Nomina on of Sharon Bulova for APTA’s Dis nguished Service Award 1 Nomination of Sharon Bulova for APTA’s Distinguished Service Award
Transit op ons in the na onal capital area would not When rail service was launched along the I‐66 and I‐ be nearly as expansive were it not for the dedica on 95/I‐395 corridors in 1992, VRE operated 16 trains of Sharon Bulova, recently re red chairman of the from 16 sta ons and carried, on average, 5,800 Fairfax County Board of Supervisors. Transit users passengers daily. At the start of 2020, VRE operated throughout the Washington, D.C. region have 32 trains from 19 sta ons and carried about 20,000 benefited from her work in founding the Virginia passengers daily. VRE improves regional mobility by Railway Express (VRE) and championing Metrorail’s transpor ng the equivalent of one lane of traffic on Silver Line. Her decades‐long efforts to ensure the both I‐95/I‐395 and I‐66 during peak periods. region is served by high‐quality, high‐capacity transit Ms. Bulova was instrumental in helping VRE achieve make Ms. Bulova worthy of the American Public this remarkable growth in ridership, having served as Transporta on Associa on’s Dis nguished Service chairman in 1989, the Opera ons Board’s inaugural award. year, and again in 1991, 1995, 2003 and 2011. VRE’s Founding the Virginia Railway Express ability to provide safe, cost effec ve, accessible, An original and the longest‐serving member of the reliable, convenient and comfortable commuter rail VRE Opera ons Board, Ms. Bulova worked diligently service is due in large part to her labors. VRE honored in the 1980s to establish the rail service, helping VRE her in 2015 by affixing “Sharon Bulova” to the front of overcome funding shor alls, indemnifica on hurdles one of its locomo ves. Now in re rement, she plans and opposi on from private railroads. She began her to write a book chronicling the history of VRE. efforts on VRE’s behalf in 1984 as an aide to Audrey Leading the Governor’s Rail Enhancement Commi ee a Fairfax supervisor whose seat Ms. Bulova Moore, Impressed by Ms. Bulova’s leadership and passion for won in November 1987. She con nued to advocate transporta on, then‐Governor Mark Warner for commuter rail service as a supervisor and member appointed her in 2004 to chair the Governor's of the Northern Virginia Transporta on Commission Commission on Rail Enhancement for the 21st (NVTC). Century in the Commonwealth of Virginia. The “VRE had a prolonged and difficult birth,” noted resul ng recommenda ons led to the crea on of former NVTC Execu ve Director Richard Taube in more effec ve investment partnerships to fund 2008. “Of necessity its organiza onal structure is freight and passenger rail projects with significant complex. It does not own its rights of way and has public benefits. limited leverage in nego a ng with the freight Championing Metrorail’s Silver Line railroads for the opportunity to operate addi onal The opening of Metrorail’s Silver Line in 2014 trains.” Working within these confines to stand up a provided thousands of residents and visitors with rail service required extraordinary effort and access to Washington, D.C. and the Virginia and commitment, and Ms. Bulova lead the charge. Her Maryland suburbs and sparked economic growth perseverance, resilience and leadership allowed the from Tysons to Reston, Virginia. Silver Line Phase 1 Opera ons Board and VRE staff to overcome what was the culmina on of a nearly 20‐year effort, which o en appeared to be insurmountable obstacles. included numerous poli cal ba les that nearly killed “Transporta on is hard,” Ms. Bulova wrote in a 2018 the project. big cons tuent newsle er. “The pace for ge ng Piecing together a funding package was cri cal. Ms. projects accomplished can be glacial. These early Bulova and other rail supporters worked to persuade issues were eventually worked out and the VRE a majority of landowners along the Dulles corridor to Commuter Rail System is a success story today. Those foot a big part of the $5.8 billion bill. The process for early struggles demonstrated for me the value of establishing the tax district was complex and involved tenacity.” support from several governing bodies. An
