Posted on 12/17/2017 1:15:37 AM PST by Tolerance Sucks Rocks
T he expansion of Virginia’s extensive system of high-occupancy toll (HOT) lanes is shifting to Interstate 395.
Construction is set to take off before the end of the year along an eight-mile stretch of Interstate 395, where today’s high-occupancy vehicle (HOV) lanes are being converted into toll lanes. The $480 million project will deliver the next major milestone in the state’s vision to create a network of more than 90 miles of HOT lanes in Northern Virginia by 2022.
About 45 miles of express lanes have opened on Interstates 495 and 95 within the past five years, and the state is set to open another 10 miles of HOT lanes on Interstate 66 next month.
“The goal is to move more people,” Virginia Deputy Transportation Secretary Nick Donohue said at a recent meeting about the Dec. 4 launch of the I-66 toll lanes.
By growing its network of toll lanes, officials say, the state will increase the capacity of its transportation network and give drivers more options. Solo drivers, for example, who cannot currently use the HOV lanes will be able to — if they are willing to pay. Having more people in the HOT lanes will help relieve congestion in the general lanes, officials say.
The benefit, officials say, is a quicker, more reliable trip than they could get using the interstate’s regular lanes. Drivers who carpool will be able to continue to travel free in the HOT lanes.
All HOT lane users will need a toll transponder. A portion of the revenue will help fund highway improvements and additional transit options.
(Excerpt) Read more at washingtonpost.com ...
Yep, more $40 commutes.
They get to reward cronies who in turn reward them, and penalize driving with the intent of forcing people back into cities. From a bureaucrat’s perspective, what’s not to like? The crony angle even sucks Republicans in, see Texas.
Too many federal emmployees overall, and too many in the DC Metro. Too much traffic. It’s past time to move some of these agencies far away from the geographical center of the swamp.
It must be a state thing. I can drive 10 or 45 free, yet 95 is tolls galore. U figure it out
Northern Virginians are stupid. They vote for Democrats who let their friends bilk them for big $$ to drive on packed roads (in return for campaign donations, of course). Meanwhile, all their tax money is spent on the best roads in the country that barely anybody uses in and around Richmond. Thanks NOVA, idiots.
There should be some kind of law that dictates over the next forty years....if your federal building in DC become obsolete or in need of any major renovation, no funding will be provided unless you agree to move at least 500 miles outside of the District.
Even if you use mass transit and try to live 15 miles outside of DC...the system simply isn’t built well enough to handle the number of travelers. I worked with one officer who was traveling via Amtrak from sixty miles away, and the system marginally worked for him to make this a daily experience.
“Northern Virginians are stupid. They vote for Democrats who let their friends bilk them for big $$ to drive on packed roads (in return for campaign donations, of course). Meanwhile, all their tax money is spent on the best roads in the country that barely anybody uses in and around Richmond. Thanks NOVA, idiots.”
Most N. Virginians are fed employees. And, thereby have Government paid toll tags. They don’t care if the drive costs one dollar or one hundred dollars.
Was this dude absent the day they had math?
I suspect that most of those using the $40 toll roads are those working for the government whose expenses are reimbursed.
Moving it to flyover country just means you’re moving the corruption to another area of the country. Each state capital in the country sort of proves that. However, moving federal agencies to other parts of the country with mere satellite offices in DC would be more realistic.
As a former N. Virginia fed employee who drove into DC every day, I can promise you there’s no government paid toll tags. We all had to pay the toll just like everyone else.
The only thing the govt. will do is pay if you are willing to ride Metro. And after you’ve done that long enough for it to suck your soul dry, you gladly get back in the car, pay the toll, and sit in traffic instead of being on the horrible Metro.
IMO, outside of the FEW authorized agencies (and, maybe, the White House), each critter should be housed in their respective State, to be paid by the same.
Joys of the 21st century/tele-commute world
It’s been at least a decade since IT improved to where Federal agencies can not only be physically outsourced to other states but operate more efficiently & more cheaply.
Much less costly real estate & construction costs, little to no commutes, cheaper cost of living, a long list of nice to haves.
But that won’t happen as long as Federal bureaucrats see their power as based on being centralized with their @zzes planted right there in the Federal District & its suburbs.
The Soviet Union & King Louis XIV of France were well aware that remoteness equals decreased accountability to the central government. The Soviets had to live with it because Russia is geographically huge; King Louis merely summoned the French nobility away from their dukedoms with a wave of his hand and forced them to spend much of their time in Versailles at his beck & call.
So yeah, northern Virginians, enjoy your new toll roads that used to be `free’. Especially that stretch of I-95 between Richmond & D.C. Sheer murder during commutes.
Toll roads are fast lanes for the wealthy and slow lanes for peons.
“The gaol is to move more people”... Horse manure, the goal is to extract more cash. Dint piss on my leg and tell me it’s raining ing.
You want to move more people, spend all that toll lane infrastructure cost on more lanes.
Arseholes...
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