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Forum LockedHOT lanes vs Slugs? Benefit or Problem?

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scottt View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote scottt Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 11 Feb 2009 at 9:13am
quote:
Originally posted by Pele

Oh, I wasn't aware that the car pool exemption was NOT in the contract... I also did not know about California kicking the carpoolers out.

Given this info, I'm now against the HOT lanes...



They didn't kick the carpoolers out, they just started charging them. Something that was promised would never happen.

Hence why I have NO faith that the "HOV will always be free" statements made here will be true.
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SpongeBob View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote SpongeBob Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 12 Feb 2009 at 4:09pm
Here, Scottt, you have it exactly right.
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UriahAKiser View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote UriahAKiser Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 12 Feb 2009 at 10:15pm
Hello everyone, I am a reporter with the News & Messenger in Prince William County and have been covering the proposed HOT Lanes. As a resident of Prince William County of more than 20 years I know for a fact how well slugging has worked in the Northern Virginia area, and how some are worried about how HOT Lanes could damper their success. I also know how many people are looking for congestion relief and would pay anything to get it no matter the cost. I can see some of the comments inside this forum are heated and have some emotional attachments. I would like to speak with you about what the HOT Lanes mean to you, and I hope you will keep me informed of anything related to slugging in the area, as I aim to keep slugging issues in the headlines. I have reached out to a few of you who have listed a personal email address listed, but please feel free to contact me either by phone – 703-878-8065, or by email. I would like to feature some local opinion in my story, aside from just the transportation officials. Thanks!
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote n/a Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 24 Feb 2009 at 10:38am
OK, consider this:

HOT will take something that has already been paid for by tax allocations as part of the Interstate Highway System (thank you President Eisenhower!), and will charge citizens to use it all over again. But before that happens, the HOT contractors will build toll booths and access roads partly funded by taxpayer subsidies. That's three fees to ride on the same road, so far!

But that's not all; when carpoolers exceed a certain level of the traffic volume, HOT contractors will recieve taxpayer funded compensation to make up for "lost" potential revenue.

And there's more: VDOT is prohibited from building, widening or improving roads adjacent to HOT lanes, that may compete with the HOT lanes and reduce "potential" revenue. So forget about any non-HOT road improvements in the future!

And as far as the promises that "HOV riders will always be free," no technology exists that can identify and exclude HOV cars from toll paying cars! One proposal that I have heard would charge ALL cars the prevailing toll and require HOV cars to petition for any toll refund.

OK so if all of this is not offensive enough, consider this: every dollar spent on HOT tolls erodes the discretionary income base and will not be spent in support of local economies. Those dollars will not be spent in the local stores, they will not pay local salaries, they will not fund local bake sales, and they will not contribute to the local tax base. HOT tolls paid are monies that leave the local communities, they will leave the country as revenue for foriegn HOT contractors. HOT tolls are robbing the lifeblood of local communities!

And if you are still not convinced, look to the history of urban planning. For decades urban planners have fought to discourage the one thing that erodes inner-cities faster than any other factor: affluent urban flight. HOT lanes encourages affluent urban flight by allowing those who can afford the tolls to move out to the exurbs! HOT lanes have earned the moniker, "Lexus Lanes" to describe the evening flight of affluent commuters away from the cities where they earn their big paychecks.

Still not convinced? What abouth the decades of lessons learned about the benefits of carpooling? Reduced pollution, reduced traffic congestion, reduced fossil fuel consumption! HOT lanes provides an option that includes NONE of these smart options. Given the easy "pay-to-ride-alone" commuter option, those who can afford to will snub these proven benefits of carpooling. And every single occupant vehicle puts two other cars back on the road (the two HOV riders who now must drive).

There are some things for your article!
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TWO View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote TWO Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 03 Mar 2009 at 3:54pm
quote:
Originally posted by raymond

Given the easy "pay-to-ride-alone" commuter option, those who can afford to will snub these proven benefits of carpooling. And every single occupant vehicle puts two other cars back on the road (the two HOV riders who now must drive).

There are some things for your article!


Don't you think the popularity (and multiple extensions of the law) of the hybrids made it obvious that people will PAY to ride in the HOV lanes? How many people went out and bought a hybrid solely for that reason? I personally know a couple people that bought them for that reason (no, I'm not one of them).

HOT lanes are BAD news, but I do like the idea of 24 hour HOV rules!
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote toomuchcoffeelady Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 10 Jun 2009 at 9:07am
quote:
Originally posted by ybarra

As I said before, HOT lanes should enhance slugging and being creative folks that we are, we can "sell" our ridership to save the scapers money.



You are a corrupt politician, and you have no business being on these boards. Look after the best interests of those who elected you to represent them, not your own pockets!

ain't free speech a wonderful thing, until you don't like the views being stated? - Ceejay2
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote n/a Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 12 Jun 2009 at 10:59am
quote:
Originally posted by toomuchcoffeelady

quote:
Originally posted by ybarra

As I said before, HOT lanes should enhance slugging and being creative folks that we are, we can "sell" our ridership to save the scapers money.



You are a corrupt politician, and you have no business being on these boards. Look after the best interests of those who elected you to represent them, not your own pockets!

ain't free speech a wonderful thing, until you don't like the views being stated? - Ceejay2



Ybarra, was never elected. She was appointed to a cushy VDOT post and now works for the special interest groups / contractors hired by VDOT when she oversaw those contracts. Conflict of interest? Not when her interest was never to represent VA commuters.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote SpongeBob Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 17 Aug 2009 at 6:10pm
Plus, she lives in the Watergate Apartments! She DOES NOT EVEN LIVE IN VIRGINIA!

What a total maroon, as my pal Bugs would say.

Not to mention that she is such a noobish troll she actually used her own last name rather than an alias during her 10 pathetic attempts to post on here. As if we wouldn't know who she was!

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Pele View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Pele Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 17 Jun 2011 at 1:03pm
quote:
Originally posted by Pele

Oh, I wasn't aware that the car pool exemption was NOT in the contract...



Apparently I wasn't the only one not aware... Many people whom I talk to are also not aware that the carpool exemption is not in the written contract...

Is there a published version of the contract that can be distributed? This info needs to be publicized.

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Jody View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Jody Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 20 Jun 2011 at 11:43am
Years ago I asked for a copy of the contract and Fluor/Transurban/VDOT said the contract was not available because it was still being negotiated.

I asked if a provision existed that carpools would ride free for the length of the contract and received a marketing reply thanking me for my interest and to visit their website for latest updates.



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