I66 tolls now in effect - at times over $30 one way (utilities, airport)

[The Dissenter]

One from this morning from Sycamore St.

[robbobobbo]

Originally Posted by skeddy

Pay up and enjoy the ride.

Or don't drive solo on 66 inside the Beltway during rush hour, just as one didn't do previously, if they were a law-abider.

The earlier and longer peak hours designation does impact those solo drivers who used to travel between 5:30 am and 6:30 am, and/or between 3 pm and 4 pm. But times change. Better that they can pay and use the road rather than be completely restricted at those times.

Anyway, I'm one of those "libruls" who takes public transportation to my job 4 miles away. I do enjoy the ride.

[dkf747]

I really don't mind the tolls, but the time change to 5:30 am from 6:30 does bother me. There was no reason to do that when traffic was so light at that time.

[17thAndK]

Peak fare periods on 66 are the same as on Metro.

[dkf747]

Originally Posted by 17thAndK

Peak fare periods on 66 are the same as on Metro.

Is that the reason for the change or just an observation ?

[Vacanegro]

Originally Posted by robbobobbo

Or don't drive solo on 66 inside the Beltway during rush hour, just as one didn't do previously, if they were a law-abider.

The earlier and longer peak hours designation does impact those solo drivers who used to travel between 5:30 am and 6:30 am, and/or between 3 pm and 4 pm. But times change. Better that they can pay and use the road rather than be completely restricted at those times.

Anyway, I'm one of those "libruls" who takes public transportation to my job 4 miles away. I do enjoy the ride.

Problem is that there are so few options for those commuting from far away (lots of folks). VA always puts these types of laws into effect with little real management attention to alternatives.

How do I carpool when I live in Manassas or Similar ? Where can I park and take mass transit or express bus (Vienna lot fills quickly)?
How can I be expected to pay perhaps $60 or more per day ?
How is that fair when I already pay car taxes + tolls on 66 or the Dulles Toll rd ?
Why is there no tolls in Richmond or under the bay in Newport News, despite the obvious cost of roads there ?

Anyone who takes Metro knows that it is no picnic. Did that for years in Arlington and was not easy as 50% of trains were full and cost was till significant even for my 5 miles. As soon as company paid parking was put in I started driving. There is pushback on 66 tolls for many valid reasons.

[pierretong1991]

Another thing I will say is that if there is peak demand during the $30-40 toll periods, why would you even want to drive on 66 then? It seems that would be a sign to take an alternate route anyways.

[vette0009]

Tyranny, harassment, over taxation, extorsion

[Carlingtonian]

This hasn't affected me at all, since I have a reverse commute. (It's 25 minutes each way. Go ahead and hate me.)

My wife drives into DC but usually with a family member who lives nearby, so they don't pay the toll if they take 66. But she says 50 is actually OK in Arlington after 8:30. We haven't seen an increase of traffic in our neighborhood.

Like others here, I have zero sympathy for those who formerly cheated and now find the price too high. I do have a little bit for the early commuters, who chose to get up before dawn every day instead of cheating and are now roped into the tolls due to the extended HOV hours.

Then again, why should neighborhoods that predate I-66 by 40 years have to pay at all? Especially when we bear the brunt of the traffic noise, which I can hear as a distant rush from my backyard?

Oh, that's right; life isn't always fair.

If someday they start tolling southbound 95 in the mornings, I'll just find another job or take a different route. Or ask to telework more. Or start picking up hitchhikers and panhandlers to meet the HOV requirement. Or buy a motorcycle.

[Ffxdata]

Originally Posted by Vacanegro

Problem is that there are so few options for those commuting from far away (lots of folks). VA always puts these types of laws into effect with little real management attention to alternatives.

How do I carpool when I live in Manassas or Similar ? Where can I park and take mass transit or express bus (Vienna lot fills quickly)?
How can I be expected to pay perhaps $60 or more per day ?
How is that fair when I already pay car taxes + tolls on 66 or the Dulles Toll rd ?
Why is there no tolls in Richmond or under the bay in Newport News, despite the obvious cost of roads there ?

Anyone who takes Metro knows that it is no picnic. Did that for years in Arlington and was not easy as 50% of trains were full and cost was till significant even for my 5 miles. As soon as company paid parking was put in I started driving. There is pushback on 66 tolls for many valid reasons.

If you are interested in options from Manassas, there are multiple van-shares and express buses that leave from there and go downtown.