Virginia Railway Express - History

History

Planning began in earnest for VRE in 1984 following a regional feasibility study by R.L. Banks and Associates, Inc., for the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments. Discussions about the potential of commuter rail service in Northern Virginia had occurred as early as 1964 at the Northern Virginia Transportation Commission. Earlier efforts faltered due to opposition from the freight railroads whose tracks offered ready access to core employment areas.

By 1986, it became apparent that the jurisdictions outside of NVTC could not reach agreement on how to support VRE by joining NVTC so the Potomac and Rappahannock Transportation Commission was created for Prince William and Stafford counties and the city of Manassas. Legislation established a 2% motor fuels tax to support VRE expenses and other transportation investments.

By 1988, NVTC and PRTC established a VRE Operations Board, consisting of three voting members plus alternates from each of the two commissions, plus a voting representative of the Commonwealth of Virginia (currently a representative of the Director of the Virginia Department of Rail and Public Transportation).

In 1989, NVTC and PRTC executed a Master Agreement with the jurisdictions participating in the VRE project. The participating jurisdictions agreed to pay for VRE through a formula that weighted ridership by jurisdiction of residence with a factor of 90% and population with a factor of 10%. Arlington and Alexandria agreed to contribute to the project and have paid each year approximately what their formula share would be. The cities of Fredericksburg and Manassas Park joined PRTC in 1990 and signed the VRE Master Agreement and became VRE participating jurisdictions in 1992. Spotsylvania County joined in February 2010.