09 January 2009

Turnpike Officials Talking Toll Hike

"The West Virginia Turnpike needs an extra $30 million a year in revenue to pay for nearly $240 million of long-delayed repaving and renovation," and one official calls hiking its tolls "the magic bullet that makes the problem go away immediately," The Charleston Gazette reports.

The Register-Herald of Beckley, MetroNews and the Charleston Daily Mail also have news from Thursday's meeting of the board for the Turnpike's parent agency, the Parkways, Economic Development and Tourism Authority.

Noting the hurdles required for toll rates to increase, Gov. Joe Manchin's representative on the agency board "directed Parkways general manager Greg Barr to arrange media tours in each of the counties served by the Turnpike, to let the public see how deferred maintenance has resulted in substandard conditions on many sections of the roadway," The Gazette reports.

MetroNews also has audio.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

It seems like "deferred maintenance" has become the norm for WV's highways since Manchin has been in power.
So why should the turnpike be any different?
I'm not sure I've ever seen so many roads in such bad shape.