit then maybe I will change my point of view.

So for all of you for the Metro be careful of what you wish for.

 

The Ft Totten vs Loudoun comparison is false from the start (and you essentially acknowledge as much near the end of your post).

 

Correct, if I was comparing Ft. Totten. But, the comparison was for the West Hyattsville station. The reason for the "disclaimer" was the cost of housing and average income of the two locations.

 

Comparing Loudoun to PG County doesn't really work either. Our educational attainment is nearly twice that of PG (just under 60% vs just over 30%). In other words, in terms of "promised riches", if I were a business looking to relocate somewhere in this area, Loudoun looks pretty darn good if it puts me smack in the middle of a qualified workforce and has an additional transportation option for employees to commute from the east, along with low crime. Of course an area with significant existing problems isn't going to be fixed by Metro. But Metro can add an extra reason for companies to look at an area where one of the only major issues is lack of transportation options.

 

You are comparing them to current standards. Now compare Loudoun circa 1970/80's to PG County 70/80's and PG was a more desirable location. Gov't. agencies were moving to PG at that time and the the Univ of MD was growing as well. PG during that timeframe wasn't a bad area that it is currently. You have no idea how Ashburn will be in 30 years and neither do I, but I wouldn't have guessed the my old stomping ground would be in the news almost nightly for a deadly shooting or other violence.

Back to Loudoun, when you look at the roads that will lead to the Metro and the proposed vehicle traffic that will come with it, you also must include the traffic that will be coming if they ever build the George Mason campus. I see stores and offices all around Ashburn that are vacant and don't see them going away when Metro arrives. Add in the office space and traffic when the Loudoun One development is completed and I think it will be more of the same.

 

Re: Metro Rail - Public Outreach 5/24

Why don't they make the free Dulles Airport Access Road a Hot Lane Road to help fund phase 2 of the Silver Line? Or add a small fee to airline tickets? I remember driving east on the Dulles Toll Road a couple of weeks ago between about 9:50 a.m. and 11:00 a.m. after it had been backed up for hours due to a serious accident. Few cars were on the access road at that time. The cars that were there sped by for free while those of us on the toll road paid to sit in gridlock.

 

Re: Metro Rail - Public Outreach 5/24

Maybe because the Dulles access road was built solely for the purpose of getting people to and from their flights efficiently. Those cars that were on there for "free" were using it to get to and from the airport, not commute (except for the ones that risk getting caught doing that). Sorry, but your argument doesn't make sense. That road if I remember correctly is owned and maintained by the airports authority.

 

I also grew up in PG county. You can't compare the two, even in the 70's and 80's (I graduated from Friendly HS in '78 so I know well what the area was like then).

Everyone I knew either worked for the Federal Gov or military (based at Andrews mainly). We all wanted metro out to southern PG but it wasn't built til years later. I know my father and many of our neighbors would have loved having that option. The bus system in PG has also been 100% better than Loudoun because they had metro stops everywhere which we don't have anything like that at all here. I used to walk about 1/2 mile to Allentown Rd to catch the bus when I worked downtown while I was in college. Also, commuting into DC from PG is much closer and we had a LOT less traffic than Loudoun does.

No, PG wasn't as bad then as now, but Loudoun is a LOT better than PG ever was. But, the demographics of PG were always different than the demographics in Loudoun. Most of the problems that turned PG into what it is came out of SE DC moving out to the "burbs" where housing was cheap and the commute into DC was short for those that worked there. That is not the situation with Loudoun.

 

From today's edition of Ashburn Today p.12:

"My area is particularly pro-rail. Would they be willing to shoulder a greater burden to pay for it? Perhaps", Shawn Williams said.

WTF! With the doubling of DTR tolls to $4.50 each way, my commute to work will already increase by $1200/year, adding in additional use by my wife and kids will bump this to $1500 per year. Am I also willing to pay more via an additional tax on my property? No way. If Mr. Williams' forecast of increased property values is true, I will already be forced to pay additional property tax. So a special taxing district is a double dip! The increase in property value does not put any more money in my pocket to pay these additional taxes until I sell.

