On April 30th Charlie Hall issued a press release on behalf of his supporters and Providence District residents, asking for a series of Town Halls to provide information and solicit public input.  No answer from the Board.

On May 2rd, the McLean Citizen's Association, on behalf of 26,000 households, issued a Resolution asking for an open public process.  No response.

On May 4th and again on May 10th, TysonsTunnel wrote to the Board on behalf of its 20,000 members, asking the same. No response.

I guess if we all jumped up and down together at the same time we might shake them up in their comfy chairs. 

Already, the Richter scale on public anger is off the charts.

so why have a public hearing?  The classic case was Frank Wolf not attending the Tysons Tunnel rally a few months ago because he was so upset that (cue the violins) everything he had worked for his whole life could go down the drain.  So sad.

Methinks Gerry C. is going to have this hanging over his head as he begins his quest for Congress and, if he wins, methinks voters will remember that it was his Board of Supervisors that let this pass ... as construction delays mount and project costs increase even more.

How one company, Bechtel, can so strongly influence such a major decision is amazing.

It's interesting to note that NYC is moving ahead with major expansion plans of its subway system....including new TUNNELS:

http://www.usatoday....

Hmmm...they can do tunnels in midtown Manhattan, but somehow, it's not possible in suburban Northern Virginia.

Smells like Bechtel has its hands deep in the governor's pocket...

Lowell, it is worse than you think.  Almost 2 years ago, when the transportation leaders feared the cost of $2.4 billion was too much money, they started proposing cost cutting actions.  One action was to replace the 1 mile tunnel with an aerial.  As reported in the Washington Post, by Peter Whoriskyey (Price Soars For Extension Of Metrorail Cuts to Be Sought. June 25, 2005, p. A01:

"Fairfax County Board of Supervisors Chairman Gerald E. Connolly (D) similarly said he was open to changes, even the idea of eliminating the tunnel through Tysons Corner. Engineers advocated construction of the tunnel, saying that placing the tracks above ground over a hill in the area would mean elevating them 50 feet or more in places -- a potentially unattractive structure in what boosters hope will become Northern Virginia's "downtown."

"We can live with that," Connolly said of eliminating the tunnel. "Getting this project done is essential to our future."

Now that the election is just over the horizon and 50,000 constituents want a tunnel does Connolly still hold that belief?

----- Original Message -----

I think the number who actually want the tunnel is an order of magnitude higher.

wants a tunnel.  So why can't our elected representatives make that happen, especially when it appears that a tunnel would be cheaper AND faster AND better for smart growth AND the popular option AND....

You think maybe they're listening to someone else (hint: $$$$$$$$$$$$$$) besides us?

Let's face it folks, there is really only one thing that we can do as citizens and that is with our vote. I think we must send a very strong message across party lines that ALL Fairfax County Superviors must be voted out of office no matter what party they are in. We can all complain and whine all we want but at the end of the day, if we don't vote these people out then what use is it. Imagine the powerful message that would be sent to the Fairfax and State politicians if all of them got booted out, you work for us!! They are going to do what they please and we as citizens must do the only thing that we can, VOTE!

Those who have followed the evolution of the current Dulles rail plan know that Fairfax Board Chairman Gerry Connolly has been the biggest proponent of the flawed elevated proposal. I personally saw him testify and then vote in favor of it.

And where was Linda Smyth, his appointee to the Planning Commission? As Connolly's hand-picked planner, it was her responsibility to advise him on the project's viability from a planning standpoint. As Providence Supervisor since 2004, Smyth has never said the El shouldn't be built.

All the experts are now saying that the El will be a disaster. As impossible as it sounds, it will actually make Tysons worse.

This elevated portion is in Providence District. Connolly and Smyth have been the Supervisors/Planning Commissioner during virtually the entire selection process. They are to blame for this catastrophe.

Citizens will drown in the cost over runs.  Well the cost of this ugly duckling has shot to 5.1 billion dollars with Fairfax citizens holding the bag.

It gets worse.  Not only will we have to pay for an ugly duckling, the Dulles Rail through Tysons will drown any hopes of a walkable community.

Smyth, Connolly, and the rest of the Board have not uttered a quack against the aerial, until the tysontunnel.org group came on the scene....thank heavens for the tysons tunnel group.

Now what is confusing to me is how can the Sierra Club endorse Linda Smyth and also come out in opposition to the aerial.  Smyth has always supported the aerial.  Sure she now says that she "prefers" the tunnel, but will she say, "Tunnel or not build."  What will Connolly tell Smyth to do?

Charlie Hall is the only one I hear saying "No EL!"

Smyth and Connolly have straddled the fence, reacting to the almost universal public outcry against the EL by paying lip service to support for the tunnel, but behind the scenes (and probably in their secret, closed door Board of Supervisor meetings) facilitating the EL.

Smyth and Connolly don't want to upset some of their biggest campaign contributors who want something, anything to justify the high density development in Tysons that will enrich them.

I don't live in Fairfax County so everything I say is just an observation. But because my friends and Chap Petersen's campaign I help out with I can say this.

I have been in Virginia for almost 2 years now, and I have seen very little done to improve the transportation issue. The tunnel has been talked about since then. Nothing.

I feel, if your elected leadership isn't giving you what the citzens demand you send them home.

Traffic is horrible, we need the Metro to come out further in Fairfax County. I am no expert at all this but it seems to me the people in places to do something about it aren't really doing much about it.

If Chairman Connolly is thinking about running for Congress next year, he better understand that if he doesn't help the people of Fairfax get what they want.

He's in trouble.