Warren County Report

With only one dissenting vote, the Senate Transportation Committee advanced a bill introduced by Senator Mark D. Obenshain (R-Harrisonburg) that would require VDOT to come back to the General Assembly for approval before tolling any portion of Interstate 81. Obenshain told the panel that the recent toll proposals being advanced by VDOT would have had devastating effects on commerce and on the agricultural character of the I-81 corridor, particularly upon the Shenandoah Valley. Obenshain said that "Tolls have been proposed as high as 15¢ - 17¢ per mile on cars, that would force families to dig deep in their pockets to pay for the commute that is common in many Valley and western Virginia households. The tolls on trucks could have been so steep that they would have driven trucks off of the interstate and through the cities and towns through which Route 11 passes." Speaking to the bill's success, Obenshain stated, "I am encouraged by the Committee's decision today and believe it will help to prevent unelected authorities from levying burdensome tolls on the residents and commuters of the Valley." Under current law, the Commonwealth Transportation Board and VDOT are able to enter into agreements with road builders involving elements of tolls without the consent of the Virginia General Assembly. Obenshain's legislation will require that any proposals for tolls on Interstate 81 must first come before the General Assembly. The bill received near-unanimous support among legislators on the I-81 corridor. The Chief Co-Patron of the bill is Senator John Edwards (D-Roanoke). The other Senators who signed on as co-patrons of the bill were Senators Wampler, Deeds, Newman, Puckett, Vogel and Smith. "The support for this legislation is far-reaching," said Obenshain. "Industry, local governments, agriculture, conservation groups and common citizens agree that no tolls should be implemented on I-81 without first gaining approval from the General Assembly." The bill also is supported by a broad coalition of citizen, environmental and business groups, including the Virginia Manufacturers Association, Virginia Conservation Network, Virginia Poultry Federation, Shenandoah Valley Network, Virginia Trucking Association, and the Virginia Farm Bureau. The bill passed the Transportation Committee with only one dissenting vote and will now move to the Senate floor for consideration there.