-Jim

 

From Leesburg Today: http://www.leesburgtoday.com/opinion/letters/article_1a05fb9a-a279-11e1-af48-0019bb2963f4.html

"A little research on who Dr. Fuller also represents produced a list from his GMU bio webpage. His past and current positions include: NAIOP Distinguished Fellow from 2001 through 2008 (trade association for developers, owners and investors in industrial, office and related commercial real estate), CFO Advisory Group of the District of Columbia (DC wants to milk the Loudoun Cash Cow), Board of Directors of the Global Environment and Technology Foundation (globalist environmental lobbyists focused on “Sustainable Development” such as Moorefield Station and other Transit Oriented Development (TOD), Board of Directors of Tompkins Builders Inc. (specializing in high-end condominiums and massive government buildings), Economic advisor to Fairfax County, VA (Fairfax wants to milk the Loudoun Cash Cow), Board of Directors of the Fairfax County Convention and Visitors Authority (FCCVA wants their visitors to have rail access to the airport), Cardinal Bank Chief Economist (Cardinal Bank has financial ties to Comstock Properties).

It is clear that Dr. Fuller represents the pro-rail lobby, particularly those with investment interests and those with a globalist environmental agenda. A Republican Board of Supervisors elected on a platform of being limited-government conservatives shouldn't listen to any of his advice."

-Jim

 

Where we live is over two miles from the nearest station - yet we're still included in the proposed two mile tax district. I'd like an explanation of how that works.

I'm not interested at all in paying extra taxes for having made the decision 12 years ago to move here in order to be CLOSER to our jobs.

 

Or maybe all those items demonstrate that dr fuller is experienced

 

Doubtful!

Where is the "LIKE" button. I have to agree after reading this article this morning I to have no desire to pay a METRO tax either. Im already paying that on the TOLL (METRO TAX) ROAD as it is. I wonder how many folks realize they are in the 1 or 2 mile "proposed tax districts" - That might change a few minds....

If rail is sooooo good for the County then the County needs to pay for it - the WHOLE county. This is exactly how we got screwed with the toll road funding option. The argument that as a rider on the toll road I will somehow receive great benefit from Metro and therefore should pay for it. The phrase - "good for the region" is used all the time - but the region aint paying for it - I am - over and over and over.

Many years from now someone will due a study of how this was the biggest debacle in transportation history and I only wish that we could hold those responsible for the mess accountable. Sadly those that got us into this mess will be long gone - While I will paying $25 to get to work every day!

I can only hope the plaintiff's prevail in this case!

 

I would hope that, if people are feeling strongly about this issue one way or another, they would be contacting their representatives at bos@loudoun.gov.

I know many people who are pro-metro but want the county to find alternate ways to pay for it other than taxing people within two miles. It's the funding proposals that I have the most issues with.

 

Re: Metro Rail - Public Outreach 5/24

Well ... I'm thinking that at this point it shouldn't matter that "the Dulles access road was built solely for the purpose of getting people to and from their flights efficiently." It is an under-utilized road. People could still get to and from their flights efficiently (or to and from other locations efficiently) if it were a Hot Lane road (with tolls adjusted in real time to manage traffic flow). The tolls could be used to fund phase 2 of the Silver Line, which would in turn help people get to and from their flights efficiently by giving them another option to do so and by taking more cars of the roads.

 

I am so sick of eastern Loudoun having to pay more to keep western Loudoun happy. It is complete and utter bulldoodoo that this continues to happen. Regardless of whether the politician has an "R" or a "D" next to their name. This whole thing about the tax districts is to buy the votes of Clarke and Higgins. Someone needs to remind Clarke that 1/2 her district is in the east. It's also where all the growth in her district will occur.
With any luck, all nine members of the next Board will live east if RTE 15. Then we can get some new agricultural taxes and taxes on lots greater than 5 acres increased. And maybe some "view" taxes. We can get western Loudoun to start paying for eastern Loudoun!!

 

Re: Metro Rail - Public Outreach 5/24

Like!!!!

 

@Jim and Brian,
It was a very frustrating meeting. There are so many unknowns, way too many to figure out by July 4. The BoS are under pressure to approve this, and 'they' say that 80% of county residents approve, but I never got polled. I have found some startling statistics in the last 2 days. None of this 2 mile rail makes any sense. Any nobody can prove that prop values will increase. I think the opposite will happen bc Broadlands will no longer be the greenspace it once was. Furthermore, try to sell your house having to disclose the OpenBand servitude and the Metro Tax forever and ever, amen. Add a small ticket tax to every flyer at Dulles, add a small toll to the free lanes. This should pay for a chunk. Business owners said they would pay, but dollars to donuts they don't put their $ where their mouth is. Plus, they'll just jack up prices and pass it on to us. And of course the RE agents, the home builders, and the construction companies are all for this!! Just how many more jobs can Home Depot create? I hear it's a hoppin' night spot too! I'm losing my mind at how smart people can be so bamboozled.