I66 tolls now in effect - at times over $30 one way (Arlington: sales, vehicle registration)

[Flamingo13]

Originally Posted by spencgr

Incorrect. There are two signs before getting on 66 that indicate the price. That is the fee you will pay. If the toll changes while you are on the road, you are still paying the fee the sign said when you entered the road.

Thanks, one of the news stations this morning said there was no way to know beforehand.

[Old Guard]

Originally Posted by jillybean720

I was thinking the same thing, that most who use it at these rates can either expense it and get reimbursed or at least write it off as a business expense.

So "eff the poor"?

Not classy but classist.

[NOVA_guy]

Everyone I know who uses it pays for it out of pocket including myself.

[Old Guard]

Politicians now involved.

Loudoun County Supervisor Ron Meyer wants the state to immediately lower and cap I-66 tolls and to return to the previous rush-hour period of 6:30 a.m. to 9 a.m., when High Occupancy Vehicle restrictions were in place.

https://wtop.com/dc-transit/2017/12/...66-toll-hours/

It seems as if Transportation Secretary Aubrey Layne loves the new tolls and changes. Maybe time to abolish his position and put that money back into VA coffers?

[Ffxdata]

Capping the tolls completely defeats the purpose of the entire system.

[pierretong1991]

Originally Posted by Ffxdata

Capping the tolls completely defeats the purpose of the entire system.

Exactly - the point of the tolls isn't to generate revenues, it's to guarantee that if you choose to take I-66 to work, you'll arrive in a certain amount of time (as opposed to uncertainty if there was congestion). If you cap the tolls to a level where most people can use it, you might as well make it free because then people are paying to sit in traffic congestion (which will happen if they make the road more accessible to the public). Also, with the tolls spiking at certain times, people will spread their commutes out so that not everybody is on the road at the same time.

Good explanation about the purpose of express lanes - notice the emphasis on the word "choice":
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M0Un4axPhHQ

So in the end, people/politicians have a choice as to what's important to them here:

1. Faster travel speeds/times on highways - but access to fewer people, or people would have to consider taking the Metro or carpool options (VDOT said average speeds on 66 were 57 mph during rush hour which is impressive for any major metro area).
2. Access to more people but gridlock on the highways. People don't have the choice to get somewhere faster between 7-9 AM or 4-6 PM if they need to.

I think some improvements can be made - there needs to be innovative ways to encourage carpooling (private sector maybe?), there definitely needs to be more money put into public transportation along the corridors where these toll lanes are needed, the hours should be adjusted to what it was previously, and they should look at how the bottleneck at the TR Bridge is affecting pricing.

[Old Guard]

Originally Posted by Ffxdata

Capping the tolls completely defeats the purpose of the entire system.

I am not sure I like the system and am not sure if I care if it is defeated.

[Old Guard]

Originally Posted by pierretong1991

Exactly - the point of the tolls isn't to generate revenues, it's to guarantee that if you choose to take I-66 to work, you'll arrive in a certain amount of time (as opposed to uncertainty if there was congestion). If you cap the tolls to a level where most people can use it, you might as well make it free because then people are paying to sit in traffic congestion (which will happen if they make the road more accessible to the public). Also, with the tolls spiking at certain times, people will spread their commutes out so that not everybody is on the road at the same time.

Good explanation about the purpose of express lanes - notice the emphasis on the word "choice":

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M0Un4axPhHQ

So in the end, people/politicians have a choice as to what's important to them here:

1. Faster travel speeds/times on highways - but access to fewer people, or people would have to consider taking the Metro or carpool options (VDOT said average speeds on 66 were 57 mph during rush hour which is impressive for any major metro area).
2. Access to more people but gridlock on the highways. People don't have the choice to get somewhere faster between 7-9 AM if they need to.

I think some improvements can be made - there needs to be innovative ways to encourage carpooling (private sector maybe?), the hours should be adjusted to what it was previously, and they should look at how the bottleneck at the TR Bridge is affecting pricing.

Are you saying that the toll system enables faster travel to and from work if you pay? What about those that do not pay? If this were a private road I would not care, but it is not a private road.

[pierretong1991]

Originally Posted by Old Guard

Are you saying that the toll system enables faster travel to and from work if you pay? What about those that do not pay? If this were a private road I would not care, but it is not a private road.

That's exactly what the point of the toll system as I see it IMO. The added bonus for VDOT is additional revenue for projects that will improve other roads/highways. As people have mentioned, for the most part nothing has really changed apart from the hours being adjusted and changes for hybrid vehicles. If you are carpooling and contributing to reduced traffic on the road, you get to drive for free.

Now whether that's what people want is a completely different debate. But that's the option that VDOT is attempting to make available.

If people do get rid of the tolls, they should not complain about long commutes and congested highways. It's completely unreasonable and unsustainable to demand that VDOT should be able to keep up with the demand for more roads/lanes from single occupancy drivers (which is a total inefficient use of the roadway, taking up that much space for just one person). Highway projects are too expensive to build and maintain to be used this inefficiently.

[Old Guard]

Originally Posted by pierretong1991

That's exactly what the point of the toll system as I see it IMO. The added bonus for VDOT is additional revenue for projects that will improve other roads/highways. As people have mentioned, for the most part nothing has really changed apart from the hours being adjusted and changes for hybrid vehicles. If you are carpooling and contributing to reduced traffic on the road, you get to drive for free.

Now whether that's what people want is a completely different debate. But that's the option that VDOT is attempting to make available.

If people do get rid of the tolls, they should not complain about long commutes and congested highways. It's completely unreasonable and unsustainable to demand that VDOT should be able to keep up with the demand for more roads/lanes from single occupancy drivers (which is a total inefficient use of the roadway, taking up that much space for just one person). Highway projects are too expensive to build and maintain to be used this inefficiently.

The hours is a huge change, but regardless, these roads are paid for by everyone's taxes. I do not think it is fair to solely benefit the rich. This seems un-American to me.

Just stop making roads a public infrastructure and make them all private.