[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 153 (2007), Part 2]
[House]
[Page 2624]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                         DON'T RAISE THE TOLLS

  (Mrs. CAPITO asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute and to revise and extend her remarks.)
  Mrs. CAPITO. Madam Speaker, I rise today to express my great concern 
with the proposal pending before the Virginia State Corporation 
Commission to raise the tolls on the Dulles Greenway. Many of my 
constituents from the eastern panhandle of West Virginia use this 
roadway to commute into Northern Virginia and the District of Columbia.
  The growth of the Washington metropolitan area has extended into the 
eastern panhandle of West Virginia as many families move into the towns 
and communities of my district seeking a lower cost of living and the 
wonderful environment for raising a family we have in West Virginia. 
Some have chosen to change professions and remain there with their 
jobs, but many others still commute into Northern Virginia and the 
District of Columbia every day, and they rely on many forms of 
transportation, one of which is the Dulles Greenway.
  The proposed increase represents a 56 percent increase over the next 
5 years. The per-mile rate for the increased toll is drastically higher 
than other toll roads in the area, costing commuters approximately 34 
cents per mile. For many families this will be an undue burden.
  Thankfully, there is a hearing today in Northern Virginia so local 
citizens can express their concern with this proposal. I hope that the 
Virginia State Corporation Commission will see the shortsightedness of 
this proposal and call for a reasonable toll level for the commuters 
utilizing the Dulles Greenway.

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