Hhmm...maybe this would help the toll road

I've seen a lot of good points made on here since my last posting. I am not a supporter of greed is good, but I can't really blame a private firm from wanting to make money off the Greenway. I can however, like others on here, ask why the state didn't build the road themselves to begin with. Why couldn't they build it, and why couldn't they run it as efficiently (or better) than a private firm?

Additionally, I've seen it mentioned on here that the Dulles Toll road might be sold to a private firm to control. As I heard it in the news, the airport authority already owns the road and allows the state to maintain it and collect tolls. Apparently, they want it back so they can run it in a more efficient manner. And use the toll money soley for road upkeep. That's what I think I heard anyway.

 

Why do we pay tolls on the Dulles Toll Road.

As was mentioned, VDOT does not own the land the Toll Road lies on. The tolls are to help pay for the development of the road (already done), and for upkeep .. always ongoing. Much like the toll road up in Richmond!

Also, as has been mentioned, the Airport Authority which, I believe, is a Federal agency owns the Toll Road land, and operates the Dulles Airport access road. They are now exercising a right that they have in their agreement with VDOT, to take over the Toll Road and operate it. They will then use the receipts to help pay for the remaining leg of Metro out to the airport.

The Airport Authority has a vested interest in getting that final leg done. What they saw was VDOT lining up with a bunch of suitors who would take over the road, pay VDOT a billion for the rights to collect tolls for the next 20/40 years (??) not sure, but with none of that money earmarked for the Metro.

Should be an interesting next few months.



Neil Z.
Resident since 1999

 

Neil Z and Steve, Thanks for clarifying. I appreciate it.

 

The other indignity foisted on us by the Greedway owners is that they are cutting the discount for those with Smart Tags. Everyone will now pay the same fee. True, the dime savings wasn't much, but at least it was a sop to those who are helping make their operation more efficient and less congested. The state should require them to put back the discount on environmental grounds.

Del.-elect David Poisson is planning to introduce legislation in the General Assembly in January that would give taxpayers who use Smart Tag a tax credit equal to 10% of their toll payments.

Another legislator from Prince William plans to require the automatic discount.

I think those of us who are upset about getting squeezed by the Greenway (and the State Corporation Commission that allowed them to impose such usurious rates )should contact Del. Poisson and other legislators to let them know we support this bill.

Of course there are other issues to deal with regarding the Greenway and the Dulles Toll Road, but this is at least one small solution.

 

Here are the names and addresses of some senators and delegates representing Loudoun. Feel free to write them about the toll increases. I'm asking them to support legislation that is being introduced that would provide a 10% tax credit for Va. SmartTag users or another bill that would provide an automatic credit at the gate.

Let's get the word out that we need some relief and that SmartTag users are helping reduce congestion.




27th District - Senator H. Russell Potts, Jr.

14 North Braddock Street, Winchester, VA
22601-4120

Office: (540) 665-2092 | Fax: (540) 665-8399 | E-mail:
district27@sov.state.va.us



33rd District - Senator Bill Mims

PO Box 741 Leesburg, VA 20178-0741

Office: (703) 779-1888 | Fax: (703) 777-4001 | E-mail: district33@sov.state.va.us


33rd District - Delegate Joe May

PO Box 2146 Leesburg, VA 20177

Office: (703) 777-1191 | Fax: (703) 777-6059

E-mail: Del_May@house.state.va.us

86th District - Delegate Thomas Davis Rust

730 Elden Street, Herndon, VA 20170

Office: (703) 437-9400 | Fax: (703) 435-6655

E-mail: Del_TRust@house.state.va.us

 

Just curious - anyone NOT using the Greedway since they increased the tolls on 1/1?

 

If I can help it, I refuse to use it.

 

Maybe it's just me, but the few times I drove Waxpool during rush hour since the first of the year, there seems to be a lot more traffic during rush hours on Waxpool.

Lee J Buividas

 

Yes, I have cut back. I used to take it for both the morning and evening commute every day. Now I take it about half the time.

 

I work at AOL and commute down Waxpool, I leave at 5:30am, so no traffic issue then, but at 5pm, yikes!!! Lots of traffic and if you leave later, at 5:30 or 6pm, it's even worse, Waxpool looks like a parking lot. Guess it won't get any better, especially once the golf course opens and also finish all the retail they'll be building around Wegmans and of course those restuarants down by the Embassy Suites Hotel....

 

We were a double commuting family using the Greedway to get to and from work (and to go to the gym at lunch), but with the recent increases (on both the Greedway and Toll Road) and no bonus for have Smarttag we have cut it down to just my hubby using it to get home in the evenings.

We were spending $286.00 (not including weekends) a month on tolls, now we are down to $69.00/month.

 

Yes, I have stopped using the Greedway since the toll increase. Before the increase I was using it only in the evenings. I have a very long commute from Ashburn to Ft Belvoir/Springfield and back everyday and couldn't stand the extra time it takes going 28 to waxpool. However, since the toll increase, which makes my blood boil, I have opted to stop going by way of the greedway. [V]

 

My hope is that more and more people will at least decrease their use of it...don't know if it'll do any good or not, but something needs to be done. It's ridiculous...everything is going up, gas, electric, taxes, etc.....

 

tyger - "especially once the golf course opens"

Just curious, but why do you think this will have an impact on traffic? Unless there is a large tournament, golf courses do not create traffic woes. Unless you consider the few cars that come and go at any particular time are a problem.

As for the retail area, that should not be a problem in the morning as most retail shops do not open until 0900-1000. And I hope that sometime in the near future they once again have access directly off Rt. 28 for this area.

 

I wonder how much decrease in tolls since the increase?? Boycotting the toll road sounds good except it is increasing the traffic on other roads such as waxpool. My wife who used the toll road the other rush hour morning said there was little backup at the toll booths.

She said she would pay the increase if the greenway was like this everyday. So maybe there are people happy with the increase so there is less traffic.

Anyway my wife works at AOL so she might think differently if she used the greenway eveyday not several times a year.

I predict major gridlock on waxpool by the end of the year with no relief in sight possibly for the next ten years. Even Broderick is backing up to prentice at the AOL school. The left turn onto loudoun parkway is backing up from waxpool really bad so the shellhorn shortcut is becoming meaningless by the day.

Yep the only solution is less development until the roads and schools catch up and put a special road and school tax on every new home and building constructed. Developers are not going to pay for a thing and as we all see will give us very little in the way of roads compared to the amount of homes built. Look at evergreen rd and the basically non existent rd improvements those developers have put in.

And several of those developments are going to produce major major traffic just by their sheer size. What do we get a couple of turn lanes. If you think waxpool is bad wait till you see how bad evergreen gets in the next few years. I am not anti development just ROADS and SCHOOLS first then the homes and businesses. Other parts of the country are doing just that very sucessfully.

Lee J Buividas

 

Are there any plans for a cloverleaf at the intersection of Waxpool and Pacific Blvd (near Wegman's and AOL)? That would help tremendously.
What would also be a huge help is widening the connection road between the Toll Road and the Greedway. I just can't believe that it is two lanes. It's getting more and more backed up because of that section. In the evening sometimes, it is backed up all the way to the FFX County Parkway!

 

Tech Head-
No there are no plans to improve any of the intersections on Waxpool.
Once Loudoun County Parkway is completed to Rte 7, that road will become heavily travelled and lead to longer back-ups on Waxpool.

I asked about these intersections at a Rte 28 Corridor improvement meeting awhile back. My concerns were only met with the comment that Rte 28 was the priority, not Waxpool.