1. Yes, it's a whole new look! Have questions or need help? Please post your question in the New Forum Questions thread Click the X to the right to dismiss this notice
    Dismiss Notice
  2. Seeing tons of unread posts after the upgrade? See this thread for help. Click the X to the right to dismiss this notice
    Dismiss Notice

Virginia negotiating to buy Dulles Greenway

Discussion in 'General Chat Forum' started by Pluto, Jan 16, 2013.

  1. Pluto

    Pluto New Member

    Joined:
    Feb 15, 2006
    Messages:
    433
    Likes Received:
    0
  2. flynnibus

    flynnibus Well-Known Member Forum Staff

    Joined:
    Oct 29, 2002
    Messages:
    5,358
    Likes Received:
    250
    Yeah, but as The Who said...

    New Boss.. same as the old boss..

    Buying the road out doesn't make it toll-less and it just means there is a different entity controlling the toll rates.

    I am surprised by the story tho.. shocked actually.
     
  3. KTdid

    KTdid Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Jun 14, 2006
    Messages:
    3,430
    Likes Received:
    148
    "The tolls go as high as $5.80 in peak times on the sparsely used Greenway..."

    Well, I wouldn't call the volume sparse, but this is one reason I use and enjoy driving the Greenway and why I'm happy to pay the tolls, considering the alternatives.
     
  4. Pluto

    Pluto New Member

    Joined:
    Feb 15, 2006
    Messages:
    433
    Likes Received:
    0
    I hope at least after VA takes it over, Tolls won't go up like crazy. Didn't the greedway say it could go up '$11' some time in future?
     
  5. Mr. Linux

    Mr. Linux Senior Member & Moderator Forum Staff

    Joined:
    Jul 26, 2001
    Messages:
    3,277
    Likes Received:
    69
    From what I've been reading, if they buy the road, they would issue some special bonds. They would then use the revenue from the tolls to pay for the debt. I assume that ultimately, once the debt is paid off, they would reduce the tolls or maybe even eliminate them.

    I know it's wishful thinking, but it's better than our current situation...
     
  6. flynnibus

    flynnibus Well-Known Member Forum Staff

    Joined:
    Oct 29, 2002
    Messages:
    5,358
    Likes Received:
    250
    ... and taxes will go down after the initial construction is done..

    yeah right. It's a revenue stream and hence assumed to always be there. About the best we can hope for is tolls that don't climb as fast.
     
  7. shim

    shim shim

    Joined:
    Aug 15, 2007
    Messages:
    293
    Likes Received:
    47
    If Virginia becomes the owner, I suspect the residents of political bellweather Loudoun County will have greater say in the operation. A graduated fare system for one and hopefully a way to have WV, MD and PA drivers pay more.
     
  8. beahmer

    beahmer Member

    Joined:
    Jul 3, 2004
    Messages:
    849
    Likes Received:
    15
    Didn't we pay for the Dulles Toll Road and now we are paying for Metro with the tolls. Tolls will never go away.
    Oh well! - Like you said wishful thinking
     
  9. T8erman

    T8erman Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Sep 26, 2003
    Messages:
    5,236
    Likes Received:
    249
    flynnibus said it before and I agree, toll booths at the WV line for Rt 9 and 340. The amount of traffic on Rt 9 during the rush hours has to be easily 95% WV cars
     
  10. hometheaterguy

    hometheaterguy New Member

    Joined:
    Nov 10, 2008
    Messages:
    159
    Likes Received:
    4
    They'll probably pay an outrageous price then raise the tolls to pay for it.
     
  11. Sasquatch519

    Sasquatch519 Member

    Joined:
    Jun 26, 2008
    Messages:
    448
    Likes Received:
    6
    Semi-serious question: has there ever been a road anywhere ever that has ever had a toll decrease?

    I'm sure there were many toll roads throughout the country that were set up with the idea that tolls would pay for the construction, but once the road is paid off, what gov't is gonna give up a revenue stream? Citizens are used to the tolls by the time a road is paid off, and citizens aren't really tracking the recovery of construction costs, so there's no strong public call to end the tolls.

     
  12. beahmer

    beahmer Member

    Joined:
    Jul 3, 2004
    Messages:
    849
    Likes Received:
    15
    Virginia Beach back in the late 80's. road was paid for , state or city tried to keep tolls. I believe there was a lawsuit and they lost because the deal was when the road was paid for the tolls go away. Now I think they word it differently.
     
  13. flynnibus

    flynnibus Well-Known Member Forum Staff

    Joined:
    Oct 29, 2002
    Messages:
    5,358
    Likes Received:
    250
    Ironically - the Greedway :) They lowered tolls back in the beginning because they weren't getting any ridership. But that seems like long ago.. in a galaxy far far away now.

    Exactly.. someone will say 'we use the money for maintenance' or 'we need it for future capital improvements..' or 'it will be used to fund metro..' etc.

    The state has never had the balls to hold fast on tolls.. I wouldn't expect the state road to be any different.
     
  14. Mom23

    Mom23 Member

    Joined:
    Oct 17, 2012
    Messages:
    16
    Likes Received:
    8
    There were tolls on 95 through Richmond that were removed in the early 90's.
     
  15. mdr227

    mdr227 Member

    Joined:
    Aug 9, 2004
    Messages:
    330
    Likes Received:
    5
    The VA Beach Toll Road was like 95 in Richmond where it once was a toll road and the tolls were removed once its construction was paid for back in 96 I believe. It is now part of I264.

    I often wonder how much analysis has gone into the evaluation of a distance based toll system so those users from the Brambleton, Broadlands, Ashburn areas that get on/off at LCP, Ryan Road, Clairborne or BRR are not paying the same fare that someone driving the entire distance pays. My guess is that if you drop rates based on how far you travel that the number of users would increase and overall revenues would increase as well. Either that or do something like they do in the HOT lanes where the fee is based on the volume of traffic to encourage more people to use it during slower periods. They do that in a way with the slight increase in rush hour fares, but that is really a minimal amount. We use the Greenway more often during the morning rush when Waxpool and 28 are so backed up, but in the evening and certainly in off hours and weekends try not to use it at all. I certainly would be more willing to use it on weekends and during the middle of the day if the rates were lower during this low use period.
     
  16. beahmer

    beahmer Member

    Joined:
    Jul 3, 2004
    Messages:
    849
    Likes Received:
    15
    Zippy! This is what ticks me off more than anything - I seem to recall they were supposed to study it but they claim its too cost prohibitive and wouldnt work. I'd say that too if I was collecting >$5 for people who travel 0.5-5miles.
     
  17. db103

    db103 New Member

    Joined:
    Feb 9, 2006
    Messages:
    121
    Likes Received:
    0
    Even if toll rates are not lowered I would rather the money go to the state of Virginia than to a private Australian corporation. I'm all for capitalism but think that roads used by the public should be government owned (and should be free to use).
     
  18. latka

    latka Active Member

    Joined:
    Sep 5, 2002
    Messages:
    1,216
    Likes Received:
    30
  19. KTdid

    KTdid Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Jun 14, 2006
    Messages:
    3,430
    Likes Received:
    148
    Roads are never free to use. If you pay state, federal, and sales tax then a portion is alloted toward road maintenance. Our roads should be well maintained or our vehicle operating costs will increase.
     
  20. flynnibus

    flynnibus Well-Known Member Forum Staff

    Joined:
    Oct 29, 2002
    Messages:
    5,358
    Likes Received:
    250
    a road without a toll is free to use.. that doesn't mean the poster thought the road was free to build or maintain. It's about the difference between 'common good' funding and 'consumption taxes'
     

Share This Page