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Turnpike GM hopes decision on tolls comes sooner than later

CHARLESTON, W.Va. — Some time during the first year of Governor-elect Jim Justice’s term in office there could be a decision about the future of tolling on the West Virginia Turnpike.

The bonds financed by the tolls will be paid off in 2019. Some are calling for the tolls to be eliminated while others say the state can’t afford it. West Virginia Parkways Authority General Manager Greg Barr hopes the decision comes sooner than later for the sake of Turnpike workers.

“We have a lot of employees and it’s tough not knowing what your future is and they are raising families and have kids ready to go to college and it would be nice if they knew they were going to have a job after 2019,” Barr said.

Barr said the Parkways Authority, which manages the Turnpike, hasn’t heard from the governor-elect yet on which way he may be leaning. The legislature has had some discussions during the last few years but coming out strong one way or another hasn’t been a priority.

Barr would like to see a direction chosen this year if at all possible, he said.

“Hopefully it won’t be a decision that’s delayed until the last minute and they can address it early on in the (Justice) administration,” he said.

Discussions by the authority on possible changes in how tolls are collected won’t advance until the future is decided. Barr said if the decision is made to keep the tolls then the authority could decide to go all electronic like has happened on toll roads in other states.

“It’s just not cost efficient until we know for sure what the future of tolling is going to be in West Virginia and once we find that out–if it’s decided to keep the tolling–then we could modernize things,” he said.

Currently credit cards are not accepted at the highway’s three toll plazas. Barr said the authority believes that would slow down traffic. Currently 65 percent of motorists who use the highway pay cash, the other 35 percent by EZ-Pass.





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