AASHTO Journal, 1 November 2013
In a win for the Virginia Department of Transportation, the Virginia Supreme Court ruled Thursday that tolls could be implemented to help pay for the $2.1 billion Elizabeth River Tunnels Project, allowing the project to move forward as previously planned.
VDOT’s project builds a second Midtown Tunnel, rehabilitates the existing Midtown and Downtown tunnels, and extends the Martin Luther King Boulevard in an effort to greatly relieve congestion in the area while also providing better freight access.
“The Elizabeth River Tunnels Project is crucial to the future of the Hampton Roads transportation network,” said Commonwealth of Virginia Transportation Secretary Sean Connaughton in a statement. “Not only will it relieve congestion at some of the worst choke points on the East Coast, but it will help move cargo into and out of the Port of Virginia.”
The Virginia Supreme Court ruled in the case of Danny Meeks, et al. v. Virginia Department of Transportation, et al. that the tolls for the Midtown and Downtown tunnels are constitutional.
“Today’s ruling confirms what my administration has been saying from the beginning: Virginia’s Public-Private Transportation Act is a critical tool in addressing some of our toughest transportation challenges,” said Gov. Bob McDonnell in a statement. “By attracting private sector capital and innovation and ensuring projects are completed in a timely, efficient, and cost-effective manner, our ability to partner with the private sector makes otherwise impossible projects doable. This is critically important for future job creation and economic growth in the Commonwealth.”
Additional information on the Elizabeth River Tunnels Project is available at DriveERT.com. Those interested may also follow the project via its Twitter account.