Nomina on of Sharon Bulova for APTA’s Dis nguished Service Award 2 unexpected veto by the Herndon Town Council nearly happened and I sure learned during those four years scu led the financing plan. Ms. Bulova and her that you don’t want to stop growth, that growth is colleagues eventually endured, establishing two tax important. The way growth and development are districts to appease the town. They also obtained the happening today is to provide more walkable then‐largest federal Transporta on Infrastructure communi es, more transit‐oriented communi es. Finance and Innova on Act loan to be issued. Phase That’s what the business community wants. That’s 2, which will extend Metrorail to Dulles Interna onal what the millennials want. That’s what your re rees Airport and beyond, will open in 2021. and empty nesters want. This is a be er way of Garnering Support for Dedicated Transit Funding developing.” With the region in agreement about the need for Developing an Interconnected Transit Network dedicated funding for Metro but lacking consensus on An ardent supporter of mul modal transporta on, how to achieve it, Ms. Bulova stepped up to chair the Ms. Bulova used her posi on as chairman to expand Metropolitan Washington Council of Government’s the availability of travel op ons in Fairfax County. She (COG) Metro Strategy Group, which consisted of helped launch Capital Bikeshare four years ago and in elected officials from D.C, Maryland and Virginia. Her 2018 announced a pilot program that added e‐bikes work in 2017 led to an agreement that will ensure the to the fleet in Reston and Tysons. Under her transit system’s long‐term financial sustainability. The leadership, the county focused on crea ng more eventual passage of landmark legisla on by each walkable urban places, especially in car‐centric areas jurisdic on provides a total of $500 million annually such as Tysons, that include public space, parks, to Metro. The transit agency is using the funds to buy public transporta on, bike paths, sidewalks, and new rail cars and buses, upgrade track and power circula ng buses and vans. Her support of expanded systems, modernize sta ons, and make other Fairfax Connector bus service resulted in addi onal improvements needed due to decades of express bus routes into employment hubs in Virginia underinvestment and neglect. and D.C. She also advocated for several proposed bus rapid transit lines. “Bulova…has modeled herself as a leader who takes pains to weigh all sides of an issue before landing on a Leaving a Pro‐Transit Legacy decision,” wrote Antonio Olivo of The Washington Taking her leave from the Fairfax County Board of Post in a December 2019 ar cle, A poli cal boss who Supervisors this past December, Ms. Bulova did so ruled with kindness leaves the stage. “As board having made an indelible mark on transporta on, chairman, she navigated Fairfax through the storm of especially public transit, in the na onal capital region. the 2008 recession and was a key figure in the Her efforts over the last 30‐plus years have Metrorail Silver Line extension toward Dulles contributed greatly to the quality of life and economic Interna onal Airport that has helped bring soaring vitality of the region and the Commonwealth of office towers and apartment buildings to Tysons and Virginia. A recent NVTC study noted that the Reston. Her legacy includes work in the early 1990s as addi onal 85,000 households and 130,500 jobs that a founding board member of the Virginia Railway Metrorail and VRE make possible in Northern Virginia Express commuter train service, which ed generate over $600 million each year in sales and Washington to suburbs as far away as Spotsylvania.” income tax revenues that flow to the state’s coffers. For every dollar the state invests in the two rail Encouraging Transit‐Oriented Development systems, it receives $2.50 in return. That study Well before the arrival of Metro’s Silver Line, around whose sta ons development has flourished, Ms. validated what Ms. Bulova has long known – an Bulova championed transit‐oriented development. investment in public transporta on is an investment future. That’s not to say she was always a supporter. “I in our actually was first elected and swept into office on a slow‐growth pla orm,” she told the online E‐Bird Extra last year. “People were angry and scared about growth. During that first term in office, a recession
