Commuter, Passenger and Freight Rail

Commuter, Passenger and Freight Rail

Listen to C100 Vice-Chair Monte Edwards discuss the need for a Rail Plan that encompasses commuter, passenger and freight rail on The Kojo Nnamdi Show.  You can hear his remarks here.  His remarks begin approximately 37 minutes into the show.

Documents

icon C100 Follow-up To July 7 NCPC Testimony
July 13, 2022, Monte Edwards
This letter to D.C. Council Chairman Mendelson was sent in response to the Chairman’s inquiry concerning certain details of trains and tracks raised during the July 7th NCPC hearing on the Union Station Expansion project.  
icon C100 Testimony Before NCPC 7Jul22 Washington Union Station Expansion Project
July 10, 2022, Monte Edwards
C100 comments presented before the NCPC during its July 7, 2022 review of the Revised Concept Plan for Union Station. 
icon C100 Comments Long Bridge Project Wetlands Protection
June 18, 2020, Kirby Vining

The Committee of 100 on the Federal City offers these comments and recommendations concerning National Park Service (NPS)’s May 21, 2020 STATEMENT OF FINDINGS FOR EXECUTIVE ORDER 11990 (PROTECTION OF WETLANDS), Long Bridge Project Environmental Impact Statement. The Statement of Findings announced that the NPS has determined that the new Long Bridge construction would adversely impact wetlands within the Long Bridge Project Area, and recommends mitigation.

