Dispute Over I-95 Tolls Heats Up

The dispute over Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell’s proposal to toll Interstate 95 near the North Carolina border got hotter.
More
 

bigstock-Toll-boothsIA.png

The dispute over Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell’s proposal to toll Interstate 95 near the North Carolina border got hotter on statewide radio last week as Emporia’s mayor and a city councilman grilled the governor.

Emporia Mayor Samuel Adams and Councilman Jim Saunders told McDonnell on WRVA-AM the tolls would harm a rural area of the state that is economically struggling and that raising the fuel tax was a better solution. “We could raise about $325 million a year, based on numbers I’ve run, versus $30 (million) to $35 million on the tolls,” Saunders said.

Opposition to the tolling plan continues to grow and now includes dozens of local governments, regional governmental and economic development bodies.

The Richmond Times Dispatch last week voiced its opposition to the plan in its editorial "Tolls: Mr. Inefficiency." "The administration is moving forward with a plan to put tolls on I-95 near the North Carolina border," the Dispatch wrote. "The aim — raising money for transportation — is admirable. The means are not." The newspaper advocated raising the gasoline tax by one penny to generate $50 million a year as an alternative.

Photo Credit: leungchopan/bigstock.com

Digital-Tablet-With-Clipping-P-28426844.png

This article originally ran in NATSO News Weekly (NNW), NATSO's member only weekly electronic newsletter. NNW is packed with the latest updates on government and business issues affecting the truckstop and travel plaza industry.

If you aren't reading NNW, you are missing out. Not a memberJoin today or submit a request to receive additional information. If you are a member and not receiving NNW, submit a request to be added to the email list

Subscribe to Updates

NATSO provides a breadth of information created to strengthen travel plazas’ ability to meet the needs of the travelling public in an age of disruption. This includes knowledge filled blog posts, articles and publications. If you would like to receive a digest of blog post and articles directly in your inbox, please provide your name, email and the frequency of the updates you want to receive the email digest.