Kaine Plan Could Ease Rail, Bus Commutes

So reports Steven Ginsburg in the various Virginia Extra sections of the Washington Post, about the transportation proposals from Virginia Governor Timothy Kaine. From the article:

The plan the governor has submitted to the General Assembly would more than double the state's contribution to bus and rail services, and it includes nearly $600 million for transit over the next four years. State officials said about 70 percent, or approximately $410 million, of the money would go toward needs in Northern Virginia.

That amount includes one-time funding for more rail cars for Metro, moving it closer to its goal of running eight-car trains during peak periods. Most rush-hour trains now have six cars, and often people get left at stations because there's no room for them...

Kaine's proposal includes dedicated money for Metro for years to come, fulfilling Virginia's contribution to a regional effort to provide the transit system with a reliable funding source. And it contains enough to meet a challenge by Rep. Thomas M. Davis III (R-Va.) that would net Metro an additional $1.5 billion in federal funds over the next 10 years.

For the VRE commuter railroad, the governor's plan would pay for more cars to ease crowding and would support expansion south into Spotsylvania County and west to Gainesville...The proposal would allow VRE to buy seven or eight new cars. The train system currently has 91 cars, with 11 more on the way.

Index Keywords: transit