Letter- Who Benefits from HOT Lanes

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   Good letter from someone in Fredericksburg paper:

	Bob

	

	

	Just who benefits from HOT lanes?

	January 31, 2007 12:50 am

	Just who benefits from HOT lanes? 

	After I read last Tuesday's Free Lance-Star article on HOV/HOT lanes, I am at a loss about who will benefit from this initiative [Toll lanes may come quicker, Jan. 23].

	

	The initiative was described as a "public-private" partnership, but there is no information regarding how much of the $913 million (2003 estimate) our tax dollars will cover. 

	

	If it is like sports stadiums and other such projects, the taxpayers will pay most of the costs.

	

	Now who will benefit? Based on the numbers in the article, a one-way fare between Massaponax and Arlington would be $15.12. That is $151.20 weekly and $7,257.60 annually (considering a 48-week work year), not including gas and vehicle maintenance. 

	

	Compare that with the cost of a commuter bus ride of $18 per day, for an annual cost of $4,320 for the same 48 weeks. 

	

	I don't see these numbers being much help to low- and middle-income Interstate 95 travelers.

	

	Here's how I see it. The average commuter on the HOV/HOT lanes will have to endure frequent delays and inconveniences during construction, put up with more single-occupant Mercedes and BMWs (who else can pay more than $7,000 annually to commute?), and pay more taxes, while Fluor Virginia and Transurban USA get wealthier, and upper-income commuters avoid the traffic at our expense.

	

	Our lawmakers must do a better job of explaining the benefits for the average commuter, if there are any, or pass up this option and spend our hard-earned tax dollars on highway projects that will benefit all of us.

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Bob Members Profile Find Members Posts New Slug Joined: 14 Dec 2001 Status: Offline Points: 0	Post Options Post Reply Quote Bob Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 31 Jan 2007 at 3:31pm
	Good letter from someone in Fredericksburg paper: Bob Just who benefits from HOT lanes? January 31, 2007 12:50 am Just who benefits from HOT lanes? After I read last Tuesday's Free Lance-Star article on HOV/HOT lanes, I am at a loss about who will benefit from this initiative [Toll lanes may come quicker, Jan. 23]. The initiative was described as a "public-private" partnership, but there is no information regarding how much of the $913 million (2003 estimate) our tax dollars will cover. If it is like sports stadiums and other such projects, the taxpayers will pay most of the costs. Now who will benefit? Based on the numbers in the article, a one-way fare between Massaponax and Arlington would be $15.12. That is $151.20 weekly and $7,257.60 annually (considering a 48-week work year), not including gas and vehicle maintenance. Compare that with the cost of a commuter bus ride of $18 per day, for an annual cost of $4,320 for the same 48 weeks. I don't see these numbers being much help to low- and middle-income Interstate 95 travelers. Here's how I see it. The average commuter on the HOV/HOT lanes will have to endure frequent delays and inconveniences during construction, put up with more single-occupant Mercedes and BMWs (who else can pay more than $7,000 annually to commute?), and pay more taxes, while Fluor Virginia and Transurban USA get wealthier, and upper-income commuters avoid the traffic at our expense. Our lawmakers must do a better job of explaining the benefits for the average commuter, if there are any, or pass up this option and spend our hard-earned tax dollars on highway projects that will benefit all of us.