Succumbing to public pressure, the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority (MWAA) has back-peddled on its plan to build an underground rail station as part of the Rail-to-Dulles Metro rail extension. That will chop about $300 million off the $3.8 million price tag for Phase 2 of the project. But negotiations continue between federal, state and local authorities on what still needs cutting and how to pay for what remains. (See the WaPo account here.)
The MWAA board endorsed the framework of a deal brokered by U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood. It’s not clear from any of the reporting that I’ve seen whether that includes pushing for maximum competition in the construction bids by eliminating the requirement for a union-shop Project Labor Agreement. That move could potentially save another $300 million.
— James A. Bacon
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