Toll Hike Needed to Repair W.Va. Highway
Toll Hike Needed to Repair W.Va. Highway Save Email Print
Posted: 8:47 AM Dec 5, 2008
 Last Updated: 8:47 AM Dec 5, 2008
 Reporter: Associated Press
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BECKLEY, W.Va. (AP) - Officials say hundreds of millions of dollars are needed to maintain the 88-mile West Virginia Turnpike, and the only way to raise that money is with the first toll hike since 1981.

Ron Hamilton, maintenance director for the Parkways, Economic Development and Tourism Authority, says the road will need $238 million over the next five years to keep it safe for travelers.

He says about 36 percent of the Charleston-to-Princeton road is substandard, compared to a state average of 27 percent.

Parkways officials have said a toll hike is likely, but there has been no formal proposal yet.

The authority tried nearly three years ago to increase tolls, but was met with fierce opposition. The hike ultimately was overturned by a court injunction.
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Posted by: Wonderin' on Dec 6, 2008 at 03:37 PM
The toll money is used to fund Tamarak...
Posted by: ec on Dec 6, 2008 at 12:21 PM
Thought Deep Pockets Joe said the State was in good shape.
Posted by: Charlie on Dec 5, 2008 at 03:36 PM
You gotta pay the troll toll...
Posted by: Eric on Dec 5, 2008 at 03:33 PM
Isn't that what Manchin and Danny Jones both said about raising taxes? Where is all this road repair going on!!!!!
Posted by: Anonymous on Dec 5, 2008 at 02:09 PM
What is done with the current revenues that are taken in? They obviously aren't being used for repairs if over a third of the road is substandard.
Posted by: Anonymous on Dec 5, 2008 at 01:58 PM
They didnt use the funds to pave the roads so why hike it? I'll use 75 to go south!
Posted by: LaDonna Anderson on Dec 5, 2008 at 01:52 PM
hello people are getting laid off by the thousands. And you want to raise the toll. Maybe things should be left alone. People in West Virginia doesn't have and extra dollar these days. Maybe the state department of transportation needs to cut the fat.
Posted by: Lacey on Dec 5, 2008 at 01:37 PM
My family & I drive the turnpike on an average of at least once a month, and as much as we hate paying the toll, if it gets the roads fixed then so be it. I just hope they keep it below $2.00. Along with the repairs they need to include $$ to pay for lighting on the ENTIRE TOLL ROAD! My husband and I have had car problems on the road before and in places there are no street lights,no houses or gas stations and no cellphone service, making it EXTREMELY dangerous! As for Rt 60 to 19-we have btdt too---skip the first toll, take the other 2 tolls. If not, end up in China somewhere..by way of wv turnpike! No thanks!
Posted by: charles on Dec 5, 2008 at 12:55 PM
if black top is needed then with price of oil down like it is then look price in now for so many ton or ever how it is ordered then when spring get here they can do it cheeper. anoter option turn it over to federal goverment and change it to interstate.can't tell me that if states were not making money off of toll roads then all states would turn all roads over to federal gov.. new englands states have tried to buy interstate roads so they can turn those in to toll roads
Posted by: Ashley on Dec 5, 2008 at 12:28 PM
So.... What are the millions and millions of dollars in tolls spent on RIGHT NOW?
Posted by: Melinda on Dec 5, 2008 at 11:00 AM
These toll booths when they first came in before I was even born was suppose to be temporary, and now its become permanent and though the people that have to travel them everyday, say they don't care because either their company is paying for it, because when you have to pay more and the turnpike will still be messed up, their is gonna be complaints. What is my taxes in WV going to? First it was the gas and it will be later, then the food and now the tolls, some of us in this state cannot even make enough to put food on the table were losing jobs, the economy is getting worse and all this state can think about is more ways to take from us. WHEN ARE WE GOING TO STAIND UP AND SAY NO, ENOUGH IS ENOUGH! TAKE FROM THE RICH AND GIVE TO THE POOR AND IF U CANT DO THAT, THAN US CHRISTIANS WILL PRAY FOR IT. BECAUSE I KNOW GOD DOESN'T LIKE THIS WORLD AND WHERE ITS HEADED!WE CANNOT DEPEND ON THE CONGRESS TO HELP US.
