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For Whom The Road Tolls
Topic Started: Dec 4 2017, 05:49 AM (439 Views)
Jolly
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Geaux Tigers!
It's a problem...


https://www.texastribune.org/2017/11/17/texans-driven-mad-tolls-burn-holes-their-wallets/
The main obstacle to a stable and just world order is the United States.- George Soros
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Jolly
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Geaux Tigers!
https://wtop.com/dc-transit/2017/12/interstate-66-rush-hour-tolls-begin-inside-beltway/
The main obstacle to a stable and just world order is the United States.- George Soros
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Mark
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HOLY CARP!!!
Lived in or around Illinios lately? They tax the hell out of everything including toll roads. Income Tax is pretty much up where we are across the Cheddar Curtain®, the sales tax is much higher than ours, property tax rates have skyrocketed way beyond our rates, and then you have the toll roads.

People used to move across the border into Illinois, for "tax purposes". They all want to move back here now. :lol2:
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o 0
When I see an adult on a bicycle, I do not despair for the future of the human race. H.G. Wells
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jon-nyc
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Cheers
I don't have a strong opinion about tolls on roads in Texas. But the complaints of the lady in the article are somewhat absurd:

Quote:
 
If I didn't take toll roads, my commute would be an hour-and-a-half or more depending on traffic,” Dean said. ... When I take the toll roads, I get there with about 15 minutes to spare.


Right. But the reason you get there so fast using the toll roads is because the tolls keep many people off of them. If they removed the tolls, all the people that choose the hour-and-a-half free commute over the $200/mo would then go on the fast roads too, and they'd no longer be fast.


My suggestion to her would be to find a day care closer to her work.


In my defense, I was left unsupervised.
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Luke's Dad
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Emperor Pengin
Jolly
Dec 4 2017, 08:11 AM
This is ridiculous. From the west, there are only two real ways into the city. Rt. 66 and GW Parkway. This morning, I understand that the GW Parkway was insane. This isn't alleviating traffic, it's making it worse and profiting off it at the same time. The real einners are will be the Metro Silver Line.
The problem with having an open mind is that people keep trying to put things in it.
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Copper
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Shortstop
Luke's Dad
Dec 4 2017, 08:48 AM
Jolly
Dec 4 2017, 08:11 AM
This is ridiculous. From the west, there are only two real ways into the city. Rt. 66 and GW Parkway. This morning, I understand that the GW Parkway was insane. This isn't alleviating traffic, it's making it worse and profiting off it at the same time. The real einners are will be the Metro Silver Line.

And on top of that people coming from Maryland get free Interstate Highways, we in Virginia do not.

You used to be able to sneak onto 66 inside the beltway during HOV and get away with it. There was more than one time when I either took the HOV by myself or I would miss a flight (Trump Shuttle!) at DCA. I decided it was worth the gamble and never got stopped.

The Confederate soldier was peculiar in that he was ever ready to fight, but never ready to submit to the routine duty and discipline of the camp or the march. The soldiers were determined to be soldiers after their own notions, and do their duty, for the love of it, as they thought best. Carlton McCarthy
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Copper
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Shortstop

Idiots

Posted Image
The Confederate soldier was peculiar in that he was ever ready to fight, but never ready to submit to the routine duty and discipline of the camp or the march. The soldiers were determined to be soldiers after their own notions, and do their duty, for the love of it, as they thought best. Carlton McCarthy
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Luke's Dad
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Emperor Pengin
It was up to 40 at one point.
The problem with having an open mind is that people keep trying to put things in it.
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jon-nyc
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Cheers
Is it like some kind of dynamic congestion pricing?

Cool.
In my defense, I was left unsupervised.
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Copper
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Shortstop

Yes, the price is always changing depending on conditions. There are a few roads around here like this now - I-66 seen above, also I-495 and I-95.

