Richmond's Carytown & Museum District news events in Richmond Virginia

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March 19, 2008

Seven dimes

Tolls are increasing along the Downtown Expressway and Powhite Parkway. All 50 cent tolls will now be 70 cents. From RMA…

Revenues from the adjusted tolls will go toward future maintenance and capital improvement projects in an effort to better serve its customers.

What is the RMA? It’s the Richmond Metropolitan Authority, which which was created by an act of the Virginia Assembly to build and maintain the expressway system of greater Richmond. They receive no federal or state money, but instead rely on fees.

The RMA built and maintain the Carytown parking decks.

Photo by: coredesatchikai

Posted by Sam @ 8:04 am |

6 Comments.

Ugh annnnoying.

Ross @ March 19th, 2008 at 8:41 am
I’m all behind something like this, especially since the verbiage prevents toll money to be used for anything else. Hey, if it costs more to fix the roadways, it costs more.

The state government would have had these roads up to about $2 by now, but man, would they have some beautiful new offices!

Dan @ March 19th, 2008 at 3:12 pm
I’m with Ross. Yuck.

Allison @ March 19th, 2008 at 3:46 pm
Allison, your commute will now cost $104 more per year.

Sam @ March 19th, 2008 at 4:05 pm
I can see the need for revenue … but I still am not thrilled about it. Also, the amount is wonky, why not just make it 75 cents and have done with it?
*sigh*

Melanie @ March 20th, 2008 at 10:25 am
What this toll hike is going to mean for Carytown is an increase in traffic. Amazes me how in the middle of a weekday there is bumper to bumper traffic on Cary Street. Why?

These motorists are not window shoppers browsing the mile of upscale retail. The commuters are Stickin’ It To The Man by avoiding the Expressway toll — yet while doing so, they sit in traffic, expending gas and polluting the air, not getting to their destination any quicker, clogging the street and endangering pedestrians. Otherwise, Carytown receives no benefit.

Make no mistake. The RMA was created by the General Assembly in 1966 at the behest of then powerful midtown Richmond business interests to subvert the will of the people–who didn’t want the Big Ditch dug through Byrd Park, Randolph and Oregon Hill. By taking the matter to the GA, the people’s voices were ignored.

The same strategy was employed to overcome no less than two referendums that opposed digging the “Richmond Petersburg Turnpike” connection through Shockoe and Jackson Ward. That “Richmond-Petersburg Turnpike Authority,” consisting of engineers, took a backhoe and bulldozer and wiped away more buildings than were destroyed in the 1865 Evacuation Fire.

The later RMA construction displaced more than 900 people, who were then “relocated.” In addition, the RMA is an appointed board–there is no vote from the public about rate increases. Hence, we suddenly learn of the proposal by reading the news.

One could make the argument that tolls are user fees–taxes–and this hike is taxation without representation.

What’s been needed for years is regional transit that could’ve grown out of our late and lamented street car system that was ripped out, burnt up and paved over in 1949.

Happy Muttering!

Harry @ March 22nd, 2008 at 11:27 pm