Transit, Road, & Infrastructure Upgrades: Who Pays in Tysons Corner?

Those of us who live and work in Tysons Corner are fully aware of the traffic congestion. Sadly, the traffic situation has only gotten worse with the construction of the Metrorails four substations and the High-Occupancy Toll Lanes… HOT project construction. Both of these projects, when completed, will help ease traffic congestion. However, with all of the future growth planned for Tysons Corner, a long term traffic and infrastructure solution must be found to keep up with this growth. The question is who will be paying for Tysons Corner’s road and transit upgrade and infrastructure requirements that will come with this growth?

It is estimated that it will cost $1.7 billion and take approximately 20 years to make the road and transit upgrades. We will need to widen roads, make buses more accessible, and build an urban street grid.

Fairfax County officials are suggesting that Fairfax County residents pay $706 million for the road and transit upgrades. This would mean that tax payers would be burdened with 42% of the cost to fund this project. The remaining balance of $991 million, or 58%, would be funded by developers.

Needless to say, the McLean Citizens Association feels this is an unfair burden to tax payers. They highly recommended to the Fairfax County supervisors that an equitable split would be 75% to the developers and 25% to the taxpayers for the road and transit upgrades.

This is only the beginning. It is anticipated that Tysons Corner’s growth will increase jobs by 71%...from 113,000 to 193,000 jobs. The majority of this growth is anticipated by 2030 and expected to continue through 2050. In addition, residents of Tysons Corner are projected to grow from 18,500 to 193,000…this represents a 500% increase in residents. Again, the majority of this growth is anticipated by 2030 and expected to continue through 2050.

With this anticipated growth comes a required need for additional infrastructure to support this growth. We will need more police, firefighters, and emergency services to protect our citizens. Our children will need parks, playing fields, libraries, and schools. We must also account for sewage and water expansion.

The McLean Citizens Association pointed out that it is the developers that are causing the need for the additional infrastructes required to keep up with Tysons Corner’s anticipated growth; therefore, the developers should pay their fair share. It was recommended that 75% of these costs be absorbed by the developers and 25% by the taxpayers.

It is essential that road, transit, and infrastructures be considered very carefully in order to sustain a city’s successful growth; and, financial costs should be allocated fairly to prevent a disproportional burden to tax payers.

In the meantime, until the HOT project is completed in 2012 and the Metrorail substations are completed in 2013, some solutions to ease your current commute to and from work are offered by Virginia Mega Projects . Make sure you watch the video by Velma Booth, Senior Associate at Booz Allen Hamilton.

Currently, lunch hour traffic in Tysons Corner has been referred to as the third rush hour. There are several work-arounds. On those stressful days when you don’t want to fight traffic, have your lunch delivered by one of Tysons Corner’s many fine restaurants that deliver lunch to your office. (Just order early.) Or, why not walk to a nearby restaurant?

I am Jeff Wu and I can assist you with all of your real estate needs in Fairfax County. If you are planning on selling your house or purchasing a home in Tysons Corner, Vienna or McLean, please contact me at Agent Knows Homes.