Slugging & HOT lane Wash Post article

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Originally posted by toomuchcoffeelady

Richmond completely F*cks NoVA in the butt (with a rusty-nail covered, herpes infected blunt object)so regularly that I'm surprised NoVA's not tried to secede from the commonwealth - ie, NC/SC, ND/SD style.

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I hope not. North Virginia would be a blue state, much like Maryland... You couldn't pay me enough to live in Maryland.

While I agree with the sentiment, TMCL should try some decaf.

Over the past 3 years, I (and other posters) contacted the governor, state representatives (and posted their replies on this webpage), helped craft the anti-hot lane petition, notified as many drivers/riders in the slug lines to sign it and put flyers on cars, and each time an updated appeared about the HOT lanes, urged people to contact their state representatives, governor, etc. to voice their opposition.

The contract has been signed and it is too late to stop it. HOT lanes are here for the next 80 years.

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Originally posted by ybarra

Having read the comment about whether HOV 3 will be charged, let me remind you that Virginia law mandates that carpools (HOV3+) and transit have (free)access to the HOT lanes. Variable toll pricing will be used to manage the number of toll-paying customers..in other words those with 1 or 2 folks in a vehicle who wish to enter the lanes. Variable tolls will be used to keep the lanes free flowing. Therefore unlike traditional toll roads with a rate schedule, toll prices on the HOT lanes will be adjusted on real-time traffic conditions including volume and speed of traffic. THe variable toll rate is the tool the HOT lanes will use to manage the traffic levels and ensure consistent, free flowing conditions in the lanes.

In addition, the private oprators are restricted from from tolling HOVs as per the legislation mentioned above. The HOV eligibility requirements is a policy governed by the Commonwealth who remains the owner of the road. The private partners do not have the authority to change that policy.

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Mr. Ybarra...with all due respect, YOU ARE WRONG! This HOT lane idea is wrong and should be stopped immediately, if not sooner.
Sorry sir, but the whole plan is a big joke and only taxpayers and commuters shall suffer.
You sir, in your VDOT seat, shall laugh all the way to your free parking space each morning.
There is absolutely nothing wrong the way the present HOV lanes work on I-395/I-95. Nothing wrong at all. I think we commuters think that the hybrids be removed. I agree but to compromise, leave the hybrids and blow-off the HOT lanes. HOT lanes won't work.
They may work elsewhere although I am a skeptic about that. But they won't work in Northern Virginia.
VDOT and others in the state government are pushing this through without proper notifications and opportunites and feedback for the taxpaying public. Please STOP these HOT lanes now. Thank you.

You completely missed the point. No one here has claimed that the toll operator will change the HOV-3 requirement. We are absolutely concerned about what Richmond will do to us. We know that only the Virginia legislature can change the HOV-3 clause in the contract and that is what worries us. Once our Delegates and Senators in Richmond, who in the past have been EVER so generous with transportation funding for Northern Virginia, discover the true cost of funding HOV-3, it is widely assumed they will kill that funding especially in tight budget times like we are experiencing now. You can continue to feel good about HOV-3 remaining free based on "legislation" from Richmond, but for those of us who commute in Northern Virginia, we know what Richmond is capable of doing to us when it comes to transportation funding. Transportation funds like the gas tax are to be taken from Northern Virginia and spent everywhere but in Northern Virginia and that is what will happen with HOV-3 funds. Funding for "HOV-3 for free" will die upon the first budget shortfall or when someone in Richmond decides they need funding for some pork project somewhere other than Northern Virginia. Bottom line is a current form of mass transit that does not need funding from Richmond will now be totally reliant on funding from Richmond to survive. That fact should scare everyone in Northern Virginia.