Baliles Proposes $1 Billion Toll Plan

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   > http://tinyurl.com/8y8av

	> 

	> washingtonpost.com

	> Baliles Proposes $1 Billion Toll Plan

	> Money Would Aid Va. Transportation

	> 

	> By Steven Ginsberg

	> Washington Post Staff Writer

	> Thursday, September 1, 2005; B03

	> 

	> Former governor Gerald L. Baliles (D) has proposed a plan to 

	> charge tolls on the Capital Beltway, on Interstates 66, 95 

	> and 395 and at dozens of other spots across Virginia as a way 

	> to raise $1 billion a year to solve the state's mounting 

	> transportation problems.

	> 

	> In all, the plan calls for charging a toll of 85 cents at 

	> 38 spots on interstate highways that Baliles said would 

	> fund several much-needed projects, including widening the 

	> Beltway and other major commuter routes in Northern 

	> Virginia.

	

	Conceptually it sounds like a good idea, but where are they going to 

	find the money and land to build 38 toll plazas?  There is no 

	realistic way that they cannot provide some manual lanes at each toll 

	plaza, so this scheme would be quite expensive to build and 

	implement, and lack of land may make a lot of the sites impossible.

	

	-- 

	Scott M. Kozel    Highway and Transportation History Websites

	Virginia/Maryland/Washington, D.C. http://www.roadstothefuture.com

	Philadelphia and Delaware Valley   http://www.pennways.com

	

	

	dickboyd@aol.com

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dickboyd Members Profile Find Members Posts New Slug Joined: 13 Nov 2004 Location: California Status: Offline Points: 0	Post Options Post Reply Quote dickboyd Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Topic: Baliles Proposes $1 Billion Toll Plan Posted: 01 Sep 2005 at 8:02pm
	> http://tinyurl.com/8y8av > > washingtonpost.com > Baliles Proposes $1 Billion Toll Plan > Money Would Aid Va. Transportation > > By Steven Ginsberg > Washington Post Staff Writer > Thursday, September 1, 2005; B03 > > Former governor Gerald L. Baliles (D) has proposed a plan to > charge tolls on the Capital Beltway, on Interstates 66, 95 > and 395 and at dozens of other spots across Virginia as a way > to raise $1 billion a year to solve the state's mounting > transportation problems. > > In all, the plan calls for charging a toll of 85 cents at > 38 spots on interstate highways that Baliles said would > fund several much-needed projects, including widening the > Beltway and other major commuter routes in Northern > Virginia. Conceptually it sounds like a good idea, but where are they going to find the money and land to build 38 toll plazas? There is no realistic way that they cannot provide some manual lanes at each toll plaza, so this scheme would be quite expensive to build and implement, and lack of land may make a lot of the sites impossible. -- Scott M. Kozel Highway and Transportation History Websites Virginia/Maryland/Washington, D.C. http://www.roadstothefuture.com Philadelphia and Delaware Valley http://www.pennways.com dickboyd@aol.com

CallmeMrSlug Members Profile Find Members Posts New Slug Joined: 21 Mar 2005 Location: Virginia Status: Offline Points: 0	Post Options Post Reply Quote CallmeMrSlug Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 01 Sep 2005 at 10:40pm
	I saw this article as well, wasn't sure if this was in lieu of HOT or an addition to it and he suddenly is unavailable for weeks to explain it?

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: 02 Sep 2005 at 9:55am
	Yes, this was a strange one to figure out. One interpretation is that another group is looking down the road 10 or 20 years and seeing that if HOT comes in, there will be a problem getting new roads built because of anti-compete clauses. With the timing of this being before a major decision point on HOT lanes, it seems like someone is trying to put some things forward that would be an alternative, ie, making basically everyone on the Beltway pay a toll to bring in massive revenue for new building. I'm not saying I would be in favor, just trying to figure it out.