Nomina on of Sharon Bulova for APTA’s Dis nguished Service Award 3
Sharon Bulova’s Embrace of APTA’s Core Values Diversity Leadership Early in her tenure as chairman, Ms. Bulova ed Fairfax County to increasing diversity One of the most approachable elected officials in the commi among its employees, par cularly in public safety na onal capital region, Ms. Bulova strives for agencies, and on ci zen advisory boards. “Sharon consensus but is not averse to making difficult basically told us that a change in culture was decisions or cas ng a e‐breaking vote. “She doesn’t something that I had to coordinate, and this is exactly bring ego to the table. What she brings is a plain what we’re doing,” said County Execu ve Bryan Hill in spoken ‘this is what the mission is and this is what we need to do,’” noted United Bank’s Kevin Reynolds, a 2018 ar cle in The Washington Post looking back on past chair of the Northern Virginia Chamber of Ms. Bulova’s career. Commerce. She is roundly recognized for her willingness to listen and ability to bring together In a county of 1.1 million people and where more diverse groups to move her county and the na onal than 180 languages are spoken, “One of Fairfax capital region forward, par cularly in the areas of County's greatest assets is our diversity,” noted Ms. will con nue to transporta on and economic development. Bulova in a 2016 op‐ed. “We are and be a county that exemplifies values of respect and
acceptance, where we welcome and celebrate one Integrity another's differences and cultural backgrounds. Our Ms. Bulova’s appointment in 2014 to then‐Governor diversity makes our community strong and Terry McAuliffe’s 10‐member bipar san Commission vibrant… .” to Ensure Integrity and Public Confidence in State
Government speaks volumes. Her ethical and Shortly a er becoming chairman, Ms. Bulova transparent approach to governing has drawn the diverse admira on of many over the years. She has long been established Faith Communi es in Ac on, a network of faith‐ and community‐based organiza ons recognized for her honesty and willingness to admit and government agencies that work together to and learn from mistakes. Last year, Ms. Bulova increase awareness of community services and received the Sorensen Ins tute Leadership Award, resources, iden fy community needs and strengthen which honors an individual who embodies the values community capacity to meet those needs. In 2015, of trust, civility and respect, and who works relessly to shape a more decent, tolerant civic culture for the she created the Communi es of Trust Commi ee to partnerships and outreach people of the commonwealth. advance collabora on, between public safety agencies and the diverse
communi es that they serve. Excellence
Ms. Bulova demands excellence from herself and Inclusiveness those who serve the people of Fairfax County. A “People from all over the globe have made Fairfax recently established award in her name honors County their home, enriching our community with extraordinary administra ve assistants in Fairfax their diverse cultures and entrepreneurship. In Fairfax County Government for proven excellence, leadership and ini a ve. The prelude to the award notes, County, we believe we must all do our part to set a posi ve tone of acceptance, inclusiveness and “Sharon Bulova began her county career as an aide in kindness,” noted Ms. Bulova in a 2017 op‐ed. Her the office of Board of Supervisors member Audrey reless efforts on behalf of individuals with Moore. She took college courses while balancing the developmental disabili es and their families led to responsibili es of a family and a career. She started her receipt last year of the Disability Inclusion from a place we know well, and look where her commitment, hard work, and vision propelled her. In Champion award from The Arc Northern Virginia. leadership, Fairfax County has 2009, she became the chief elected official of Fairfax “Under her transformed the way it supports and honors its County, one of the largest, most influen al coun es residents with developmental disabili es,” noted The in the na on.” Arc.
