Efforts to fund the $181 million west entrance to the Ballston-MU Metro station took another step forward last night (Thursday).
The Northern Virginia Transportation Commission (NVTC) voted to include $20 million in funding for the project as part of a new request to the Commonwealth Transportation Board (CTB). Final CTB action is slated for next month.
The project was the largest single item among 14 projects across Northern Virginia sought for funding through the latest round of the Commuter Choice program. The program uses a portion of tolling revenue from Express Lanes on I-66 inside the Beltway to fund transit projects. The newly adopted projects represent the seventh funding cycle.
The benefit of this funding stream is its “incredibly quick turnaround” between proposal submissions and eventual funding, said NVTC chair Sarah Bagley, Alexandria’s vice mayor.
In the FY 2027-2028 cycle now moving to CTB consideration, 14 projects totaling just over $60 million were recommended for funding. That is below the estimated $100 million in available cycle funding.
Bagley said the funding availability should “encourage our jurisdictions to think about what we’re shovel-ready on,” and seek funding for them in future rounds.
The county government had been awarded $4.5 million in the FY 2023-2024 Commuter Choice funding cycle for the Ballston project. However, in consultation with NVTC staff, the county withdrew its request in anticipation of seeking increased funding as part of the FY 2027-2028 cycle.
Based on NVTC staff guidance, County Board members last December applied for $20 million — the maximum allowed under the Commuter Choice program — to meet funding needs.
The second Ballston-MU station entrance is planned for the intersection of Fairfax Drive and N. Vermont Street. Construction is slated to begin later this year and run through 2029.
Arlington’s submission ranked fourth highest among the 14 projects authorized for funding. It scored 78 out of a possible 100 points on NVTC’s scorecard, with other projects receiving scores ranging from 45 to 88.
The county government is overseeing the construction project in collaboration with the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) and landowners. When complete, the entrance will be turned over to WMATA operational control.
Also included in the FY 2027-2028 Commuter Choice funding request to CTB is a second Arlington project, which seeks $475,000 to support enhanced service on Arlington Transit (ART) Route 55.
The bus line runs along the Langston Blvd corridor between the East Falls Church and Rosslyn Metro stations.
The ART 55 submission ranked 11th among the 14 projects proposed for funding, with a score of 51 out of 100.
EFC Metro station project gets additional state funding: County Board members on April 18 accepted $2.2 million in state transportation funds in support of the East Falls Church Metro station improvement project.
The project includes construction of three new bus bays, to a total of seven, along with replacement of existing bus shelters, pedestrian enhancements between the station and park-and-ride lot, and installation of a new traffic signal and crosswalk at the park-and-ride entrance.
The additional funding brings the total grant from the Virginia Department of Rail and Public Transportation to $7.041 million for the project, which has a total estimated cost of $14.24 million.
According to county transportation officials, the project’s cost has grown from the fiscal 2025 estimate owing to updated standards for ensuring durability.
