Arlington County Board Chair Ends Columbia Pike Streetcar Project

UPDATE: 2:10 p.m. We’ve added a link to the video of today’s announcement as well as the release just sent out by the county:

The Arlington County Board today will consider a motion ending all funding for the County’s streetcar program, County Board Chair Jay Fisette announced at a press conference.

The Board will hold its Recessed November County Board Meeting, starting at 3 p.m. in the County Board Room, on the Third Floor of the County offices at 2100 Clarendon Blvd. The meeting is open to the public.

Citing “political realities,” Fisette said that he and County Board Vice Chair Mary Hynes interpreted the November 4 re-election to the County Board of John Vihstadt, who made opposition to the Streetcar Program the centerpiece of his campaign, as “a powerful message to the Board.”

“I believe that debating the streetcar issue further – with continued discord and dueling facts – will not serve our community and will distract us from addressing other pressing issues before us,” Fisette said. “I have come to the conclusion that the only way to move forward together – to rebuild the civility and consensus that have been the hallmarks of our civic life and community success for decades – is to discontinue the streetcar project.”

Fisette said that Board members who had supported the Streetcar Program, as well as the County Manager and County Staff, “were caught flat-footed when organized opposition to the streetcar surfaced in just the last year or so.”

To read the complete statement by the County Board Chair, visit the County website.

View the press conference online.

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Original story:

Arlington County Board Chair Jay Fisette announced the end of the controversial Columbia Pike streetcar project Tuesday, saying it was bringing “discord” to the community and was a “distraction” to other issues needing attention.

“I have come to the conclusion that the only way to move forward together … is to discontinue the streetcar project,” Fisette said. “After close consultation with [County Board members Mary] Hynes and [Walter] Tejada, with our partners in Fairfax and Richmond and with members of the community, Ms. Hynes and I have agreed that all spending on streetcar must end.” Fisette’s announcement streamed live online.

The transit-way under construction now, designed for transit for buses between Arlington and Alexandria, will remain, he said.

“There will be disappointment,” Fisette said. “We know that’s the case. We remain committed to the corridor. We will continue to work towards the realization of that vision even in a modified form. And that is the commitment of this board. It will be without rail and we will look at how we can enhance the bus system to the maximum degree possible.”

Fisette said that getting the word out to the community about the project was a bust. ”With these two elections in place, and we’re in the community day in and day out, we try to communicate; I think we have not been as successful in light of the challenges and organized opposition.”

Fisette blamed discord over the issue as a distraction to the board.

It appears he shared his decision with fellow streetcar supporters outside of the county but did not share his decision with those who opposed it.

Reaction from Fairfax County’s Sharon Bulova, chair of the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors and Penny Gross, supervisor of the Mason District was released before he finished making his announcement.

Streetcar opponents Libby Garvey and John Vihstadt, who sit on the Arlington County Board, said they were unaware of Fisette’s announcement before he made it.

Bulova and Gross’ reaction in a news release:

“We are both saddened and disappointed by the Arlington Board’s decision to end the Columbia Pike Streetcar project. More than a decade of work has gone into the project, and the streetcar alternative for Columbia Pike has been approved by both the Arlington and Fairfax County boards on multiple occasions.”

“Recently, considerable progress has been made towards completing the project in 2020. We continue to believe that the implementation of the streetcar would provide both transportation and economic development benefits to the corridor, as demonstrated repeatedly through multiple analyses. In addition, businesses and residents in both counties have been eagerly waiting its arrival.”

“We also want to express our sincere appreciation to Governor Terry McAuliffe, Transportation Secretary Aubrey Layne and Department of Rail and Public Transportation Director Jennifer Mitchell for their personal and professional interest in the project and their support for their financial support of the project. We are grateful for their willingness to assist with this important transportation priority for eastern Fairfax County.”

Although we believe the decision to end the project is short-sighted, we recognize that the project cannot happen without the support of the Arlington Board. However, we remain committed to providing high quality transit for the residents, workers and businesses in the Bailey’s Crossroads area. Such transit is important to unlocking the potential in this area of Fairfax County and will assist the area in transforming itself into the attractive, urban destination with a supportive transportation system.