Dan Genz, The Examiner
2007-06-20 07:00:00.0
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Loudoun County -

Seven of nine Loudoun County supervisors gave their conditional approval to the controversial Dulles Corridor Metrorail Project on Tuesday, saying they intend to pay their $240 million share of its construction budget.

Three of the 11 stops on the proposed $5.14 billion railway would be in Loudoun County, connecting the fast-growing region with Metro’s Orange Line in Falls Church.

The vote did not commit the funding until after the Loudoun County Board reviews and approves the engineering report for the second phase of the railway construction in fiscal 2009.

The county is expected to raise the money in part through a county business tax.

The supervisors have included Dulles Rail in two consecutive five-year transportation plans and have long considered it both an economic development tool and a way to reduce traffic for commuters heading to major employment centers in Tysons Corner and Washington.

Developer Robert Buchanan urged the county to approve the project to help the county lure new corporations and federal agencies.

Without rail, Buchanan said, “We don’t have all those parts of the infrastructure that makes the decision to relocate your business a no-brainer.”

Opponent John Nicholas, also a developer, said it was too much money for the payoff.

“We float a $240 million bond,” Nicholas said, “and we’re going to get one more stop for 1,500 riders.”

dgenz@dcexaminer.com