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Year-old 66 Express Lanes have caused shifts in commuter behavior
The Washington Post ^ | December 8, 2018 | Luz Lazo and John D. Harden

Posted on 12/15/2018 1:14:13 PM PST by Tolerance Sucks Rocks

When the 66 Express Lanes opened a year ago, officials promised the tolls would mean a smoother ride on the interstate, a major east-west thoroughfare from Northern Virginia into the District that is infamous for its headache-inducing congestion.

The state’s promise — less congestion and faster travel times during rush hour — has been fulfilled for many commuters able to pay or carpool, but the new toll system has had an adverse effect for many of the remaining road users.

For some commuters, the rush-hour period has simply shifted later — outside the toll hours — and dumped them onto an interstate just as gridlocked as before. Some alternative routes have experienced more congestion from bailout traffic from motorists seeking to avoid the toll, and other commuters have longer trips into the city on Metro or have abandoned efforts to use transit because of inadequate facilities, according to a Washington Post analysis of data from state and local governments and transit agencies and interviews with commuters.

The new high-occupancy toll lanes on one of the busiest highways in the Washington region have sparked dramatic shifts in commuter behavior, prompting motorists to alter their commute times and routes, data show, while yielding tolls as high as $47.50 — some of the highest per mile in the country.

“Would most people in the corridor say their commutes have improved? I don’t think so,” said Loudoun County Supervisor Ron Meyer (R-Broad Run). “This tolling system has just made driving impossible and not affordable.”

(Excerpt) Read more at washingtonpost.com ...


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Culture/Society; Extended News; Government; News/Current Events; Politics/Elections; US: District of Columbia; US: Virginia
KEYWORDS: arlington; behavior; carpooling; commuters; construction; dc; drivers; expresslanes; fairfax; habits; hotlanes; i66; infrastructure; rushhour; tolls; transit; transportation; us29; us50; virginia
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Year-old 66 Express Lanes have caused shifts in commuter behavior, but not necessarily in ways officials hoped

1 posted on 12/15/2018 1:14:13 PM PST by Tolerance Sucks Rocks
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To: BobL; sphinx; GreenLanternCorps

PING.


2 posted on 12/15/2018 1:16:28 PM PST by Tolerance Sucks Rocks (Ya lyublyu kovfefe!)
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To: Tolerance Sucks Rocks

A toll is another tax on a road you’ve already paid taxes for.


3 posted on 12/15/2018 1:19:06 PM PST by ealgeone (SCRIPTURE DOES NOT CHANGE! However, Roman Catholicism has, does, and will change.)
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To: Tolerance Sucks Rocks
its exactly what the "officials" hoped.....

its never been about serving the public....its been about riping more tax money out of them......

same as the 405 north of Seattle......express lanes for some, while the rest struggle with increased traffic.....let alone the express traffic to get out of the express lane to an exit have to cross several lanes of traffic to get there...

4 posted on 12/15/2018 1:24:18 PM PST by cherry (official troll)
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To: ealgeone

I am would bet that there is a large number of toll exempted classes.


5 posted on 12/15/2018 1:24:49 PM PST by FreedomNotSafety
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To: Tolerance Sucks Rocks

We just had a road trip, FL to NC and back.
Never mind “66 in VA.” That is a mess. Try I-95.
I discovered that the new passing lane is not the left lane on a two or three lane Interstate. It is now the right lane!
Too many jerks drive the passing lane and traffic backs up causing/forcing those following to pass them on the right.
Typically the driver is doing exactly the speed limit as a “self appointed trooper.” It is unsafe at any speed.

If you are in the passing lane and NOT passing cars, get the hell over to the center or right lane, you are dangerous.


6 posted on 12/15/2018 1:25:08 PM PST by BatGuano (Ya don't think that I'd go into combat with loose change in my pocket, do ya?)
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To: cherry

“let alone the express traffic to get out of the express lane to an exit have to cross several lanes of traffic to get there... “


A situation that I have ALWAYS dreaded.

.


7 posted on 12/15/2018 1:27:18 PM PST by Mears
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To: Tolerance Sucks Rocks

Roads for the rich. Peasants please stay to the right.


