Thursday, November 04, 2010
Parkways Authority Approves Toll Road
WEST VIRGINIA...
The West Virginia Parkways Authority voted Thursday to pass a proposal to turn Route 35 into a toll road. State officials have proposed turning roughly 14 miles of U.S. 35 in Mason and Putnam counties into a four-lane toll road to make the road safer for drivers. They say the project could cost nearly $200 million, and the only way to come up with the money in the near future is through tolls. The authority hopes the tolls will generate between $80-$87 million to help pay for the project. A study revealed 35 to 40-percent of area residents would use the new Route 35, and about 47-percent of those will use the E-ZPass discount. The proposal also includes a 25-cent increase every four years for at least the next 30 years. The first increase is scheduled for 2017 if it opens in 2013. There will be two more public hearings prior to final approval. The first meeting is scheduled for December 7th at Winfield High School, while the other is set for December 8th at Point Pleasant High School.
West Virginia currently has only one toll road, the West Virginia Turnpike, but more toll roads could be on the way as traditional sources of highway funding dry up.
The West Virginia Parkways Authority voted Thursday to pass a proposal to turn Route 35 into a toll road. State officials have proposed turning roughly 14 miles of U.S. 35 in Mason and Putnam counties into a four-lane toll road to make the road safer for drivers. They say the project could cost nearly $200 million, and the only way to come up with the money in the near future is through tolls. The authority hopes the tolls will generate between $80-$87 million to help pay for the project. A study revealed 35 to 40-percent of area residents would use the new Route 35, and about 47-percent of those will use the E-ZPass discount. The proposal also includes a 25-cent increase every four years for at least the next 30 years. The first increase is scheduled for 2017 if it opens in 2013. There will be two more public hearings prior to final approval. The first meeting is scheduled for December 7th at Winfield High School, while the other is set for December 8th at Point Pleasant High School.
West Virginia currently has only one toll road, the West Virginia Turnpike, but more toll roads could be on the way as traditional sources of highway funding dry up.
# posted by Homer Owens @ 9:55 AM 
