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

[Old Guard]

Originally Posted by BuiltforSin

See the above.

LOL, I understand. I have heard this same complaint from friends in Colorado and Washington.

[datum9]

Originally Posted by NOVAmtneer82

Did everyone see that the rates hit $40 at around 8 this morning? I am starting to think that VDOT in their infinite wisdom might have put one of the sensors used in the toll rate algorithms near the massive bottleneck at the Roosevelt Bridge. Traffic jams up there daily due to the confluence of 66, Lee Highway and 50 and if a sensor is nearby it could be picking up the really slow speeds at that location. We will have to wait and see what the rates do this evening but I do not think the outbound prices went above $10 or 12 last night- there has to be a reason they skyrocket in the mornings. I will note that Route 50 throughout Arlington was an even bigger parking lot than normal during yesterday's PM commute.

Seems to me like the VA DOT's response to the traffic situation is to force cars off the road. Some people surely can pay but a certain number of people will find $40 toll road fees one way to be unacceptable and find alternatives. Either move closer or take backroads. Either way, their solution is to force cars off the road to deal with the traffic situation.

This will create congestion elsewhere.

There are plenty of people who cannot pay $40/one way, or $80/day. As a worse-case scenario, that works out to $1700/month.

[datum9]

Originally Posted by Adgj

A question for a Engineer.
Is it a bad idea to force people off 66 which I assume: 1)is built to handle heavier vehicles such as 18 wheelers, etc? The neighborhood roads etc are not built anywhere near the high quality of a interstate in my experience. Am I wrong? Please explain why I am wrong.
2) 66 is Built to handle larger quantities of the vehicles.
3) Secondary roads, etc are built to be mainly fast and cheap for the builder?

Also isn’t there more pollution created by forcing people to not us 66 and take a longer route?
Tire wear?
When people go too slow and cause traffic along with being forced to take a longer route in distance and time...Does this cause more brake wear= more brake dust, using more oil and gas, more transmission wear...
Stopping and slowing for stop signs, stoplights, animals, people crossing the roads pets, etc. when going through neighborhoods and towns? Vs a roadway with no living beings on it, other than those in vehicles to cause traffic? No stop signs/lights... traffic should just keep flowing smoothly producing less pollution and wear on vehicles and roads?
Also by forcing people off of 66 and into the surrounding neighborhoods are you creating less safe family and environments? Would you want your kids out playing in traffic, because now most people are forced to driving by your front and back door?
What does this do to your property value, now, all that traffic could be moving along officially on 66 is now forced to drive by your doors?
Does most of the above = motorcycles= less traffic and pollution secondary to motorcycles weigh nothing compared to cars? And using the same logic means that bicycles are even better than 4 wheeled cages? Very low weight and pollution?
Just some thoughts.
Have a great day.

These are interesting points.

[datum9]

Originally Posted by spencgr

The price rises exponentially in order to keep the traffic flowing. The road would not be congested enough to slow traffic.

Translation: High prices force people off the road.

[dkf747]

Originally Posted by datum9

Seems to me like the VA DOT's response to the traffic situation is to force cars off the road. Some people surely can pay but a certain number of people will find $40 toll road fees one way to be unacceptable and find alternatives. Either move closer or take backroads. Either way, their solution is to force cars off the road to deal with the traffic situation.

This will create congestion elsewhere.

There are plenty of people who cannot pay $40/one way, or $80/day. As a worse-case scenario, that works out to $1700/month.

I couldn't afford those tolls, but I have been on it twice. How? I had another person in the car with me. I saw lots of other cars too. Traffic moved okay. The other routes were congested before they added tolls, and seems to just as congested afterwards. Where is the newly created congestion?

[skeddy]

I wish they would charge $1 to drive on the beltway for future road improvements.

[datum9]

Originally Posted by datum9

Translation: High prices force people off the road.

And I wonder *where* it forces them off to. To the backroads that are already congested. E.g. Highway 50 is a nightmare already.

[Deeman804]

Originally Posted by dkf747

I couldn't afford those tolls, but I have been on it twice. How? I had another person in the car with me. I saw lots of other cars too. Traffic moved okay. The other routes were congested before they added tolls, and seems to just as congested afterwards. Where is the newly created congestion?

I believe this explains it well:

Originally Posted by spencgr

I heard a lot of outrage over this. Single drivers couldn't use it before, now they can...with a large fee. Don't want to pay a large fee? Fine...commute the same way you were before. Nothing changes.

[dkf747]

Originally Posted by Deeman804

I believe this explains it well:

It sure does, but somebody must have skipped that post, so I stepped in to remind them.

[NeganGrimes]

I guess it's worth it to get those arrogant hybrid drivers and their cars that look like a shoe off 66