New plan could bring tolls to VA interstates

http://www.nbc12.com/story/28987121/new-plan-could-bring-tolls-to-va-interstates ^ | May 5, 2015 | Mike Valerio

[Ray76]

There's a new push to charge tolls on Virginia's free interstates, and it's coming straight from the White House. Federal funding for Virginia highways is set to expire at the end of May.

Part of President Barack Obama's solution is to open all of Virginia's interstates to tolls.

Right now, tolls are flat-out banned on existing interstate lanes, but the Grow America Act 2.0, now in Congress, will change that. It's a $500 million plan, and it lifts a huge barrier if it passes. Right now, to toll an interstate, you need to build new lanes. That's how we have tolls on I-95 with the new express lanes near Washington, D.C. But if the president gets his way, it fast-tracks states' powers to toll any interstate.

[bgill]

Say no to just one of the obamy family outings and you’ve got it paid for.

[relictele]

Grow America Act 2.0, now in Congress, will change that. It's a $500 million plan

Who writes this stuff? Moreover, who believes it?

Grow America? Government grows nothing. Except itself.

Version 2.0? What happened to version 1 and why? Did it succeed? Fail? Stay on budget (*snort*)?

A $500 million plan? These roads need billions of dollars -billions which are SUPPOSED to come from the billions collected in fuel taxes - when they aren't being spent on solar cars and choo choo trains.

And how will tolls for roads that are and should forever be free create any sort of growth?

[NormsRevenge]

Wow. They should put a tollbooth in driveways and save us all the rest of the shakedown zones.. And speed traps.

[Democrat_media]

2017 can’t get here fast enough when finally this far left communist monster obama will finally be out of here and stop destroying the U.S.A.

[Dr. Sivana]

Version 2.0? What happened to version 1 and why?

Sort of like "Plan 9 from Outer Space". What happened to plans 1 through 8?

[hal ogen]

Yes...the degenerate affirmative-action commie guy will be gone; however, his many commie/lefty minions will remain in government, courts, universities, think tanks and so forth to complete the “transformation”. May Justice find them all.

[ScottinVA]

2017 can’t get here fast enough when finally this far left communist monster obama will finally be out of here

The beast waiting in the wings will be just as bad. She'll happily pick up where he left off.

[Steely Tom]

I'm sure Virginia's wonderful Democrat governor Terry McAuliffe will speak right up and defend the saps people who voted him into office from this outrage.

[Ben Ficklin]

If you were keeping up with it, you would know that Congress is going to pass a Band-Aid and punt the highway funding problem down the road, as they have been doing recently.

And if you were keeping up with it, you would know that the trust fund is broke and congress has been transferring money from general revenue into the trust fund, for several years now.

So which do you prefer, paying for Virginia's interstates out of your income tax, or letting those who actually use the interstate pay for it with a toll?

[Ray76]

States - Maryland and Delaware for example - collect tolls on I95 and spend that money on other projects. Virginia and North Carolina want to do the same. This is authorized by 23 U.S.C. 129(a)(3)(A)(v) - “if the public authority certifies annually that the tolled facility is being adequately maintained, any other purpose for which Federal funds may be obligated by a State under this title”

This is a tax on non-residents to fund state projects.

[Ben Ficklin]

they do the same thing in texas.

[mikey_hates_everything]

Easily bypassed on US 1 or 301, just like Delaware’s toll plaza.

[napscoordinator]

Not to worry....they have something up their sleeves and it is charging us per mile what we drive every year. It will be attached to the registration. Yep that is next. Ugh.

[Ray76]

Not really. Misses the point as well.

[NormsRevenge]

It’s so silly.. Basically, they can track you anywhere anytime..

Why pretend?

Infrared , wireless, acoustic, surveillance.. they gonna get ya.

I never met anyone involved in a federal investigation..

Again, why pretend?

[NormsRevenge]

I guess chip implants are the wave of the future.

[minnesota_bound]

charge tolls on Virginia’s free interstates
That will bring out the Confederate flag!

[Chode]

so they have to either build thousands of toll booths manned by govt union thugs, or force drivers to buy an ez-pass...

wanna bet which one wins?

[Rodamala]

This will be yet another one of these “tollboothless toll roads”... the goal is to have every car have an RFID tag.