I-95 possible Toll Road in VA in two years?

[WDWisTheBest]

Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell announced Monday that the Federal Highway Administration gave preliminary approval to impose tolls on I-95, one of the East Coast's busiest highways, from the Virginia-North Carolina border to Fredericksburg.

The amount of the toll and the number and location of tollbooths "is up in the air," McDonnell spokesman Jeff Caldwell said.

Although VDOT is just studying the possibility now, this could become a possibility.

Do you have any thoughts?

 

[DCTooTall]

Does Virginia have any Toll roads currently? I'm wondering if they'll tie into the EZ-Pass system used by the states north of it.

 

[seashoreCM]

If I remember correctly there used to be a toll north/southbound on I-95 near Richmond.

I'm pretty sure they will go with EZ Pass if and when. If Virginia DOT runs it then it will take EZ Pass. Yes, Virginia has EZ Pass facilities including the Powhite Parkway in Greater Richmond and the Dulles (airport) Toll Road.

 

[mikehn]

They claim funds will be used for road improvement projects, but we know better than that. But....I dont travel down that way much so tax away.

 

[KINGBOBOFTHENORTH]

Since it's against Federal law to add tolls to an existing toll-free highway that carriers an Interstate number, I'm kind of shocked to see this being "approved". Is there a link to any newspaper stories about this?

BobK/Orlando

 

[izzy]

Blech. I used to live in Richmond when we had tolls on 95. There was one on the north end of Richmond, one smack dab in the middle of the city, and another one around Petersburg. I only had to go through the second one when I was commuting to my job downtown, but it was a real pain in the you know what. There is somewhat of a bypass around the downtown part of Richmond, but it's quite a few extra miles to drive it.

 

[jsilvers]

Does Virginia have any Toll roads currently?

More than a few. See http://www.virginiadot.org/travel/faq-toll.asp.

If I remember correctly there used to be a toll north/southbound on I-95 near Richmond.

Until 1992.

Since it's against Federal law to add tolls to an existing toll-free highway that carriers an Interstate number, I'm kind of shocked to see this being "approved".

My understanding is that this stretch of I-95 originally was built by Virginia, and thus was allowed to continue charging tolls when it became part of the interstate system; apparently federal approval is needed to restore the tolls after two decades without them, but it isn't prohibited.

 

[seashoreCM]

My understanding is that this stretch of I-95 originally was built by Virginia, and thus was allowed to continue charging tolls when it became part of the interstate system; ...

It was like the Federal government had the choice of incorporating the toll road, tolls and all, into the Interstate system, or building a paralleling road to be the Interstate highway (example in New Jersey from Wilimington DE to Trenton).

 

[Uncleromulus]

Well--depending upon the # of toll booths, this will tie up traffic for sure.

 

[DCTooTall]

Well--depending upon the # of toll booths, this will tie up traffic for sure.

That's why I was wondering if Virginia used the EZPass. Considering most people using that stretch of road for trips south are coming from the NE which already use it, it might help with the resulting traffic.

If nothing more, it also makes getting an EZPass for the trip worthwhile since you can use it for all the tolls you'd hit from north of NYC down to VA. It's not like a transponder is that expensive.

 

[KINGBOBOFTHENORTH]

It was like the Federal government had the choice of incorporating the toll road, tolls and all, into the Interstate system, or building a paralleling road to be the Interstate highway (example in New Jersey from Wilimington DE to Trenton).

Right, existing toll roads could remain toll roads when they became part of the Interstate system but new toll roads on existing interstates could not be added without Federal approval. Apparently they may be happening on I-95 in Virginia.

Yes, Virginia is part of the E-ZPass system.

BobK/Orlando