Nomina on of Sharon Bulova for APTA’s Dis nguished Service Award 4
Fairness and Equity by 2040. Ms. Bulova was a champion of this project One Fairfax, a joint social‐ and racial‐equity policy and ac vely sought to engage diverse popula ons in adopted by the county’s board of supervisors and the the planning process. The 6.7‐mile BRT will include school board in 2017, is what Ms. Bulova views as her dedicated median lanes, streetscape and intersec on most impac ul achievement. One Fairfax is a improvements, and accommoda ons for sidewalks framework, or lens, that considers equity in decision‐ and bicycles. The project is expected to provide making and the development and delivery of future greater access to communi es with limited mobility policies, programs and services. It is designed to help op ons and more reliable transporta on by opera ng county and school leaders look inten onally, on a restricted guideway, employing transit signal comprehensively and systema cally at barriers that priority technology, and limi ng the number of stops. may be crea ng gaps in opportunity. All Fairfax County agencies, including the Department of The BRT project was part of Embark Richmond Transporta on, have developed Equity Impact Plans Highway, a sweeping land‐use plan for the corridor. and implemented the One Fairfax policy. The plan was adopted by the county board in 2018, following two years of extensive public engagement Another partnership between the county and school led by Ms. Bulova. The Embark plan is intended to boards, the Fairfax Connector Free Student Bus Pass promote revitaliza on along the corridor; provide for Program (FSBPP), has created new and equal a variety of safe, reliable, effec ve and inter‐ opportuni es for Fairfax County youth and their connected transporta on modes; support the families by closing transporta on gaps, increasing economic success of the corridor; and preserve, mobility, fostering independence and improving enhance and restore the environment. access to a er‐school ac vi es, employment, and community resources. Through this program, youth The Community Council for Land Use Engagement, are now more involved in the public planning process established by Ms. Bulova in 2017, was tasked with for developing future transit service and improving the county’s public outreach to residents transporta on infrastructure projects. Ms. Bulova’s who are indirectly and directly affected by support was instrumental to the program’s adop on development proposals. Implementa on of the and ul mate success. In less than five years, Fairfax panel’s 21 recommenda ons is underway to support County youth have taken over 1.8 million trips, which the con nuing improvement of equitable outreach account for nearly 7 percent of the bus system’s total efforts in the land use development process. ridership, through the FSBPP. Teamwork A er witnessing FSBPP’s success in its inaugural year, Ms. Bulova o en refers to her Opera ons Board the City of Fairfax’s local bus system, CUE, joined the colleagues and railroad staff as the VRE family. She is, partnership, providing more connec ons for students. as her fellow VRE board members have publicly In Fall 2018, Fairfax County partnered with the noted, generally the first to welcome a new member Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority to to the family. Ms. Bulova appreciates what everyone address iden fied coverage gaps of the FSBPP by brings to the table and embraces collabora on. A implemen ng a pilot program to provide free access consensus builder by nature, she iden fies to regional Metrobus routes serving Jus ce High commonali es and uses them to bring the team School in the Falls Church area of Fairfax County. In together. the first 18 months of the program, 45 percent of students acquired a pass and took 69,000 trips. Professionalism Ms. Bulova epitomizes the defini on of With a focus on underserved communi es, the professionalism. She is not someone who just looks Richmond Highway Bus Rapid Transit project is the part but who consistently demonstrates her expected to provide up to 18,500 daily trips among exper se and competence. At her final VRE nine BRT sta ons to the Hun ngton Metrorail Sta on Opera ons Board mee ng, many of Ms. Bulova’s
Nomina on of Sharon Bulova for APTA’s Dis nguished Service Award 5 colleagues spoke to her ability to exude grace under fire. Her respect for all, no ma er one’s stance on any issue, is a hallmark of her career as a public servant.
Accountability It may sound cliché, but the buck stops with Sharon Bulova. She takes responsibility for her ac ons and decisions, is willing to reconsider her posi ons, and admits to and learns from mistakes. First elected as a slow‐growth advocate, Ms. Bulova soon discovered that growth, par cularly economic growth, was vital to her county’s quality of life. Her embrace of smart growth and transit‐oriented development has allowed Fairfax County to become one of the most diverse and sustainable jurisdic ons in Virginia.
“We did everything we could have wrong.” That’s how Ms. Bulova described Fairfax County’s response to a 2013 police officer’s fatal shoo ng of an unarmed man on his doorstep. In response, Ms. Bulova launched a commi ee that included ac vists, police officials and law enforcement experts to hash out a host of police department reforms. The effort resulted in the crea on of a civilian oversight board charged with reviewing police abuse cases, an independent auditor who examines cases involving use of force, and a Diversion First program geared to steering mentally ill offenders toward counseling instead of jail. These reforms have been widely lauded.
