Columbia Pike Streetcar Drives Heated Procurement Debate

Arlington County Board adopts rules that allow public-private partnerships to finance major transportation projects.

The Arlington County Board on Monday adopted guidelines that will allow public-private partnerships to help finance major transportation projects, like the Columbia Pike streetcar, after an unusually heated discussion. Board member Libby Garvey, who was elected in November to her first full four-year term partially on a platform that included opposing the streetcar, fought an uphill battle all night. She fought — with question after question, after question, after question. For about three hours, the board dissected the Virginia Public-Private Transportation Act and pages of new or amended county procurement guidelines. Garvey insisted that the guidelines did not include enough public safeguards — that the new policy would allow a large …

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