Patricia Nicoson, president of the Dulles Corridor Rail Association, puts an optimistic spin on the recent decision by Gov. Timothy M. Kaine to pursue the “aerial” option rather than the “tunnel” option for the METRO rail extension through Tysons Corner. Many advocates of the project were dismayed by the decision because running the rail above ground would disrupt connectivity between destinations, making it all the more difficult to redevelop Tysons along the lines of a pedestrian-friendly business district.
In a column in the Reston Observer, Nicoson writes, running the rail line above ground provides a “challenge and an opportunity” to produce “memorable building designs serving as landmarks within Tysons Corner…. Thoughtful design and use of air rights could create a unique urban form at the four stations in Tysons, creating a sense of place missing today.”
A rail line hoisted on pylons need not necessarily interfere with the creation of a walkable street grid or “a public realm of plazas, parks, paths and open spaces.” As Tysons redevelops, she suggests, connectivity can be provided by means of pedestrian bridges.
As a bonus, Nicoson suggests, an elevated METRO line will create a better experience for passengers looking out the window. “An elevated line provides the opportunity to view Tysons as one travels through it, which ought to be an enjoyable experience for riders. … Many are likely to prefer an above-ground experience of rail to descending 80 or more feet below ground in a high-speed elevator to a train station in a tunnel.”
I can’t blame Nicoson for putting the best face on an unfortunate decision, which Gov. Kaine was forced to make or run the risk of losing federal funding for the project. But I’m not sure I’m buying it. As the saying goes, “Puttin’ lipstick on a hog don’t make it purdy.”
Note: See Ed Risse’s response by clicking on “comments.”