Letter: Herndon Council Must Work to Move Metro Forward, Observer, April 8, 2010

To the editor:

In response to my letter, which urged more action on the planning of improved facilities on the Herndon side of the Herndon-Monroe metro station, Councilman Husch once again responded by outlining what actions did or did not take place in previous years, and also accused me of political posturing.

Councilman Husch knows that I have been talking to the Town Council for a long time about this issue. My decision to finally write a letter about Metro was prompted by two things: 1) continued lack of action on the part of the Council to work with the County, MWAA (Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority) and land owners to move the project forward, and 2) my discovery that there is still a small window of time in which we may take advantage of Federal, state and county money to pay for metro facility improvements on the Herndon side.

At this point, it does not matter to me what did or did not occur in previous years with regards to metro planning in Herndon. What happened in 2000, 2002, 2004, 2006 or 2008 is now moot. What matters is what we can do now in 2010.

The Council should be working right now with the County and MWAA to try and have improved facilities on our side of the toll road included in the metro’s preliminary engineering so that it can become part of the overall metro project. My recommendations would be for the Council to first ask Supervisor Foust for assistance. That should lead to enlisting the support of Sharon Bulova as well as Tom Rust, Janet Howell and possibly even Frank Wolf. Meetings should also be scheduled with County and MWAA project supervisors.

If the County and local officials throw their support behind this effort, prior to the preliminary engineering being completed on the Herndon-Monroe station (which will occur in less than one year) then we may have the chance of getting improved Herndon facilities included in the project, using the project funding to pay for the design, construction and land acquisition. Many Herndon businesses and commuters pay into the tax district, which helps to fund this metro project. Why shouldn’t we get the benefit of the taxes we have been paying toward the metro line?

If Councilman Husch chooses to respond to my letter again, I hope he will include a recommended plan of action for working with the County and MWAA to move this project forward in 2010.

Barbara Glakas
Herndon