The Confederate soldier was peculiar in that he was ever ready to fight, but never ready to submit to the routine duty and discipline of the camp or the march. The soldiers were determined to be soldiers after their own notions, and do their duty, for the love of it, as they thought best. Carlton McCarthy
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Luke's Dad
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jon-nyc
Dec 5 2017, 10:03 AM
Is it like some kind of dynamic congestion pricing?

Cool.
Yep.
The problem with having an open mind is that people keep trying to put things in it.
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Luke's Dad
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Emperor Pengin
By the way, it's an 8 mile stretch of 66. Cars with multiple occupants are exempt from the toll, but their presence does effect the pricing.
The problem with having an open mind is that people keep trying to put things in it.
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xenon
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Senior Carp
That's pretty cool.

This is sort of an analogy (not 100%) for the current net neutrality situation. Do we want equal access public roads (regardless of usage) or allocate them deferentially to those willing to pay.
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Aqua Letifer
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ZOOOOOM!
Luke's Dad
Dec 5 2017, 10:38 AM
By the way, it's an 8 mile stretch of 66. Cars with multiple occupants are exempt from the toll, but their presence does effect the pricing.
D.C. needs to seriously up its public transportation game. The VRE, MARC and Metro need to get more flexible with bicycle access, and have better times to run. The only way that city's going to continue to work at all is if people can commute without a car.
I cite irreconcilable differences.
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Luke's Dad
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xenon
Dec 5 2017, 10:39 AM
That's pretty cool.

This is sort of an analogy (not 100%) for the current net neutrality situation. Do we want equal access public roads (regardless of usage) or allocate them deferentially to those willing to pay.
$40 for one way over 8 miles?

All this is doing is creating an even heavier burden on the poor. The two main avenues into DC from this direction were the GW Parkway and 66. The average rush hour commute speed for both was around 35 MPH. Over the last two days, those willing to pay $35 to $40 per trip were able to drive into work at 57 MPH. Those unable to afford it? What was a 30 minute drive took over 100 minutes yesterday.
The problem with having an open mind is that people keep trying to put things in it.
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Aqua Letifer
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ZOOOOOM!
Luke's Dad
Dec 5 2017, 10:54 AM
xenon
Dec 5 2017, 10:39 AM
That's pretty cool.

This is sort of an analogy (not 100%) for the current net neutrality situation. Do we want equal access public roads (regardless of usage) or allocate them deferentially to those willing to pay.
$40 for one way over 8 miles?

All this is doing is creating an even heavier burden on the poor. The two main avenues into DC from this direction were the GW Parkway and 66. The average rush hour commute speed for both was around 35 MPH. Over the last two days, those willing to pay $35 to $40 per trip were able to drive into work at 57 MPH. Those unable to afford it? What was a 30 minute drive took over 100 minutes yesterday.
You're forgetting also that commuting costs like these are often covered by employers, who are contracted by the federal government. So, there's very little incentive not to go with this model because they can always up the rates and there will be plenty of those who will never complain. It's worked for the Metro for years.
I cite irreconcilable differences.
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Luke's Dad
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Emperor Pengin
Oddly enough, most of the federal employers are allowed to reimburse mass transportation (up to 250 a month), but not commuting tolls.

Aside from that, there are a hell of a lot of people driving into DC that aren't federal employees or contractors and aren't reimbursed for tolls.
The problem with having an open mind is that people keep trying to put things in it.
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Aqua Letifer
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ZOOOOOM!
Luke's Dad
Dec 5 2017, 11:15 AM
Oddly enough, most of the federal employers are allowed to reimburse mass transportation (up to 250 a month), but not commuting tolls.
Contractors > federal employees, who are paid in federal money much of the time anyway. And many of them are covered.

Quote:
 
Aside from that, there are a hell of a lot of people driving into DC that aren't federal employees or contractors and aren't reimbursed for tolls.


Yeah but my point is, when you have a large enough number of commuters who couldn’t even tell you what the tolls are because they don’t pay them out-of-pocket, it’s going to be very hard for those who do to offer up much resistance.
I cite irreconcilable differences.
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xenon
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Senior Carp
Luke's Dad
Dec 5 2017, 10:54 AM
xenon
Dec 5 2017, 10:39 AM
That's pretty cool.

