Public input on proposed Dulles Toll Road Inc

I don't know about the Fairfax Connector buses, but as one who has taken the Loudoun Commuter bus into DC on two isolated occasions (I normally drive), those buses are not underutilized! And they go to more than the Metro.

 

I disagree too about pushing a tax on driving commuters to pay for someting they aren't using or may never use in the form of the rail service. Once the rail is built, do you think this extra .25 charged on us will be dropped....., I really doubt it. Seeing that the current fees we are seeing were supposed to stop YEARS ago (when the tollroad was paid for), I doubt that the new increase would be removed once the rail was built and in service. Granted, we pay a nominal fee as it is, but when the state maintains it with the taxes we currently pay (in both income and fuel taxes), why are we still forced to pay for the service as it is now? Its like any other state road as far as Im concerned.
I disagree with having to pay the extra .25 for the rail. I do agree that a rail may help somewhat in traffic congestion, but ask the airport to pay for some, ask the current rail system to pay for it. Since this is of public use, let our government help pay for it as they do for our road systems, heaven knows I pay enough taxes around this place. If the governments dont have enough tax revenue to support it, then create more jobs, or stop giving so much in tax credits to businesses. If the locale can not support the growth they are feeling, then they need to limit the growth.....this is another can of worms, but you see my point.

DwArFlOrD

 

FYI.... For those that oppose this increase an email I received........


Dear Friends:

I received your email from a list of people who submitted comments opposing the Dulles Greenway toll increase in 2003.

Now, Virginia Gov.Warner wants to raise tolls on the Dulles Toll Road -- by 50%.

Please attend one of 3 unofficial public hearings to oppose the toll increase, which is intended NOT to ease congestion on the highway, but to finance Dulles Rail (which won't be built to Loudoun for another 15 years). 

Tolls could jump 50% on Feb. 17 by the Commonwealth Transportation Board unless you speak out.    Our web site has been revamped so you can send comments directly to Richmond:  http://www.notollincrease.com/

Thursday, Feb. 10, Reston:
Fairfax County supervisor  Cathy Hudgins will hold a hearing in the Community Room of the North County Governmental Center, 7:30 p.m. 12000 Bowman Towne Drive, Reston, which is off Reston Parkway near the Reston Library. Transportation Board member Kate Hanley will be on hand, and other CTB members have been invited to hear from the public and answer questions.  Both are ardent supporters of raising taxes and tolls to finance Dulles Rail -- despite its minuscule benefit to commuters
Friday, Feb. 11, Leesburg
On behalf of the Loudoun County Board of Supervisors, Vice-Chairman Bruce Tulloch has requested that Kate Hanley, the Northern Virginia Representative to the Commonwealth Transportation Board, be available to answer questions and hear public comment regarding a proposed toll increase on the Dulles Toll Road. The meeting will take place at 6:30 p.m., Friday, February 11, 2005, in the Board Room of the Loudoun County Government Center, 1 Harrison St., S.E., Leesburg, Virginia.   We are uncertain whether Hobie Mitchell, the Loudoun rep, will be on hand.
http://www.loudoun.gov/news/toll.htm
Saturday, Feb. 12, Herndon
Commissioner Hanley and possibly Commissioner Julia Connolly will hear citizens at Herndon Town Hall, 9 a.m., 765 or 777 Lynn Street. From Route 28 south, turn LEFT onto OLD OX RD/VA-606 E. or RIGHT on Old Ox coming NORTH on 28
Continue to follow VA-606 E. 2.0 miles
Turn LEFT onto ELDEN ST/VA-228. 0.5 miles
Turn LEFT onto STATION ST. <0.1 miles
Turn LEFT onto LYNN ST. <0.1 miles
The Commonwealth Transportation Board will consider the 25-cent toll increase on the Dulles Toll Road at its Feb. 17 meeting at the VDOT Central Office Auditorium at 1221 E. Broad St., Richmond. Tolls would total 50 cents on ramps and 75 cents at the toll plaza. Revenues from the proposed increase would be dedicated to help fund Virginia’s 25 percent share of the Dulles Corridor Metrorail Project, WHICH WILL NOT BE COMPLETED UNTIL 2011 AT THE EARLIEST.
OTHER HEARING POSSIBILITIES:
3 p.m., Feb. 16, at the VDOT Central Office Auditorium at 1221 E. Broad St., Richmond
3 p.m., Feb. 16, at the VDOT District Office at 14685 Avion Parkway, Chantilly (location to participate by videoconference)
9 a.m., Feb. 17, prior to the CTB meeting at the VDOT Central Office Auditorium at 1221 E. Broad St., Richmond

We will unveil our web site and campaign against the Toll increase tomorrow.  Former Fairfax Supervisor Chairs Audrey Moore and Jack Herrity, along with the National Taxpayers Union, Virginia Club for Growth and LOWER are joining forces to stop this bad tax increase from occurring.

