Rising Tysons transportation costs take center stage, Capital Business, Washington Post, February 19, 2012

By Jonathan O'Connell, Published: February 19

Tysons Corner planners, landowners and developers have grappled for more than two years with how to pay for needed Tysons-wide transportation improvements.
That was when the expected cost was only $1.7 billion.

In January, state transportation officials broke the news to many Tysons stakeholders that the estimated costs for transportation improvements needed by 2030 had risen to $2.1 billion, up 24 percent from the 2009 estimates. The new estimate includes $300 million to widen Route 7 from the Dulles Toll Road to Reston Avenue, $126 million to extend Boone Boulevard from Route 123 to Ashgrove Lane and $94 million to widen Gallows Road from Route 7 to Prosperity Avenue.

In all, the new estimates call for $1.1 billion for road projects, $519 million for a grid of streets, $408 million for transit projects and $77 million for pedestrian access and bicycle improvements.   

Jahi Chikwendiu/The Washington Post - Construction of the Dulles Corridor Metrorail Project in Tysons Corner.

Even under the previous estimates, provided in 2009, landowners were struggling to agree on how large a share they were willing to pay.

The disagreement is largely because of a split in the group between those who already enjoy development rights under previous zoning guidelines and those who are seeking rights under the new plan for Tysons Corner. . . .

 For the rest of this article, click here.