icon C100 Comments Long Bridge
January 9, 2019, James Smailes, Monte Edwards, & Meg Maguire
The Committee views the Long Bridge Project as a vital transportation and urban development project to meet the increased freight and passenger/commuter needs of our growing region, providing alternatives to truck deliveries and vehicular congestion in the region. However, as we have expressed in prior comments on this Project, we believe that there are significant flaws in data projections leading to an underestimation of needed capacity and a failure to consider alternatives to meet that capacity.
icon Comments On The Scoping Of The Long Bridge EIS
October 13, 2016, Nancy MacWood/Monte Edwards
The Committee views the Long Bridge Environmental Impact Study as a critical transportation and urban development project that can result in increased transportation options for the Nation’s Capital that will be sorely needed as the City and the Region continue to grow. The comments that follow reflect our concern that increased attention must be given to rail transportation in providing for increased personal and business travel in the region. We also recognize the need for adequate and safe freight transportation in and through the Region and suggest new ways that passenger and freight rail may be accommodated.
icon Transmittal Letter FRA On Long Bridge Comments
October 13, 2016, Nancy MacWood
Transmittal letter to Federal Highway Administration accompanying C100 comments on the scoping of the Long Bridge EIS.
icon C100 Transmittal Letter To DDOT With Long Bridge Comments
October 13, 2016, Nancy MacWood
C100 transmittal letter accompanying comments on the scoping of the Long Bridge EIS.
icon C100 Letter DDOT Long Bridge
February 22, 2016, Sarah Campbell
The Committee of 100 has reviewed the materials presented at the public meeting and we have concerns about the shared SW tracks and the number of cross-river train trips attributed to CSX.
icon DDOT Oversight Testimony
March 6, 2015, Monte Edwards
First, let me compliment Acting Director Lief Dormsjo for his refreshing testimony at the February 4 hearing on Streetcar Propulsion Technology.  He acknowledged that DDOT has approached streetcars on an “ad hoc and inconsistent manner” and promised to take an unbiased approach to non-overhead wire propulsion technology.
icon DDOT Oversight Hearing Testimony
March 6, 2015, Meg Maguire
We appreciate the opportunity to offer our support to Leif Dormsjo as he assumes his responsibilities as Director of the District Department of Transportation. His job is one of the most challenging in city government, especially when staff and citizens are confused and dispirited about many transportation issues.
icon Memorandum Of Points And Authorities
November 12, 2014, Les Alderman, III
icon Proposed Order
November 12, 2014, Les Alderman, III
icon Motion For Preliminary Injunction
November 12, 2014, Les Alderman, III
icon 2014-11-12 C100 Virginia Avenue Tunnel Complaint
November 12, 2014, Les Alderman, III
This document contains the full text of the complaint filed by The Committee of 100 on the Federal City challenging approval of CSX twin tunnels in Federal Court and asking that no permits be issued.
icon 2014-11-11 C100 Press Release VA Ave Tunnel Lawsuit
November 11, 2014, Monte Edwards
icon C100 Lawyer Letter To FHWA DDOT
September 11, 2014, Alderman Devorsetz and Hora
"Chief among our concerns is evidence that the District of Columbia Department of Transportation (DDOT) prejudged the outcome of the FEIS and entered into several agreements with CSXT that rewarded DDOT for ensuring that the FEIS endorsed one of the “build alternatives” – each of which involve enlarging the current Virginia Avenue Tunnel."
icon Exhibit 6 (revised Occupancy Permit)
March 30, 2014, 
icon Exhibit 5 (10-29-13 Amendment To 12-21-12 Term Sheet)
October 29, 2013, 
icon Exhibit 4 (Permit And Terms Thereof)
December 21, 2012, 
icon Exhibit 3 -- 12-21-12 Term Sheet)
December 21, 2012, 
icon Exhibit 2 4-21-14 Amendment To 8-23-10 MOA
April 21, 2014, 
icon Exhibit 1 Memorandum Of Agreement
August 23, 2010, 
icon C100 Testimony Council Oversight Hearing VAT FEIS
August 26, 2014, Monte Edwards
C100's testimony describes the Committee of 100’s concerns about the Virginia Avenue Tunnel FEIS and the practical implications of a statement that fails to meet the requirements of District and federal law. Given these deficiencies, C100 strongly recommends that the requisite DDOT and FHWA permits for tunnel expansion not be issued until a supplemental EIS is written, based on a thorough assessment of freight, passenger and commuter rail alternatives under the recently authorized DC Rail Plan.
icon C100 PR VAT Council Please Stop
August 26, 2014, Monte Edwards
The Committee on the Federal City (C100) is asking the DC Council to pass legislation to prohibit the issuance of any permits for the new, expanded CSX Tunnel in southeast until the Council completes its DC Rail Plan and DDOT and FHWA issue a Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement (SEIS) that takes the analysis into account.
icon C100 Letter DDOT Long Bridge Study
January 7, 2014, Monte Edwards
the fact that the study area extends from the Alexandria Metro Station on the Virginia side to the L’Enfant rail station on the District of Columbia side, a distance of about 8 miles. This should provide an opportunity to evaluate alternative river-crossing locations that would hopefully be able to separate commuter and passenger from freight rail operations.
icon C100 Letter Mayor Gray VAT EIS
June 26, 2014, Monte Edwards
We are writing with deep concern that the D.C. Department of Transportation (DDOT) is not in compliance with its own environmental laws, in particular the requirement for DDOT's independent assessment of the DC-specific aspects of this project.
icon C100 VAT FEIS FHA Transmittal Letter
August 14, 2014, Monte Edwards
icon 2014-08-14 C100 Comments VAT FEIS
August 14, 2014, Monte Edwards
The Committee of 100 recommends that the Record of Decision address the deficiencies described in these comments and that the Federal Highway Administration and the District Department of Transportation adopt the No-Build Option until such time as the DC Rail Plan  can be completed and the ability to separate freight from commuter and passenger rail can be fully evaluated, as well as options to accomplish that separation, including the Shepherds Branch rerouting option.
icon Mendelson-Cheh Letter To DDOT Re CSX VAT Project
July 24, 2014, Phil Mendelson & Mary Cheh
