Norton Asks FHWA to Delay Record of Decision for CSX Virginia Avenue Tunnel Project

Press Release

The Office of Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) today released a letter she sent yesterday to Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) Acting Administrator Gregory G. Nadeau urging the FHWA to delay the issuance of the CSX Virginia Avenue Tunnel Project's Record of Decision (ROD) until September 15, 2014, to allow oversight of the District of Columbia Department of Transportation (DDOT) by the D.C. Council, which has requested more time to do so. The FHWA is set to release the ROD sometime after August 14.

"The District of Columbia Council Committee of the Whole and its Committee on Transportation and Environment have scheduled an oversight hearing on the Virginia Avenue Tunnel project for August 26, 2014," Norton said. "Because the District, where this work is to take place, intervened, I ask that the FHWA delay the issuance of the ROD until September 15, 2014, as a courtesy to the D.C. Council's oversight obligation to D.C. residents."

In June, Norton requested that the review period for the project be extended from 30 to 90 days and an additional public meeting on the Final Environmental Impact Statement (EIS). FHWA agreed to extend the review period to 60 days, and a second public meeting took place on July 31, 2014.

CSX's Virginia Avenue Tunnel Project is privately funded, but there are some federal properties that will be impacted by construction necessitating the FHWA and DDOT approvals. In addition, a number of residents have raised concerns about the proximity and duration of the proposed tunnel construction, which would run close to their homes.

Norton has hosted two community meetings with the surrounding community near Capitol Hill, the FHWA, DDOT, and CSX. She also attended a July 1 public meeting, the first of two on the Final EIS, hosted by FHWA, DDOT and CSX.

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