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Welcome to Fairfax Underground, a project site designed to improve communication among residents of Fairfax County, VA. Feel free to post anything Northern Virginia residents would find interesting.
Wolf joins push for Greenway incremental tolling
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Loudoun News
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Date: July 19, 2011 09:10AM
Wolf joins push for Greenway incremental tolling
Friday, Jul. 15 by Crystal Owens
http://www.loudountimes.com/index.php/news/article/wolf_joins_push_for_greenway_incremental_tolling898/
U.S. Frank Wolf (R-10th) on Friday joined Loudoun supervisors in an effort to get a task force to study incremental tolling for the Dulles Greenway.
Wolf, in a letter to Virginia Transportation Secretary Sean Connaughton, said he was disappointed to learn the task force wouldn’t discuss the issue despite repeated requests from his office.
The Virginia Department of Transportation created the Dulles Greenway User Interface Task Force in February at Wolf’s request.
The task force’s goal is to examine ways to make the road more user-friendly and address increasing toll prices.
Wolf, a longtime critic of the privately-owned 14-mile road, said two members of his staff participated last week in the task force’s first meeting.
It was in that meeting that the congressman’s staff were told that VDOT officials would not allow the group to discuss toll rates or distance pricing, he said.
The congressman had recommended that the committee be made up of representatives from area homeowners associations and businesses as well as local elected officials in Loudoun, Clarke and Frederick counties and the City of Winchester.
However, Wolf said Friday he was disappointed that no local elected officials or members of the General Assembly were named to the group.
Loudoun County Administrator Tim Hemstreet was tapped by VDOT to serve on the task force.
Hemstreet on July 6 was authorized by the Loudoun Board of Supervisors to send a letter to VDOT officials urging the task force to include incremental tolling in members’ discussions.
Their request fell on deaf ears, according to Wolf.
“It was my hope that this committee would be a way for commuters to sit face-to-face with the elected officials who exercise authority over the state law that encompasses the current agreement and know that their concerns about the toll structure would be heard,” Wolf said in the letter to Connoughton. “Sadly, this will be impossible under the structure outlined in the initial meeting.”
The congressman said he had hoped the group would not only work to address the road’s toll structure, but work to ensure that more signs are erected at the entrances to the road to better inform drivers of the costs.
The Dulles Greenway, owned by TRIP II and its parent company, Macquerie Group, of Australia, is considered one of the most expensive toll roads in the country.
The price for two-axle vehicles has increased 400 percent since it opened 15 years ago. Base tolls are now as high as $4.50.
For years, Wolf has called for lowered prices on the road and incremental tolling.
However, any change would have to be authorized by the Virginia State Corporation Commission. The commission regulates the Dulles Greenway and sets its authorized returns, meaning it’s the only entity that can force the company to lower its prices.
Friday, Jul. 15 by Crystal Owens
http://www.loudountimes.com/index.php/news/article/wolf_joins_push_for_greenway_incremental_tolling898/
U.S. Frank Wolf (R-10th) on Friday joined Loudoun supervisors in an effort to get a task force to study incremental tolling for the Dulles Greenway.
Wolf, in a letter to Virginia Transportation Secretary Sean Connaughton, said he was disappointed to learn the task force wouldn’t discuss the issue despite repeated requests from his office.
The Virginia Department of Transportation created the Dulles Greenway User Interface Task Force in February at Wolf’s request.
The task force’s goal is to examine ways to make the road more user-friendly and address increasing toll prices.
Wolf, a longtime critic of the privately-owned 14-mile road, said two members of his staff participated last week in the task force’s first meeting.
It was in that meeting that the congressman’s staff were told that VDOT officials would not allow the group to discuss toll rates or distance pricing, he said.
The congressman had recommended that the committee be made up of representatives from area homeowners associations and businesses as well as local elected officials in Loudoun, Clarke and Frederick counties and the City of Winchester.
However, Wolf said Friday he was disappointed that no local elected officials or members of the General Assembly were named to the group.
Loudoun County Administrator Tim Hemstreet was tapped by VDOT to serve on the task force.
Hemstreet on July 6 was authorized by the Loudoun Board of Supervisors to send a letter to VDOT officials urging the task force to include incremental tolling in members’ discussions.
Their request fell on deaf ears, according to Wolf.
“It was my hope that this committee would be a way for commuters to sit face-to-face with the elected officials who exercise authority over the state law that encompasses the current agreement and know that their concerns about the toll structure would be heard,” Wolf said in the letter to Connoughton. “Sadly, this will be impossible under the structure outlined in the initial meeting.”
The congressman said he had hoped the group would not only work to address the road’s toll structure, but work to ensure that more signs are erected at the entrances to the road to better inform drivers of the costs.
The Dulles Greenway, owned by TRIP II and its parent company, Macquerie Group, of Australia, is considered one of the most expensive toll roads in the country.
The price for two-axle vehicles has increased 400 percent since it opened 15 years ago. Base tolls are now as high as $4.50.
For years, Wolf has called for lowered prices on the road and incremental tolling.
However, any change would have to be authorized by the Virginia State Corporation Commission. The commission regulates the Dulles Greenway and sets its authorized returns, meaning it’s the only entity that can force the company to lower its prices.