Council Chairman Phil Mendelson and Ward 3 Councilmember Mary Cheh have requested that DDOT postpone issuing any approvals or permits for the Virginia Avenue Tunnel Project or providing the Record of Decision for the proposal until September 15, 2014. This will allow the Council to hold a hearing on August 26 and consider DDOT’s answers and the public testimony on the CSX proposal.
icon C100 Testimony Comm On Public Works MoveDC FreightTransit
June 27, 2014, Monte Edwards
Unless the moveDC Plan includes the potential of commuter rail to provide a practicable alternative to Metrobus, Metrorail and vehicular commuting it will not be worth the paper on which it is written.
icon C100 Testimony DC Council VA Ave Tunnel EIS
April 30, 2014, Monte Edwards
The Committee of 100 recommends a solution with advantages for all parties to increase future rail capacity: separate commuter and passenger rail from freight rail by providing an additional Potomac River rail crossing for freight, and dedicate a rebuilt Long Bridge to commuter and passenger rail.
icon 2014-03-21 C100 Testimony Before Council Regarding DDOT Oversight
March 21, 2014, Monte Edwards
The Committee of 100’s recommends that a comprehensive freight, passenger and commuter Rail Plan for the District of Columbia be developed.  Currently, we are the only state without a Rail Plan, yet we are a growing hub for all kinds of rail transportation. A Rail Plan would help coordinate and plan for implementation of rail projects in the context of other DC issues, such as alternatives to automobile commuting, auto congestion, air quality, parking.
icon C100 Supplemental Comments Requesting A CSX Rerouting VA Ave Tunnel
February 27, 2014, Monte Edwards
The alternative routing analysis in the DEIS is based on erroneous, false, and misleading information, which has precluded the meaningful alternatives analysis necessary under NEPA.  Pursuant to 40 C.F.R. § 1502.9(a), a revised DEIS is required, as well as a revised Appendix B.  The revised Appendix B should be prepared by an independent rail consultant with NEPA experience. Further, because the DEIS accepted the information contained in Appendix B without verifying its accuracy, that same independent consultant (someone different from Parsons Brinckerhoff) should prepare the revised DEIS.
icon C100 Comments On Draft 106 Va Ave Tunnel
February 11, 2014, Monte Edwards
The purpose of the Section 106 process is to assess adverse impacts on historic properties and if those adverse effects cannot be avoided, to agree on how to mitigate the adverse effects. The MOA is supposed to be the agreement of the parties about how to accomplish that mitigation. But, as demonstrated in these comments, the adverse effects can be identified, but studies are required to quantify the adverse effects so that they can be avoided or appropriate mitigation can be designed. Until the studies requested above have been accomplished, mitigation cannot be addressed in a MOA.
icon C100 Letter To DOT Sec Foxx VA Ave Tunnel
January 28, 2014, Monte Edwards
C100 writes to express concern about the long-term adverse effects that CSX’s proposed expansion of the Virginia Avenue Tunnel would have on commuter and passenger rail operations to the detriment of D.C. and the region.
icon C100 Letter to Mayor Gray VA Ave Tunnel
January 21, 2014, Monte Edwards
C100 believes that CSX’s Virginia Avenue Tunnel project will preclude future needed increases in passenger and commuter rail service for Washington for the following reasons.
icon C100 Letter Commenting On EPA VAT DEIS Comments
December 3, 2013, Monte Edwards
icon 2013-09 EPA Region III Va Ave Tunnel DEIS Comment
September 25, 2013, 
icon 2013-09-25 DC Office Of Planning Va Ave Tunnel DEIS Comment
September 25, 2013, DC Office of Planning
icon C100 Comments VA Tunnel Draft EIS
September 25, 2013, Monte Edwards
The Committee of 100 recommends that the Virginia Avenue Tunnel draft EIS be revised to address a number of deficiencies, and that the DC Department of Transportation and the Federal Highway Administration adopt the No-Build Option until such time as the draft EIS can be substantially revised to adequately consider serious operational and physical concerns and consider the short- and long-term benefits of the separation of freight from commuter and passenger rail service.
icon 2013-09-23 VRE Va Ave Tunnel DEIS Comment
September 23, 2013, Virginia Railway Express
icon 2013-09-23 Dept Of Interior Va Ave Tunnel DEIS Comment
September 23, 2013, Department of the Interior
icon 2013-08-23 WASA Va Ave Tunnel DEIS Comment
August 23, 2013, WASA
icon C100 Comments Metro Wash Council Of Goverments Commuter Rail
May 15, 2013, Monte Edwards
We can't solve our car problem unless we find a different way to get lots of people in and out of the city to work everyday. The congestion of the streets and bridges because of automobiles, trucks and buses is painfully obvious, and Metro is at or near capacity. By removing the constraints now imposed on commuter and passenger rail, we can move a lot more people into and out of the city. The major constraint is the combined freight and passenger/commuter rail operations in Southwest together with the capacity limitations of a single rail river crossing that today precludes any increase in the amount of commuter traffic. In the future, that problem will be greatly magnified, and we know additional commuter rail capacity will be needed.
icon C100 Testimony DC Council DDOT Budget Re Commuter Rail
April 26, 2013, Monte Edwards
DDOT’s budget needs to include sufficient funding to focus on how to separate passenger and freight rail operation in Southwest and how to provide an additional Potomac River rail crossing. In addition, MoveDC also needs to address how to separate passenger and freight rail operation in Southwest and how to provide an additional Potomac River rail crossing.
icon C100 Comments DDOT Performance Oversight regarding Mass Transit Issues
March 4, 2013, Monte Edwards
• DC needs more and better mass transit – a well-maintained and functional Metro system, more buses, and streetcars to connect the city and support investor confidence to invest in underserved neighborhoods.
• The transit system must have good facilities for maintenance, vehicle storage, servicing and repair, and they should be significant contributors to civic architecture, just as the car barns of over 100 years ago were.
• The modern, industrial style sites, as currently contemplated, are not popular in residential neighborhoods.
• The city should properly design and equitably site these facilities in all wards so that Ward 5 doesn’t become a dumping ground just because it has the most industrial land.
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