If you can help me distribute flyers to get people to attend these hearings, please email me back.
--
Thank you.

Ken Reid
for
Notollincrease.com
Leesburg, VA 20175
(703) 779-8777 FAX: (703) 779-2508



--
Thank you.

Ken Reid
Editor & Publisher
Washington Information Source Co.
ExpertBriefings.com
208 South King Street, Suite 303
Leesburg, VA 20175
(703) 779-8777 FAX: (703) 779-2508
E-mail: Kreid@FDAINFO.COM
www.FDAINFO.com www.ExpertBriefings.com

 

I just noticed this on the loudoun.gov website - a local opportunity for public comment.

Public Meeting Scheduled on Proposed Dulles Toll Road Fee Hike
On behalf of the Loudoun County Board of Supervisors, Vice-Chairman Bruce Tulloch has requested that Kate Hanley, the Northern Virginia Representative to the Commonwealth Transportation Board, be available to answer questions and hear public comment regarding a proposed toll increase on the Dulles Toll Road. The meeting will take place at 6:30 p.m., Friday, February 11, 2005, in the Board Room of the Loudoun County Government Center, 1 Harrison St., S.E., Leesburg, Virginia.

The proposed increase would raise tolls to 75 cents at the main toll plaza and to 50 cents at entrance and exit ramps.

Citizens are encouraged to voice their views, and to ask any questions they might have about the proposed increase. Other members of the Commonwealth Transportation Board might be in attendance.

For questions concerning this meeting, contact the office of Vice-Chairman Bruce Tulloch, 703-777-0204.

# # #

 

You might want to think about the fact that all the people who
would be taking Metro would be off the highway. Isn't that a
benefit to those of us who drive? I think its worth an extra
25¢ if it would include rail to Ashburn. Metro is also not only
for travelling to work. It would be nice to catch to MCI center,
RFK Stadium or even Fed Ex Field. I think there are significant
benefits to having Metro out here even if only 10% of 15% of
the population use it.

Obviously there will be user fees on an extended Metro but
they don't get it built.

The privatization of roads is a conservative idea that I don't
agree with. The Greedway is a prime example of how it can cost
more privatized than when taxpayer funded.

skins fan

 

Route 66 has the metro and 66 is still grid locked, what will make the TollRoad any different?? northern VA is growing too fast and the infrastructure is lagging behind.

How much revenue from the TollRoad is going to pay upkeep? is the rest of the money (profit) going to help build roads in Roanoke or South Hill, VA?
How can we ensure that every cent that we will be forced to pay stays in Northern VA and is marked for metro expansion or local road improvements?

 

From the www.notollsincrease.com website (no affiliation to me):

Dulles Toll Study considers $3 tolls
February 14, 2005
Fairfax County Taxpayers Alliance
Report quietly released eight days before hearing

Fairfax County Taxpayers Alliance president, Arthur G. Purves, reported today that a 99-page study on options for toll hikes on the Dulles Toll Road provides revenue estimates for several toll-hike strategies, including tolls up to $3 ($2 at the main toll plaza and $1 at exit ramps).

A pdf file of the study can be downloaded from the Fairfax County Taxpayers Alliance home page, www.fcta.org. Due to graphics included in the study, the 99-page report is a large document (23 Mb), and takes several minutes to download. The toll options are on pages 5-14 through 5-16 (pages 85-87 of the pdf file).

The Virginia Commonwealth Transportation Board (CTB) is scheduled to vote on a toll increase next Thursday, February 17.

The February 2nd Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) press release announcing the vote did not initially mention the study and did not mention that additional toll increases were being considered.