Posted by: Resident on Dec 5, 2008 at 10:37 AM
I thought the toll was only supposed to be in place until the roadway was paid for... which was long ago. Now do they not only want to keep it, but raise the price is costs to travel on it.
Posted by: anon on Dec 5, 2008 at 09:45 AM
SHEEEZE...if u drive a semi they need to pay the driver to drive across that rough cowpath
Posted by: gene on Dec 5, 2008 at 09:25 AM
i never travel the turnpike due to the toll. i use rt 60 and 16 to 19 and come out at beckley. it is a more scenic drive and just about as quick
Posted by: Anonymous on Dec 5, 2008 at 09:20 AM
take the tolls out.the road has been paid years ago.
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The Yell: Comments for the Week of 1/4
  • Posted By: Fixed that for you: Any one who is paid by the general public, us, should have no problem taking urine tests. After all they are in the pubic debt for paying them. Its simple NO TEST, NO CHECK. This is not an attempt to violate rights, it is an attempt to enforce the publics right for our money to go to people in government and on welfare who can be TRUSTED.
  • Posted By: Chris to WSAZ: To all the workers and employees of WSAZ: Thank you for being there and allowing comments about the news.Our family watch only WSAZ news and enjoy each of you. I know that the recognition that you receive is little to none,but you deserve better.This goes out to the producers,cameramen,to everyone behind the scenes and the ones that are seen too. Thank you for having the best news program available to the public. God Bless Each and Everyone of You. Chris
  • Posted By: redbaron: in response to pablo on comment dated 01/06 - EXCUSE ME!! I do believe FIREFIGHTERS also risk their lives for total strangers and no they are NOT law enforcement!
  • Posted By: omg: I am so sick and tired of hearing how public school teachers are indebted to the public for their salary. Many of you are so freakin nosey that if your neighbor stopped too fast, you'd have to get a crane to remove your head from their rear. I am so tired of this drug test line. Teachers deserve to pee in peace and so do you. Why should teachers be forced to have their personal lives paraded all over the news? That is exactly what would happen. If a typical joe blow got fired from the coal mines for drugs, it wouldn't make front page news. A teacher being fired for drugs would. You people expect teachers to be the mother, father, grandparent, clergyman, counselor, as well as the teacher. You don't do anything with your kids but expect the teacher to fix all the problem you create. Some of them probably need drugs by the time they are done raising your spoiled kids who think the world owes them something on a silver platter. Take your own drug test before you get pregnant.
  • Posted By: Sophie: Re: The student (Hinzman?) being expelled for using foul language after being bullied & beaten on school grounds; you should not have been expelled for expressing your hurt, anger & disgust. You were a victim and did nothing. It is unreasonable to punish the victim - so what if he cussed - I'd cuss too if someone beat the beegeebers out of me. The kid who beat you should receive jail time & counciling; the kid who filmed you & released it on U-Tube should too. It has often been said that television is desensitizing our children so badly they have no empathy for others. This is a prime example. I hope the school board will have enough common sense to clear this victims school record of the incident as he should not have been expelled, and get him counciling also as such a trauma will surly have an effect on a young life.
  • Posted By: Boyd: Any one who is employed and gets paid by the general public, us, should have no problem taking urine tests. After all they are in the pubic debt for paying them for their work. Its simple NO TEST, NO JOB. This is not an attempt to violate rights, it is an attempt to enforce the publics right for federal, state and municipal employees who can be TRUSTED.
  • Posted By: George: As a parent I have no problem being drug tested. I'll stand in line right behind Katy.