This is sort of an analogy (not 100%) for the current net neutrality situation. Do we want equal access public roads (regardless of usage) or allocate them deferentially to those willing to pay.
$40 for one way over 8 miles?

All this is doing is creating an even heavier burden on the poor. The two main avenues into DC from this direction were the GW Parkway and 66. The average rush hour commute speed for both was around 35 MPH. Over the last two days, those willing to pay $35 to $40 per trip were able to drive into work at 57 MPH. Those unable to afford it? What was a 30 minute drive took over 100 minutes yesterday.
Well that's a matter of priorities - which has to be sorted out by our elected officials/electorate. Infrastructure implies taxes - which are dirty.

I'm also vehemently against violating net neutrality - but looks like we're heading down that road as well.
Edited by xenon, Dec 5 2017, 11:33 AM.
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Rainman
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Fulla-Carp
So, let me get this straight.

If I am visiting DC as a tourist, I would come across a toll booth and would be forced to pay $34.50?

I thought the sign posted at the beginning of this thread was like we have around here, which shows approximate time to reach certain other freeways or a portion of the city.
We have no tolls here in the wild west.
Oh, I guess there is one: Bridge of the Gods across the Columbia River. It is $1. I guess gods don't need more than 1 $.

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Luke's Dad
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Emperor Pengin
Rainman
Dec 5 2017, 11:37 AM
So, let me get this straight.

If I am visiting DC as a tourist, I would come across a toll booth and would be forced to pay $34.50?

I thought the sign posted at the beginning of this thread was like we have around here, which shows approximate time to reach certain other freeways or a portion of the city.
We have no tolls here in the wild west.
Oh, I guess there is one: Bridge of the Gods across the Columbia River. It is $1. I guess gods don't need more than 1 $.

Oh no, no toll booth. Instead, you have to spend $35 for an EZ Pass Flex. Then you would be automatically docked the amount of the toll. Or, if tou went down the road without an EZ Pass, they will capture your plate, and charge you the max toll, plus an administrative fee.

Or, you could spwnd an additional hour to drive in on another route.
The problem with having an open mind is that people keep trying to put things in it.
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Copper
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Shortstop
It’s kind of like health insurance, if your employer pays for it you don’t care about the cost.

The Confederate soldier was peculiar in that he was ever ready to fight, but never ready to submit to the routine duty and discipline of the camp or the march. The soldiers were determined to be soldiers after their own notions, and do their duty, for the love of it, as they thought best. Carlton McCarthy
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Rainman
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Fulla-Carp
Luke's Dad
Dec 5 2017, 11:45 AM
Rainman
Dec 5 2017, 11:37 AM
So, let me get this straight.

If I am visiting DC as a tourist, I would come across a toll booth and would be forced to pay $34.50?

I thought the sign posted at the beginning of this thread was like we have around here, which shows approximate time to reach certain other freeways or a portion of the city.
We have no tolls here in the wild west.
Oh, I guess there is one: Bridge of the Gods across the Columbia River. It is $1. I guess gods don't need more than 1 $.

Oh no, no toll booth. Instead, you have to spend $35 for an EZ Pass Flex. Then you would be automatically docked the amount of the toll. Or, if tou went down the road without an EZ Pass, they will capture your plate, and charge you the max toll, plus an administrative fee.

Or, you could spwnd an additional hour to drive in on another route.
OK, thanks for the clarification.

How does it work if I am driving a rental car i.e., a tourist driving around the city for days?

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Axtremus
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HOLY CARP!!!
Don't worry, Rainman. Standard rental car contract says they will bill tolls, fines, administrative fees, and related surcharges to you. You're covered.
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Axtremus
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HOLY CARP!!!
Xenon, the difference with net neutrality is that the roads are public while the communication channels are private. Collect highway tolls, the money goes to the public funds. Collect expedited traffic surcharges on the Internet, the money goes to private sector enterprises.
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