Concluding Comments As APTA seeks to celebrate excellence in public transporta on, it need look no further than Sharon Bulova. Having spent more than three decades not just advoca ng for public transit but literally rolling up her sleeves to stand up a variety of transporta on modes in her community and throughout the na onal capital region, she has demonstrated the highest level of commitment to the industry. Her dedica on and determina on have resulted in a myriad of mobility op ons that are used by tens of thousands every day. There is no doubt that she is worthy of APTA’s 2020 Dis nguished Service Award.
Nomina on of Sharon Bulova for APTA’s Dis nguished Service Award 6
Career Highlights 1984 •Accepted a posi on as an aide to Fairfax 2011 •Chaired VRE Opera ons Board County Supervisor Audrey Moore and began •Received Tower of Dulles award from work to establish the Virginia Railway Express. Commi ee for Dulles 1987 •Elected to succeed Ms. Moore on the Fairfax 2012 •Received Local Public Official of the Year County Board of Supervisors award from the Virginia Transit Associa on 1988 •Joined the Northern Virginia Transporta on 2013 •Received Phyllis Campbell Newsome Public Commission, which appointed her to VRE’s Policy Leadership award from the Center for ons Board Opera Nonprofit Advancement 1989 •Chaired VRE Opera ons Board in its 2014 •A ended groundbreaking for Silver Line inaugural year Phase 2 1991 •Chaired VRE Opera ons Board •Cut ribbon at Silver Line Phase 1 grand 1992 •Launched VRE commuter rail service on the opening ceremony Fredericksburg and Manassas lines •Appointed to Governor’s Commission to 1995 •Organized colleagues on the county’s Board Ensure Integrity and Public Confidence in State of Supervisors to bring Metrorail to parts of Government es Fairfax and Loudoun coun 2015 •Honored by VRE for service on the •Chaired VRE Opera ons Board Opera ons Board with a locomo ve bearing 2003 •Chaired VRE Opera ons Board her name Spotsylvania Sta on 2004 •Chaired Governor's Commission on Rail •Cut the ribbon on VRE’s Enhancement for the 21st Century in the 2016 •Launched Capital Bikeshare in Fairfax County Commonwealth of Virginia 2017 •Chaired COG’s Metro Strategy Group, which 2008 •Chaired Greater Washington 2050 Coali on, led to dedicated funding for Metro an effort that culminated in the adop on of •Received Regional Transporta on Game the Region Forward Regional Compact Changer award from the Virginia ini a ve signed by all 21 of the planning Transporta on Alliance Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments’ (COG) jurisdic ons. 2019 •Received the Sorensen Ins tute Leadership award from the University of Virginia’s 2009 •Elected chairman of the Fairfax County Board Weldon Cooper Center for Public Service of Supervisors •Received the Disability Inclusion Champion •Secured Transporta on Infrastructure award from The Arc Northern Virginia Finance and Innova on Act loan for Metro’s Silver Line •Received NOVAForward Legacy award from the Northern Virginia Chamber of Commerce •A ended groundbreaking for construc on of Silver Line Phase 1 •Received the Dis nguished Public Official Leadership award from the Virginia Transit •Received Elizabeth & David Scull Associa on Metropolitan Public Service award from COG •Received Dis nguished Alumna Award from 2010 •Honored by the Na onal Capital Chapter of Northern Virginia Community College and the American Planning Associa on for her gave keynote address at 40th anniversary leadership as chair of the Greater Washington celebra on 2050 Coali on •Re red from the Fairfax County Board of Career Highlights Supervisors In Support of Sharon Bulova
Over her 32 years of service to Fairfax County, Sharon Bulova was a transit visionary. She foresaw that transit-oriented development could absorb traffic congestion, spur economic development, and make for vibrant, pedestrian- friendly communities. Sharon brought bikeshare outposts to Fairfax County, built new bike and pedestrian trails, advanced bus rapid transit lines, helped found Virginia Railway Express, and was indispensable to making the Silver Line a reality. When I was Virginia’s governor, I witnessed Sharon’s hallmark savvy and willingness to make hard choices to get big things done. In a matter of months, the Silver Line will be transporting its first riders to Dulles International Airport; without Sharon’s leadership, this would still be a model on a conference room table.
