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Commuters who want to take proposed high occupancy toll lanes may pay high cost Date published: 3/4/2007 By Kelly Hannon FROM STAFF AND WIRE REPORTS Commuters using planned high occupancy toll lanes on Interstates 95 and 395 could pay as much as $1 per mile to drive on certain segments. The prices are in a project proposal from the Virginia Department of Transportation and the private companies that want to build the lanes, according to The Washington Post. The document was submitted Friday to the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments. It was unknown what the prices would be for motorists using Interstate 95 HOT lanes south of Prince William County. The two companies, Fluor Virginia Inc. and Transurban USA, quoted an average price of 27 cents a mile in their original project proposal. That means a 56-mile trip from Massaponax to Arlington would cost an average of $15.12, one way, for cars that do not qualify for high occupancy vehicle lanes that require three people per car. But that's just an estimate, cautioned Transurban's senior vice president Michael Kulper in October. The toll would rise and fall depending on the time of day, day of the week and proximity to Washington. The closer to Washington, the higher the toll is likely to be, he said then. "We're required under federal law to manage this facility to ensure a congestion-free trip, so the toll has to vary to achieve that outcome," Kulper said. The companies plan to add a third lane to the current two-lane HOV corridor running from Arlington to Dumfries. From Dumfries to Massaponax, Fluor/Transurban wants to build two combination HOV and HOT lanes. Cars with three or more occupants would still ride for free, but vehicles carrying one or two people would pay a toll. The companies would also build six park-and-ride lots in the I-95 corridor--three of them south of Dumfries, according to the original proposal--and enhance 12 bus stations. The original proposal put the project's price tag at $913 million. The companies signed an interim agreement with VDOT in October. It allows the project's engineering and study phase to proceed. Virginia is splitting the cost of the $53 million study phase with Fluor/Transurban. The state is taking a risk, because there is no guarantee the project will be built. That will depend on the outcome of a plethora of studies to be completed. They include an environmental and financial review, as well as transit and traffic studies. Another contract must be signed by all parties before design and construction would begin. Kelly Hannon: 540/374-5436
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