SCC Examiner Rejects Greenway Toll Challenge

Loudoun County:

“The efforts to lower toll rates on the Dulles Greenway took a hit yesterday, with the State Corporation Commission’s hearing examiner rejecting the case that stemmed from a complaint by Del. David Ramadan (R-87). In the 67-page report, Hearing Examiner A. Ann Bekrebile finds she ‘had no authority to reduce tolls,’ relying, it appears, on a 2008 amendment to the original law governing the Greenway. The amendment was authored by then-Sen. Mark Herring to provide for limited annual toll increases.

‘I disagree with the Examiners ruling,’ Ramadan said in a statement Thursday night. ‘I do not believe that Senator Herring’s intent was to limit the SCC’s power to regulate tolls. And I do not believe that the current law does that. But the process is not over, I fully intend to ask the Commission to reject the Report and reconsider the logic of the Hearing Examiner.’

There is some hope for residents still hoping to see a less costly toll road running through Loudoun. The examiner's report included the potential for partial relief, with a recommendation that the SCC order the Greenway's operator to conduct a distance based toll price study, which is something the organization has resisted in years past saying the cost of installing distance pricing is cost prohibitive.”

~Writes Erika Jacobson Moore of Leesburg Today

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Tidewater toll revisions criticized

Hampton Roads

“Critics of the proposed Hampton Roads tolls are unsatisfied by the new governor’s initiatives reducing – and in some cases eliminating — those tolls, which are scheduled to take effect Feb. 1. This past week Gov. Terry McAuliffe announced the Downtown and Midtown Tunnels would not charge tolls to emergency vehicles. Earlier he also said the Commonwealth Transportation Board determined passenger-car-peak-period tolls would be reduced from $1.84 to $1 each way.

However, members of Citizens for Accountability in Politics Political Action Committee, an organization concerning itself with Hampton Roads issues, say the tolls are fundamentally unfair because they were imposed by unelected officials. The tolls are the result of a private-public partnership between the Virginia Department of Transportation and Elizabeth River Crossings, which is described in a press release as the ‘private partner of VDOT for the design, construction, finance, operations and maintenance of the Elizabeth River Tunnels Project.’ CAPPAC challenged the tolls in circuit court and won, but ultimately lost on appeal to the Supreme Court of Virginia.”

~Writes Lauren McLellan of the Tidewater News

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Route 460 project presents problems

Hampton Roads

“Contested federal permits and a large environmental impact are putting the ‘Commonwealth Connector,’ a new 55-mile, tolled alternative to the current Route 460 from Prince George County to Suffolk, in jeopardy.

Gov. Terry McAuliffe told the Virginian-Pilot in December he did not believe taxpayer money should be used on the project until federal permits were issued and — even then — he would still ‘take a hard look’ at the project…

The proposed route will cost around $1.4 billion. According to the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Highway Administration’s website, the project will be funded from three different sources. The Virginia Department of Transportation would provide about $900 million and the Virginia Port Authority would provide about $250 million of public funding, both of which would ultimately come from taxpayers. The rest — around $250 million — would be provided through tax-exempt toll revenue bonds, which will be paid back with tolls collected from highway users.

Drivers who travel the length of the new route would be charged around $4 while trucks would pay around $12. The existing Route 460 would remain free.”

~Writes Lauren McClellan of the Suffolk News-Herald

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