The currently-proposed increase to 75 cents at the main toll plaza and 50 cents on the exit ramps applies to building rail out to Reston. Further toll increases are being considered for completing construction to Loudoun County.

VDOT did not post the Dulles Toll Study until after Mr. Purves asked to see it. It was posted on February 8, only nine days before the CTB vote and eight days before the CTB's public hearing on the toll hike. It was posted six days after the VDOT press release announcing the toll hike.

The toll increases are being considered even though Fairfax County real estate taxes have increased $1600 in the last five years, state taxes were increased $1.4 billion last year, and state tax collections are experiencing an additional surplus of $1.2 billion. None of last year's $1.4 billion state tax hike was allocated to transportation.

The toll increases are expected to raise about $300 million over five years to pay for the state's share of Dulles rail construction to Reston.

Another Fairfax County real estate tax hike is expected later this month.

 

We are all talking about the $.25 addition to the current toll. What about the existin $.85 toll (Rt 28 plus Tysons toll). Where does all this $$ go to? Based on a couple of websites, I was able to find the following: "Currently the Dulles Toll Road is generating $42 million in revenues and paying out $13 in operating and maintenance expenses and $12 million in debt service, leaving an annual surplus of $17 million". Another site states "The Toll Road was financed by the taxpayers of Virginia, which promised to lift full-time tolls once the road is paid off (2015). "

According to an article on this site: http://www.kenplum.com/sep04cnx.html all of the surplus must be kept "here" under state law. I am not sure what here means? Does it mean that it can be used for local road improvements (Rt 28 connectors) or toll road improvements. I am fine with both...not fine with using the $$ for improvements outside the Dulles corridor.

If the state has the postion that all major road projects need to be paid by the local drivers then why no toll on the new Wilson Bridge, improvements to Route 66 or the 495/95 interchange? The state cannot continue to target our area with increasing tolls and not do likewise to other areas in the state.

I am fine with paying a toll to use a road if all of the $$ from that toll go for maintenance and improving the road.

As far as the Greenway is concerned, I see the Greenway as the price of admission to this great community. I do not see justification to the increases in tolls on the road (up to $3 very shortly from $1.50 last year) but I do have alternative routes that are free which I can take (cost benefit analysis).

I do see the Toll Road (not Greenway) as the only practicable route from Broadlands to the Tysons/DC area.

Fido

 

Only a few more hours to voice your opinions.
=================================================================================================

Hi:

Just wanted to formally thank you for registering your opposition to the Dulles Rail toll increase.

We have just ONE more chance to make a difference before the estimated 3 p.m. vote TODAY by Gov. Warner's hand-picked Commonwealth Transportation Board.   Only Gov. Warner can turn this around. 
Please call him at (804) 786-2211  press 4 or ext. 2335
and urge him to use a portion of the state's $1.2 billion surplus for Dulles Rail, NOT toll money.
and, please, do it now.
Thank you.

Ken Reid
For
Notollincrease.com
208 South King Street, Suite 303
Leesburg, VA 20175
(703) 779-8777
Kreid@Dullesfreeway.org

 

Looks like we'll all need more $$$ starting 5/22 -


25 Cent Increase OK'd for Dulles Toll Road
Updated: Thursday, Feb. 17, 2005 - 11:34 AM

WASHINGTON - Start saving your quarters, the tolls are going up on the Dulles Toll Road.
The toll increases from 50 cents to 75 cents at the main gate and from 25 cents to 50 cents at the entrance and exit ramps.

At the Sully Road/Greenway ramps, the toll will go from 35 cents to 50 cents.

The extra money will help pay for a proposed $1.5 billion extension of Metrorail from near the East Falls Church station through Tysons Corner to Wiehle Avenue in Reston.

The funding also will help oay for the next phase of Metro's extension, which will take the subway 12 more miles from Wiehle Avenue through Dulles International Airport to Route 772 in Loudoun County.

The increase, the first on the 12-mile road since it opened in 1984, goes into effect May 22. It will apply to all vehicles, whether they are paying cash or using Smart Tag or E-ZPass.

"The region clearly needs this project. Major roadways in the corridor are nearing gridlock," said Whittington Clement, chairman of the Virginia Commonwealth Transportation Board, in a news release.

The vote by the Virginia Commonwealth Transportation Board Thursday was unanimous.