Rt. 267 rate increases, new tolls being considered
Drivers on the Dulles Toll Road could see rates jump from the current $2 now for a full trip to $5.50 by 2015 and $10.75 by 2020 to pay for the extension of the Metro rail into Dulles.
Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority officials had always planned for regular rate increases, and projections for those increases are climbing as the costs of the Dulles rail project rise, according to WTOP.
In addition, financial advisors recently urged MWAA officials to consider other options such as charging tolls on the currently free Dulles Access Road, instituting peak hour fares and creating a distance-based toll system.
According to WTOP:
With the recent decision to build an underground Metro station at Dulles Airport, the expected cost for Phase II of the project (which will run from Reston, to the Airport and into Loudoun County) is about $3.5 billion. If the Authority were to have chosen the much-debated (and less expensive) aerial option, the overall cost would go down to $3.2 billion.
Ultimately, the decision to go underground at the Airport could lead to a .50 cent difference in tolls on the toll road according to a report given to the board.
The board has agreed to study a new transportation plan over the next six months. A better estimate for toll increases is expected after that time.
In other transportation news,
- VDOT is reminding drivers to slow down and watch for crews mowing grass, pruning trees, cutting brush and removing litter along roads throughout the commonwealth. Signs are posted to indicate that work is under way as 58,000 miles of roadsides get their first spring manicure. Motorists are asked to watch for slow-moving mowing operations and to slow their speed, stay alert, and move into the opposite lane where possible when approaching the work zone.
- Business owners, commuters and the general public have until May 27 to offer feedback on Gov. Bob McDonnell’s transportation program that calls for $3 billion in new transportation funds. For details on the plan, click here. You can email comments to drptpr@drpt.virginia.gov. Written comments can be submitted to: Public Information Office, Virginia Department of Rail and Public Transportation, 600 E. Main St., Suite 2102, Richmond, VA 23219.
Transportation Links
Toll, Parking Increases
The arrival of the new year has hit Northern Virginia commuters hard in the pocketbook, with Dulles Toll Road increases taking effect on New Year’s Day and new parking meter changes in downtown DC.
Image courtesy of DDOT
Commuters are now paying $1 at the main toll plaza and 75 cents at on and off ramps – up 25 cents from last year. The increase, approved by the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority in November, will help pay for the Dulles Corridor Metrorail extension project to Dulles International Airport.
The following New Year’s Days will bring further increases, as the MWAA board also approved 25-cent increases at the main gate in 2011 and 2012.
In downtown DC, drivers in many areas are now paying $2 per hour at parking meters, up from $1 previously, and they’re required to pay until 10 p.m. and on Saturdays for the first time. The rules apply to the district’s Premium Demand zones, but we like Dcist.com’s advice:
Don’t assume anything about the existing rules when you park at a meter. Always check the signage to make sure you’re in compliance.
For more information on DC parking meter changes, visit the District Department of Transportation.
New Challenge Looms for HOT Lanes
As the I-95/I-395 HOT Lanes project languishes in federal court, Alexandria Delegate David Englin has introduced legislation in the state assembly to require state transportation officials to conduct an environmental study of the project route before the public-private partnership moves forward.
Arlington officials last summer sued state and federal transportation officials over the same issue, saying that the project was moving forward without considering the environmental impacts on surrounding jurisdictions.
The lawsuit is on hold as the parties attempt to negotiate a settlement, according to the Sun Gazette.
According to VDOT, the 56-mile project would expand the existing High Occupancy Vehicle (HOV) lanes on I-95/395 from two to three lanes and extend two new lanes south to Massaponax. All of these lanes will become High Occupancy Toll (HOT) lanes – meaning buses and carpools with three or more people can continue to use the lanes for free, while non-HOV motorists can choose to pay a toll to access the lanes.
Toll prices will be based on demand. They will change throughout the day according to real-time traffic conditions to manage the number of cars in the HOT lanes and keep them congestion free – even during rush hour.