8 posted on 12/15/2018 1:41:46 PM PST by Persevero (Democrats haven't been this nutty since we freed their slaves.)
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To: BatGuano

If you are in the passing lane and NOT passing cars
= = =

Passing at what rate?

If a Beemer flies up behind me, flashing his (or her or zis) lights, how quickly do I have to get the heck out of it’s way?


9 posted on 12/15/2018 1:42:39 PM PST by Scrambler Bob (You know that I am full of /S)
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To: Tolerance Sucks Rocks

They are in the process of doing something like this in Atlanta. What Atlanta needs is a bypass with NO local access. It is a mess about 18 out of every 24 hour period.


10 posted on 12/15/2018 1:49:22 PM PST by meyer (WWG1WGA, MAGA!)
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To: Scrambler Bob

“If a Beemer flies up behind me, flashing his (or her or zis) lights, how quickly do I have to get the heck out of it’s way?”

Immediately!

Beemers are driven by liberal democrats and you must let them have their way.


11 posted on 12/15/2018 1:53:12 PM PST by oldbill
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To: Tolerance Sucks Rocks

Interstates and major roads used to have a single purpose - to move cars quickly and efficiently.

With the liberal deep state in control of more and more governments, the purpose of a highway now is to 1. Raise revenue, and 2. to modify behavior, i.e. use public transport, bicycles, walk.

The politicians of Virginia, Texas, and Florida are deep into this dual motivation, changing critical roads into tolling cash cows and drivers into leotard wearing bikers.

And big donor companies are being given 99 year control of these roads to charge any toll they want, and exempting politicians from having to do one of governments basic functions - road infrastructure. All those roads in Virginia are making billions for these companies, and millions in campaign cash for the approving politicians.

The people be damned. Stuff yourself into a Metro subway car (with also outrageous prices).


12 posted on 12/15/2018 2:02:32 PM PST by oldbill
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To: BatGuano
Typically the driver is doing exactly the speed limit as a “self appointed trooper.” It is unsafe at any speed.

Probably liberals.

13 posted on 12/15/2018 2:04:36 PM PST by Tolerance Sucks Rocks (Ya lyublyu kovfefe!)
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To: Tolerance Sucks Rocks

The statists have found another way to control behavior. They hate the fact that you can choose how to go somewhere. They want everyone, except themselves, to be forced to take the same transportation.


14 posted on 12/15/2018 2:14:40 PM PST by I want the USA back (There are two sexes: male (pronoun HE), and female (pronoun SHE). Denial of this is insanity.)
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To: oldbill

And another thing that is never discussed is the spread in communicable diseases and illnesses from being forced to take mass transportation. I was far healthier when I drove alone vs buses and subways.


15 posted on 12/15/2018 2:19:41 PM PST by Truth29
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To: ealgeone

You don’t pay the toll to use the road — you pay the toll to keep everyone else from using it, and getting in your way.


16 posted on 12/15/2018 2:29:44 PM PST by USFRIENDINVICTORIA (.)
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To: FreedomNotSafety

“I am would bet that there is a large number of toll exempted classes.”

Seems like good fodder for a Freedom of Information Request.


17 posted on 12/15/2018 2:30:01 PM PST by BobL (I eat at McDonald's and shop at Walmart - I just don't tell anyone.)
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To: Tolerance Sucks Rocks

$50 bucks to drive to work one-way.

Welcome to Socialism.


18 posted on 12/15/2018 2:40:37 PM PST by VeniVidiVici
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To: Tolerance Sucks Rocks

Even though this is Virginia, a quote from an outgoing county council member of Mo Co comes to mind: “We’ve got to get people out of their cars.” Heard it on radio.

Traffic is made deliberately difficult to save the planet. The commie lions think they can make the need to drive disappear.


19 posted on 12/15/2018 2:52:05 PM PST by fruser1
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To: Tolerance Sucks Rocks
Year-old 66 Express Lanes have caused shifts in commuter behavior

Well... DUH!


In related news: Speed bumps tend to slow down traffic.

20 posted on 12/15/2018 3:09:20 PM PST by Elsie (Heck is where people, who don't believe in Gosh, think they are not going...)
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