Unfortunately, VDOT seems to have already sold our public highways to the highest bidders. We (the tax payers) have already assured the new owners a certain rate of return and favorable financing - all because the politicians are afraid to invoke the "T" word. I'm ashamed that our state will let the rich pay for the use of "better" road, while the rest of us will remain crammed in the regular slow lanes. This is literally highway robbery.
Please attend and be vocal tonight! Below is an article of mine that was printed in the Alexandria Times on the topic last year. PEOPLE STAND UP!
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On October, 24th, with little fanfare, V-DOT moved into the second phase of its high occupancy toll ("HOT") lanes project. A spokesperson for V-DOT said the project is on a "very aggressive schedule."
Allowing those who can afford to pay the $40 roundtrip toll to drive in lanes designated as high occupancy lanes does absolutely nothing to either resolve our traffic problems, or to help the environment.
More importantly, encouraging the construction of HOT lanes basically says to the poor and middle-class, "getting to work for you is less important than it is for us - cram three people into your Yugo and you can drive in 'our' lanes." Yet, Virginians (we, the people, I think?) are picking up half of the $53 million dollars to "study" the project in this so-called "public/private partnership". By the way, "public/private partnership" is code for "if money is made it's private profit, but if a project is not economically feasible, then the public is free to take what's left."
Adding more roads is not the best solution to our transportation woes, yet if more roads are built, being in the public domain they should be equally available to all citizens regardless of their wealth.
Too often our politicians take "aggressive schedules" instead of weighing the pros and cons of specific projects to avoid having to confront the electorate. I say, bring on some healthy debate.