WYN DELANO
STEVE BURNS
WMAL.COM
ARLINGTON, Va, – (WMAL) Virginia Governor Terry McAuliffe is celebrating the groundbreaking of a new project to add tolls to I-66 inside the Beltway, which he calls “[The] most congested road in United States.”
The “Transform 66” road improvements by VDOT are a culmination of a 30 year discussion about how to reduce congestion and improve commuter experiences on I-66, according to McAuliffe.
The most controversial part of the plan involves creating a variable toll system during rush hours in peak directions. According to Transportation Secretary Aubrey Layne, the average toll will cost single drivers $5-$6. HOV cars will still ride free once tolling starts up.
The tolling project, with an estimated completion in 2017, is expected to allow 40,000 more daily commuters to use the I-66 corridor, McAuliffe said. Toll revenues will go towards implementing and improving other transportation options, including carpooling, buses, and bikeshare. “It’s not just about moving traffic, it’s about moving people,” Layne said.
Travelers on I-66 should expect late night lane closures and some local roads may also be affected as signage is placed, Layne said.
In addition to the toll project, an additional lane eastbound on I-66 will be constructed from the Dulles Toll Road to Ballston, but construction is not set to begin until 2018 at the earliest. The lane will only use the existing right-of-way and will not necessitate the taking of any additional property, Arlington board Chair Libby Garvey said.
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