News

Actions

HOLMBERG: Why does southern Virginia have to pay the tolls – again?

Posted at 11:37 PM, Jun 22, 2012
and last updated 2012-06-22 23:43:51-04

RICHMOND, Va. (WTVR) – Road construction and maintenance not only takes forever and snarls traffic, it’s crazy expensive.

VDOT figures work on Interstate 95 will leave them $10 billion short during the next 25 years.

That’s why they want a big fat toll on 95 near the North Carolina border. Four dollars for cars and 12 for truckers.

The proposed tolls would be placed about 20 miles north of the North Carolina border in Sussex County, one of the very poorest areas in the state.

It’s also plenty rural. Tolls would snarl traffic far less than they would in Northern Virginia, even though its NOVA’s turn for sure.

Remember those nasty tolls we had between Richmond and Petersburg? 34 years of traffic jams, breakdowns and digging for quarters? We’ve had a 20 year break.

But here we go again – southern Virginia taking the hit for the rest of the state.

Watch our video below to see what other drivers have to say.