Eep. Just a week after we first heard that the Federal Transit Administration was still a bit skeptical about the Dulles Rail project, which would require $900 million in federal funds to be completed, Virginia Gov. Tim Kaine, Sen. John W. Warner (R) and a few other state officials went down to Capitol Hill today only to be told by the head of the Federal Transit Administration, James S. Simpson, that the project doesn’t seem like a “prudent investment.”

The Post is also on the story, explaining that FTA officials apparently aired some serious, still undisclosed concerns to Kaine and company for the first time today, and that Kaine has promised to respond to those concerns by Monday.

Some of the concerns the FTA has that are known are whether the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority has the experience and technical staff to manage a rail extension, and whether Metro’s publicly messy financial house is in order. Metro General Manager John Catoe released the following statement:

“Metro has always supported the proposed Metrorail extension in the Dulles Corridor and the Metro Board has adopted resolutions expressing this support. We believe that this corridor needs this rail extension to meet the growing travel demand in the corridor and the region. We will continue to work with the Commonwealth of Virginia and the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority to advance this important project.”

Stay tuned for more Dulles rail-related mayhem next week!

Photo by Eye Captain