At their regular Tuesday, April 10 session, City Council stamped approval on a budget increase from $268 to $320 million because prices have gone up since 2015 when the initial funding was reviewed.
The Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) has been asking for design changes and revised proposals for over a year and those are still being reviewed, but everyday, prices rise while the planning continues.
The actual funding from Alexandria does not come from the general fund where city salaries and arts grants derive. The money for the metro station feeds in from federal and state grants, tax breaks and incentives and government loans.
Supporters maintain the station’s value and community impact outweighs the initial investment and the inconvenience during construction, and the project is moving forward.
