Northern Virginia commuters will pay an additional $400 million annually if gasoline prices remain at $3 or higher, according to a new report by the Northern Virginia Transportation Commission.
And every one-cent increase will cost drivers an additional $5.4 million annually, officials said.
The commission released the report in hopes of convincing the skeptical General Assembly to allow five Northern Virginia jurisdictions to raise their own sales taxes by 0.25 percent to create a dedicated revenue source for expanding Metro.
The Texas Transportation Institute estimates that traffic congestion in Washington region — which they ranked third-worst in the country in 2005 — costs residents an estimated $2.5 billion annually, or $577 per commuter.
The report states that each Metro trip saves about $3 in congestion costs.
Several Metro funding bills have already been killed this year. Last week, a Virginia House of Delegates committee tabled all Senate bills relating to transportation funding for 90 days — including new Metro funding legislation.
“Their choice to table these bills and do nothing about transportation is going to cost Northern Virginians dearly,” said Gerald Connolly, chairman of the commission and of the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors. “By doing nothing, they are costing us a lot.”
Maryland and Virginia are trying to raise $50 million annually to provide their share of the money needed to match $1.5 billion in federal funds proposed by U.S. Rep. Tom Davis, R-Va.
Efforts in the Maryland legislature this year were also killed. The District became the first to raise the money when it dedicated 0.5 percent of the city sales tax revenue to Metro.
Metro officials say the local and federal funding would allow the transit agency to purchase 340 new railcars and 275 new buses, among other capital improvements. Metro is the only major public transit system in the country without a dedicated funding source.
David Snyder, vice chairman of NVTC and a member of the Falls Church City Council, said every day the legislature delays is costing commuters millions.
“That money is gone forever — you might as well be throwing it out the window,” he said.
Tax increase backed
» Fairfax and Arlington counties, and the cities of Alexandria, Falls Church and Fairfax, are lobbying to raise the sales tax by 0.25 percent to support additional funding.
» The Virginia General Assembly must approve tax increases for any state jurisdiction.
» In late April, Metro experienced its sixth- and ninth-highest ridership days in its 30-year history with no “special events” in the region.