U.S. Senator Tim Kaine Sharon Bulova at a 2015 locomotive-naming ceremony in her honor.
Sharon Bulova has made a lasting mark on public transportation, not just in Northern Virginia but across the commonwealth and the national capital region. After seeing Sharon’s experience founding the Virginia
Sharon Bulova (third from left) takes part in a Railway Express and leading the 1993 station groundbreaking ceremony. commonwealth’s most populous county, I appointed her as chair of Sharon Bulova (right, with flowers) joins members of “Friends of VRE” in 1991 at Union Station to the Governor's Commission on Rail celebrate the arrival of VRE’s first locomotive. Enhancement for the 21st Century. The recommendations issued under her leadership resulted in one of the nation's first dedicated sources of state revenue for freight-, passenger- Sharon Bulova and then-Governor Mark Warner and commuter-rail infrastructure (second from right) join other dignitaries in marking VRE’s 10th anniversary in 2002. improvements. U.S. Senator Mark Warner Sharon Bulova, “working” on the railroad, in the early 1990s. The very existence of the Virginia Railway Express and Metrorail’s Silver Line is inarguably due to the decades-long efforts of Sharon Bulova. Her vision, tenacity, and political savvy helped sustain these two projects, both of which were nearly derailed. Sharon’s strong and steady leadership allowed rail supporters to overcome issues ranging from funding to construction to indemnification. Her ability to broker consensus allowed for passage of landmark legislation in Virginia, Maryland and the District of Columbia that now provides dedicated funding for Metro. Sharon’s impact on the wealth and health of public transportation options in the region has been enormous. U.S. Representative Gerry Connolly
Sharon Bulova (left of center) helps cut the ribbon on VRE’s Lorton station in 1994.
Sharon Bulova (right of center) joins other VRE Operations Board members and distinguished guests in celebrating the arrival of VRE locomotive V50 in 2011.
The public transportation options available not just to my constituents but those residing in or visiting the Washington Metropolitan Area are due, in large part, to the work of Sharon Bulova. As a former member of the Commonwealth Transportation Board and lieutenant governor, I observed Sharon’s tireless efforts to gain public and political support for what would eventually become the Virginia Railway Express. Several decades later, she did the same for the proposed extension of Metrorail’s Silver Line. Sharon’s leadership allowed both projects to succeed despite several obstacles that nearly scuttled them. U.S. Representative Don Beyer
Sharon Bulova, fourth from left, helps cut the ribbon on VRE’s Spotsylvania station in 2015.
Sharon Bulova joins then-Governor Terry McAuliffe (center), current WMATA Board Chairman Paul Smedberg (second from right) and other dignitaries at VRE’s 2014 legislative reception in Richmond, Virginia.
There is no denying Sharon Bulova’s passion for, understanding of and commitment to public transportation. As her colleague on the Virginia Railway Express (VRE) Operations Board and Northern Virginia Transportation Commission, I saw those remarkable traits on display each month. Often referred to as the “mother” of VRE, Sharon stood up a fledgling commuter rail service that is now a vital cog in the region’s transportation network. The opening of Metro’s Silver Line in 2014 was in large part due to Sharon’s unwavering commitment to the project. Her willingness to consider both sides of an issue and ability to identify common ground allowed the region to coalesce in its support of dedicated funding for the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA). WMATA Board of Directors Chairman Paul Smedberg