The final pieces of a complex funding plan supporting relocation of the Virginia Railway Express (VRE) station in Crystal City could be falling into place.
Staff of the Northern Virginia Transportation Commission has proposed using incoming tolling revenue from Interstates 95/395 to cover nearly $19 million of the VRE project’s cost in several rounds of funding.
The proposal, which must be approved by the regional transportation body and then the Commonwealth Transportation Board, would allocate $10.8 million in “Commuter Choice” funding to the projection the 2024-25 timeframe and another $8 million in 2026-27.
That would be the last major chunk of funding necessary to move the station several hundred yards and create a platform that could serve two tracks in Crystal City.
That, in turn, would allow the station to be used for Amtrak service in addition to VRE service, and should VRE ever opt to provide two-way service during rush hour, would accommodate that, as well.
Currently, VRE service is one-way only: From the outer suburbs to Alexandria, Arlington and the District of Columbia in the morning, reversing the process in the afternoon.
Moving the station long has been in the planning stages, and also will allow for a pedestrian/bicycle bridge connecting the new station to Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport.
All told, Northern Virginia Transportation Commission staff recommended using $48 million from the Commuter Choice pot – the state’s share of tolling revenue from I-95/395 Express Lanes – to support 13 projects in fiscal 2024-25. The other one related to Arlington is a $5 million initiative to double rush-hour service on the 16M Metrobus line, which connects Skyline to Crystal City via Columbia Pike.
Public comment on the funding proposal is being accepted through May 15. For information, see the Website at https://novatransit.org/programs/commuterchoice/.
