Tolls for ALL Lanes on I95?

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   Va. House delegate Jeff Frederick has this question on his website for constituents... note the last sentence, which is italicized in the original... does it really mean that they are considering putting tolls on ALL the lanes of I95?  If so, can I have some of what they're smoking in Richmond?

	       Survey Question # 2 - Transportation  

	When you use your cell phone, you pay higher rates in peak periods than you do in non-peak periods.

	Similarly, there is an opportunity to eliminate all road traffic congestion on I-95, I-395, I-495, and I-66 by requiring drivers to pay a variable toll-rate during the peak congestion hours (in non-peak hours there would be no toll), and guarantee travel time from point A to B (or you don't pay). Funds generated from the tolls would be refunded to the taxpayers of the region through a reduction in gas or property taxes, and if citizens don't like the new arrangement, they would have the opportunity to scrap the idea 18-24 months after its implementation through a referendum on the plan.

	In thinking "outside the box" on transportation solutions, is this idea something you think is worth trying? (Note: on I-95/395, this does not involve the HOV lanes, but only the regular travel lanes) 

	 Yes

	 No

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SpongeBob Members Profile Find Members Posts New Slug Joined: 06 Oct 2004 Location: VA Status: Offline Points: 0	Post Options Post Reply Quote SpongeBob Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Topic: Tolls for ALL Lanes on I95? Posted: 07 Dec 2006 at 9:11am
	Va. House delegate Jeff Frederick has this question on his website for constituents... note the last sentence, which is italicized in the original... does it really mean that they are considering putting tolls on ALL the lanes of I95? If so, can I have some of what they're smoking in Richmond? Survey Question # 2 - Transportation When you use your cell phone, you pay higher rates in peak periods than you do in non-peak periods. Similarly, there is an opportunity to eliminate all road traffic congestion on I-95, I-395, I-495, and I-66 by requiring drivers to pay a variable toll-rate during the peak congestion hours (in non-peak hours there would be no toll), and guarantee travel time from point A to B (or you don't pay). Funds generated from the tolls would be refunded to the taxpayers of the region through a reduction in gas or property taxes, and if citizens don't like the new arrangement, they would have the opportunity to scrap the idea 18-24 months after its implementation through a referendum on the plan. In thinking "outside the box" on transportation solutions, is this idea something you think is worth trying? (Note: on I-95/395, this does not involve the HOV lanes, but only the regular travel lanes) Yes No

Bob Members Profile Find Members Posts New Slug Joined: 14 Dec 2001 Status: Offline Points: 0	Post Options Post Reply Quote Bob Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 07 Dec 2006 at 10:22am
	A couple of years ago right about the time everything started in earnest with the HOT lanes proposals, there was a Post article about a DC region think tank that was indeed talking about tolling all of the lanes on the beltway and presumably 95. That's about all I know. I was dumbfounded when I read it at the time.

sluDgE Members Profile Find Members Posts Master Slug Joined: 27 Oct 2003 Status: Offline Points: 501	Post Options Post Reply Quote sluDgE Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 07 Dec 2006 at 12:34pm
	And it wasn't that many years ago that we had to drop coins at toll booths to use I-95 in southern Virginia. I don't remember exactly how far north that I-95 was a toll road back then, but I recall paying tolls between the NC line and Richmond.

SpongeBob Members Profile Find Members Posts New Slug Joined: 06 Oct 2004 Location: VA Status: Offline Points: 0	Post Options Post Reply Quote SpongeBob Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 08 Dec 2006 at 9:42am
	sluDgE, was that a bypass? Or a bridge? Was the toll enacted to pay for some particular thing? It is not still in force, is it? I don't remember it, but it has been years and years since I took 95 south to NC. (I do the OBX, baby, yeah! [8D])

sluDgE Members Profile Find Members Posts Master Slug Joined: 27 Oct 2003 Status: Offline Points: 501	Post Options Post Reply Quote sluDgE Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 08 Dec 2006 at 3:58pm
	Sponge, I definitely remember there were toll booths on I-95 between Petersburg and Richmond back in the late 60's and early 70s when the road was relatively new. I'm not really sure how far south of Petersberg and north of Richmond there were toll booths back then. We drove on only that stretch of I-95 when travelling from Richmond south and then get on I-85 at Petersburg to head to Atlanta. I'm sure there's some history filed away somewhere about the I-95 tolls in Va, but haven't taken a look yet.

DC2RV Members Profile Find Members Posts Master Slug Joined: 28 Feb 2002 Location: VA Status: Offline Points: 1014	Post Options Post Reply Quote DC2RV Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 11 Dec 2006 at 7:58am
	The tolls between Richmond and Peterburg were still in place in the late 80's (88 & 89) when I moved up to this area. I believe they were gone by 95/96.

Sheepish Members Profile Find Members Posts New Slug Joined: 20 May 2002 Location: VA Status: Offline Points: 0	Post Options Post Reply Quote Sheepish Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 11 Dec 2006 at 8:15am
	Just a guess, but did those tolls pay for the bypass going around Richmond? Then when finished/funded they were torn down?

n/a Members Profile Find Members Posts New Slug Joined: 17 Dec 2001 Location: VA Status: Offline Points: 0	Post Options Post Reply Quote n/a Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 11 Dec 2006 at 4:01pm
	The funniest part of this is the statement, "Funds generated from the tolls would be refunded to the taxpayers of the region...," which either is a set up for the punchline, "and if citizens don't like the new arrangement, they would have the opportunity to scrap the idea 18-24 months...," or questions the intelligence of readers. I can't imagine how they would ever do this, let alone the total folly of the statements! Does Fredrick think we are idiots?

Sheepish Members Profile Find Members Posts New Slug Joined: 20 May 2002 Location: VA Status: Offline Points: 0	Post Options Post Reply Quote Sheepish Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 12 Dec 2006 at 12:46pm
	I really have issues with this idea. While I applaud "thinking outside the box" in trying to resolve transportation issues, 1) no tax break is ever going to be garaunteed 2) are all that would pay going to benefit from any tax break proposed? 3)citizens will have the "opportunity" to scrap this ???? Sounds more like HOT going to the main lanes.... hmmmmm

Bob Members Profile Find Members Posts New Slug Joined: 14 Dec 2001 Status: Offline Points: 0	Post Options Post Reply Quote Bob Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 12 Dec 2006 at 2:41pm
	So in 2015 you will pay $15 to go 25 mph in the HOT lanes, or you pay $10 to go 10 mph in the regular (toll) lanes. And if you are HOV, you will get to split your toll 3 ways! What a deal.