I66 tolls now in effect - at times over $30 one way (Richmond: live in, cost of)

[Ffxdata]

Originally Posted by Old Guard

1.) I have been paying for a road system.
2.) I am not sure a road system is a "Luxury". I am not coming up with any first world country that does not have a road system. I also am not positive but I believe unlike many things that we spend tax dollars on a road system is mentioned in the Constitution.

It is difficult to mention all the ways this country benefits from a road system. I personally would hate to go back to dirt roads and toll roads.

Our entire infrastructure is chronically underfunded. It is crumbling all around us.

Of course we need a road system! But we also need to wake up to the reality that it isn’t free whether the money comes from gas taxes or tolls.

[Old Guard]

Originally Posted by Ffxdata

Our entire infrastructure is chronically underfunded. It is crumbling all around us.

Of course we need a road system! But we also need to wake up to the reality that it isn’t free whether the money comes from gas taxes or tolls.

underfunded ≠ without paying for.

This discussion irritates me because people say things that I feel are wrong or disingenuous. Some people have told me my fuel taxes do not pay for the road system. I NEVER said they did. I pay a LOT of taxes and some of those taxes pay more into the road system than my fuel taxes.

[pierretong1991]

I think that eventually we need to move to a "pay by the mileage" system. It's really the only fair way. If you use the roads, you should pay by how much you use it. The burden should be shifted to those who have longer daily drives and straining the existing roadway network.

[dkf747]

Originally Posted by Ffxdata

Our entire infrastructure is chronically underfunded. It is crumbling all around us.

Of course we need a road system! But we also need to wake up to the reality that it isn’t free whether the money comes from gas taxes or tolls.

I don't think anyone thinks that it's free. The problem is that they won't raise the gas taxes, or other taxes enough to fund it all. That's the best solution. Tolls suck.

[va_lucky]

Originally Posted by pierretong1991

I think that eventually we need to move to a "pay by the mileage" system. It's really the only fair way. If you use the roads, you should pay by how much you use it. The burden should be shifted to those who have longer daily drives and straining the existing roadway network.

Some of us can't afford to live closer in though and therefore must be forced to live out in rural areas where people call use names to boot!

[roninsedge]

$40.00 is still less than a ticket for violating the HOV requirement prior to the conversion to HOT lanes. Adding in the option to toll prior HOV violators is pretty good to me. As for the extra traffic in surrounding areas due to this, this is a direct showing of how much people broke the rules prior to the HOT lane conversion. I don't feel bad for people who choose to commute alone long distances to work having to shell out large amounts of money to do so. There are numerous options for people to get into DC with other people and negate these high tolls. You don't like the high prices, find a cheaper option or leave your house earlier. I have made numerous adjustments to my travel habits to accommodate changing conditions of price, location, etc over the years. It isn't that difficult and if it is too inconvenient for the people complaining, you better get used to it because it isn't going anywhere.

Personally, I disagreed with making that stretch of an INTERSTATE completely HOV in the first place.

[Old Guard]

Originally Posted by roninsedge

As for the extra traffic in surrounding areas due to this, this is a direct showing of how much people broke the rules prior to the HOT lane conversion.

The stats I have seen suggest a minor increase in traffic. Example I have seen sources sat that Route 50 has seen 8-percent increase in traffic since 66 toll began.

[pierretong1991]

Originally Posted by va_lucky

Some of us can't afford to live closer in though and therefore must be forced to live out in rural areas where people call use names to boot!

Oh I understand but in terms of transportation funding, those who use the system more should have to pay more into it. The person who just drives down the street is having less of an impact on the region wide traffic than someone who drives 40 miles each morning and afternoon.

[roninsedge]

Originally Posted by Old Guard

The stats I have seen suggest a minor increase in traffic. Example I have seen sources sat that Route 50 has seen 8-percent increase in traffic since 66 toll began.

I am pretty sure the majority of those were regular violators of the old HOV system with no cameras.

[Old Guard]

Originally Posted by pierretong1991

Oh I understand but in terms of transportation funding, those who use the system more should have to pay more into it. The person who just drives down the street is having less of an impact on the region wide traffic than someone who drives 40 miles each morning and afternoon.

You are seriously misinformed if you think that a person who never drives on the roads in the US gets no benefit from that road system.

It nearly affects every part of our economy. Without the road system we have now or a an equally effective replacement the dollar would probably be worth less, you would have a hard time feeding and clothing people, emergency services would be almost completely shut down. I do not even want to get into the deliveries.