Comments on: Virginia County Revolts Over HOT Lane Deal

By: hitman1970

hitman1970 — Wed, 22 Oct 2008 21:14:47 +0000

Someone has resurrected the debate over the Lexus lanes again? Nice.

By: AllStingNoBling

AllStingNoBling — Wed, 22 Oct 2008 18:45:17 +0000

As a member of TTAC who also happens to be a resident of Price William County, VA (and happens to live right by I-95/395, no less) ; I would like to give a hearty, “HELL YEAH!!” to my county.

It’s one thing to be paying out the nose – in an already expensive part of the country – in taxes for these roads, but to then pay a toll… to a foreign entity no less?! When I worked in DC, I rode my motorcycle, and used the HOV lane nearly every day. I still use the HOV lanes as much as possible.

It’s bad enough that VDOT allowed hybrid vehicles into the HOV lanes. Not only did all those slow and numerous vehicles choke up the pace of the lanes; but (ironically enough) they completely missed the point owning a hybrid.

Now VDOT wants to allow any Joe Shumuckatelli to get on the HOV provided he pays a toll, which will completely dork up the lanes.

Way to go VA.

*As an aside, for those who do not live in National Capitol Region: The VA I-95/395 HOV lanes bisect the northbound and southbound lanes, and are a separated by Jersey Walls from each respective direction of the highway. They are a double lane system with a white dashed line. In the morning they flow with north into DC. At night they flow southbound into VA. These HOV lanes are not your usual HOV lanes.*

By: jkross22

jkross22 — Wed, 22 Oct 2008 16:30:40 +0000

Signs of accountability… this is a good thing. I don’t hold hopes that here in LA, our board of supervisors have the backbone (or synapses) to do something like this, but it’s good to see other cities have some folks with stones.

By: Redbarchetta

Redbarchetta — Wed, 22 Oct 2008 15:54:20 +0000

Could we have an honest party run for election please? That has a chance? Prob not.

Man I sure would love that it would be so refreshing. No one would vote for them though, first they probably wouldn’t believe what they were saying and I think most voters like being lied to because the truth hurts and is not what they really want to hear.

By: joeaverage

joeaverage — Wed, 22 Oct 2008 14:42:09 +0000

Isn’t the internet grand? Nowhere else can we get the back story on topics like these as easily.

I have spent this presidential election looking at the back story more than I’ve listened to the candidates. Both sides telling alot of lies.

Could we have an honest party run for election please? That has a chance? Prob not.

By: snabster

snabster — Wed, 22 Oct 2008 14:29:43 +0000

Given the strange tolling system on these HOV lanes — I think it is about a dollar a mile — I don’t see any way Transurban is going to make the projections. DC is wealthy, but a large number of workers are government and DOD — and they are really penny pinchers. 4-5 dollars to save 20 minutes isn’t going to work.