New rush-hour tolls on I-66 Inside the Beltway

[chapjim]

Back in the early '80s, I was teaching at a Department of Defense school at Wright-Patterson AFB. Many of the students came from the DC area and used to talk about the slug line at Long John Silver's in "downtown" Springfield, VA. The I-395 express lanes were HOV4 at the time so it was a good way to fill in the car. A driver just pulled in the lot, rolled down his window and yelled where he was going -- Pentagon, Crystal City, Foggy Bottom, Capitol Hill, 14th & Constitution, etc. The first people in line that wanted to go there hopped in, the driver went around the LJS building, back out on Old Keene Mill Road and on to the express lanes. That was the original "slug line."

It was a win-win for everyone involved. The neat thing is it just happened. No government entity organized it or tried to regulate it. Strange as it may sound, people actually got in cars despite not knowing anything about the driver or his car and drivers allowed totally unknown people to hop in his car. I participated as both a driver and a passenger after we moved to the area in 1985 and over time, you got to know the drivers and the passengers. You tended to see the same people.

There are lots of stories about people becoming good friends, of people losing wallets and purses in someone's car and getting them back with nothing missing. Good stories.

 

[bogey21]

I'm OK with toll lanes as long as there are adjacent free lanes. This way people who are willing and able to pay for reduced traffic can. In addition everyone who does so helps reduce traffic for those using the free lanes. What I don't like is where toll roads are the only viable option.

George

 

[sandkastle4966]

I was wondering what the toll would end up being...previous high I had seen was $27 from Dulles exit to Springfield. $40 - I am NOT surprised. The road is still only 2 lanes - did not think "the toll" would solve any problems other than I can know drive 1-66 without a ticket. Drove it once in HOV 3 days on way to Arlington Hospital - to deliver passenger #3.

(and I have slugged to downtown as well.)

 

[chapjim]

Max toll yesterday morning was $44 (for nine miles on I-66 eastbound from I-495 to Rosslyn).