NVTC Votes to Define Use of I-66 Toll Revenues

UPDATE Friday: Here’s a look at the breakdown on the vote from Thursday, information courtesy of NVTC:

Fairfax County Board of Supervisors Chairman Sharon Bulova made the motion to approve and Virginia Delegate Thomas Rust seconded it.

Here’s the vote to approve the resolution:

Vote to approve NVTC Resolution #2291:

Vote Passed 13 - 7

Vote to approve:

• Sharon Bulova (Fairfax)
• Jim Corcoran (Governor’s Designee)
• William Euille (Alexandria)
• Jay Fisette (Arlington)
• John Foust (Fairfax)
• Catherine Hudgins (Fairfax)
• Mary Hynes (Arlington)
• Timothy Lovain (Alexandria)
• Jeffrey McKay (Fairfax)
• David Meyer (City of Fairfax)
• Karen Oliver (Falls Church)
• Thomas Rust (Virginia General Assembly)
• J. Walter Tejada (Arlington)

Vote in opposition:

• Richard Black (Virginia General Assembly)
• John Cook (Fairfax)
• David LaRock (Virginia General Assembly)
• James LeMunyon (Virginia General Assembly)
• Randall Minchew (Virginia General Assembly)
• Kenneth Reid (Loudoun)
• Jennifer Wexton (Virginia General Assembly)

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The Northern Virginia Transportation Commission (NVTC) on Thursday approved a resolution authorizing the organization’s executive director to sign the Transform 66: Inside the Beltway Project Memorandum of Agreement, NVTC said in a news release.

The Commission’s approval of the agreement does not constitute approval by NVTC of the Commonwealth’s actions to impose tolling along I-66 inside the Beltway.

“...this is not so much a vote on whether or not we like the project or tolling insomuch as it is an agreement to the framework and how NVTC would be in a position to help allocate the toll revenue to transit improvements in the corridor,” commission member Jeff McKay, who represents the Lee District on the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors, told Washington Business Journal before the vote.

Gov. McAuliffe is advocating for adding tolling on 66 inside the Beltway during rush hour. Vehicles with 3 or more people would ride for free while other drivers would have to pay but likely avoid more traffic, similar to the 495 Hot Lanes, WJLA reported Wednesday.

The agreement voted on Thursday establishes the terms and conditions of a 40-year partnership between NVTC and the Commonwealth.

Specifically, the agreement defines the roles and responsibilities of both parties with respect to the use of toll revenues, planning and implementing multimodal improvements, and evaluating the potential widening of I-66 between exits 67 and 71.

The Commonwealth Transportation Board will consider adoption of the agreement at its meeting on Dec. 8 in Richmond.

The Transform 66: Inside the Beltway Project Memorandum of Agreement is available on the web.