Fairfax County officials are examining more tolls on the county’s busiest roads.
Though in the preliminary stages, supervisors suggested implementing tolls on some of the county’s most congested roads as a way to fund an expansion of public transportation and make people think twice about taking their cars. They didn’t specify exactly where new toll stations would be necessary.
With funding in doubt for many of the planned transportation initiatives in the county, supervisors said they would need new ways to fund high-speed buses, streetcars and light rail, among other options being proposed to keep more cars parked.
Some supervisors said that if new transit options help fix the seemingly never-ending nightmare of commuting on the county’s roadways, additional tolls would be easier for drivers to swallow.
“We’re running out of road space,” said Supervisor John Cook, R-Braddock. “And given the choice between getting in your car or getting on the bus in traffic, people are going to get in their car every time.”
By obtaining rights of way for new transit projects, though, riders could avoid the clogged roadways and save time. Supervisors said current buses mostly funnel riders into the same gridlock as those driving their cars.
In addition to the congestion, frequent stops cause Fairfax Connector buses, for example, to travel 15 miles per hour on average.
Director of Transportation Kathy Ichter said officials would need $1.5 million to complete a comprehensive study for new transit options.
However, most of the proposals are long-term solutions, and with tens of thousands of people expected to commute to Fairfax with the military’s Base Realignment and Closure program next year — and massive Tysons Corner growth on the horizon — critics say Virginia’s largest county won’t be able to absorb the changes.
Ichter predicted the county would need to spend “twice as much on transportation” if it were to implement the suggested fixes.
Nearly $10 billion worth of transportation development is already planned for the region during the next decade, according to county officials. Aside from more tolls, it is not clear how Fairfax would pay for bus rapid transit or any additional undertakings.
