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1997 SESSION


HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION NO. 660
Expressing the sense of the General Assembly concerning the Dulles Toll Road.

Agreed to by the House of Delegates, February 2, 1997
Agreed to by the Senate, February 19, 1997

WHEREAS, Chapter 221 of the 1979 Acts of Assembly authorized the issuance of $57 million in bonds for the purpose of construction of the Dulles Toll Road; and

WHEREAS, prior to construction of the facility, a financial feasibility study was conducted to determine the toll structure necessary to provide sufficient revenues to cover the costs of operations, maintenance, and debt service requirements; and

WHEREAS, construction of the Dulles Toll Road began in 1982 and the facility was opened to traffic on October 1, 1984; and

WHEREAS, Chapter 620 of the 1989 Acts of Assembly authorized the issuance of $33.915 million (plus financing expenses) in additional bonds to fund widening the Dulles Toll Road by one lane in each direction; and

WHEREAS, construction of these additional lanes was begun in 1989 and completed in 1992, also providing for a flyover for Virginia Route 7 and improvements to the main toll plaza; and

WHEREAS, in October 1992, the Commonwealth Transportation Board created the Dulles Toll Road Special Advisory Committee to seek viable solutions to future congestion within the Dulles Corridor; and

WHEREAS, among the Committee's recommendations was the installation of an automatic vehicle identification system; and

WHEREAS, in March 1994, the Department of Transportation awarded a contract for such installation, with implementation in the fall of 1995; and

WHEREAS, the 1995 Session of the General Assembly authorized the issuance of a further $47.17 million in bonds (plus additional amounts to cover issuance costs, reserve funds, and other financing expenses) for the purpose of funding all or a portion of the costs incurred for additional widening of the Dulles Toll Road and improvements to the Wiehle Avenue interchange, for which projects consultant contracts have been awarded and construction is underway; and

WHEREAS, the Dulles Toll Road has been successful in generating revenue; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED by the House of Delegates, the Senate concurring, That the Department of Transportation be urged to discontinue and remove the tolls imposed for use of the Dulles Toll Road, when all legal obligations requiring the use of toll revenues from this facility have been fulfilled; and, be it

RESOLVED FURTHER, That the Clerk of the House of Delegates transmit copies of this resolution to the Virginia Secretary of Transportation, the Commonwealth Transportation Commissioner, and the members of the Commonwealth Transportation Board in order that they may be apprised of the sense of the General Assembly of Virginia in this matter.