In recent years, Express Lanes (pictured), toll lanes built with private capital to relieve traffic congestion in the Washington area, have begun operation one after another, and many drivers in Virginia are dissatisfied with high toll fees and confusing signage. It was found that it was not.
The Joint Legislative Audit Commission, which conducts analysis and oversight of state agencies on behalf of the Virginia General Assembly, recently released a survey of driver responses to Express Lane use over several months.
In this survey, the areas drivers were most dissatisfied with were excessively high express lane usage fees and confusing signage. In fact, 72% of drivers who responded to the survey said they were reluctant to use the Express Lanes due to toll fees, which in some cases exceed $20, depending on distance traveled and congestion, and 7% said they were reluctant to use the Express Lanes due to their confusing design and layout. I answered no.
Regarding these survey results, an official from a public transportation advocacy group said, “The fact that many drivers are reluctant to use toll lanes due to high toll fees reaffirms the serious flaws of privately operated toll roads.” Currently, five private toll road companies operate 100 miles of toll lanes in Northern Virginia.