  • Posted By: goodorbad: I look at it like this-if you dont have anything to hide, shut up and do the test!
  • Posted By: Rick: I think all teachers should be drug tested, I drive a transit bus for our county and I want the public to know I am drug free and teachers should want everyone to know the same, that their children are not in the care of people on drugs,if you have nothing to hide why object to random testing I know I don't
  • Posted By: Tea: I can't even imagine that our teachers have not been drug tested up until this time. Anyone who refuses should be fired. These are our children!!! People take drug test when they don't even work with people, let alone children. These are government jobs and we should have a say in what they have to do.
  • Posted By: Ari: Cheers to Rob-I feel ya!
  • Posted By: joe: I have worked for companies all over this nation and have had to take drug tests. Why should teachers be exempt from this practice? It is now common to be randomly tested(and I have been) so what makes a teacher any different than a steel worker. I can say proudly that I passed but I have seen those who didn't. They chose to use drugs and lost their jobs I didn't.
  • Posted By: Katy: As a teacher, I have no problem being randomly drug tested...as long as you agree to drug test the parents who enter the doors of my school as well. Most teachers deal with students who are exposed to/use more drugs and alcohol than any of the teachers. If these students or parents who are using drugs (and are not drug tested) enter our schools, the safety of the teachers and students are at risk. Since children spend more time with them, let's randomly drug test PARENTS, too!!!
  • Posted By: stephen: Why the heavy emphasis ont he damage to property and life Israel is doing . Where was the media uproar for years that Hamas was rocketing Israel irespective of innocent israelis.. Hamas is actualykilling their own citizens by firing rockets from UN schools and residents. Why does UN allow Hamas to use facilities for attacking Israel, then complain when Israel responds to protect their territory and citizens. Israel targets military targets, respons to from whence rockets or gun fire comes. What would we fire at if Huntington was attacked?Why does the media not put bla,e where balame belongs, and give moral support to the aggreived.What would America do if attacked? to whom would we listen? Russia, Saudi Arabia,Iran?.Media get REAL! Who has given Hamas and the Palestinians millions with which they could buy weapons---American taxpayers money!
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  • Posted By: Boyd: If the state's budget is doing so well, why don't we use some of this money to help towns and cities in the state who are in trouble with their budget, or will this just become another pay raise for politicians?
  • Posted By: Rob: Why does everyone have to be so into using the term "racist" and have that kind of attitude. I know what my heritage is and who my ancestors were but you want to know what I consider myself? I AM AN AMERICAN! I was born and raised in this country and that's how I feel it should be. Born here, raised here.....then by God you are an American. Not an African American, not an Asian American etc. etc. You are an AMERICAN!
  • Posted By: Chris: To Ex-Officer: I agree with you 100% about the pay of police dept and the drug testing. I was formerly involved with the BCPD and had multiple ride alongs with the BCSO. I am probably one of their biggest critics due to having watch some of the bad side of the department for a long time. I wish that I could tell everything that I have seen officers do,which would put most of them behind bars or they'll lose their sheild, But retalliation is bad in our area. To the cops that do their job and do it with the best intentions, I proud of you and don't mean any disrespect. To the ones who I personally watch being more currupt then the "badguys" here,your day will be coming.
  • Posted By: Pablo: Teachers aren't the only ones underpaid. Law enforcement officers are underpaid also. And I'd like to speak about them. For example, I'm sure any parent would sacrifice their live for thier children. And several may give thier live to save their spouse. A few individuals may even do it for a close friend. But, I only know of 3 types of beings who will sacrifice thier lives for complete strangers; indeed even for people who hate them. The first would be our men and women in our armed forces. The second would be our law enforcement officers. And of course, third would be our Savior, Jesus Christ. Others are killed in the line of their employment, but not in order to save a complete stranger. Everytime a cop puts on his/her uniform, they can be a target for anyone upset about something. Even though it doesn't involve the cop personally, that very cop will give his life to save yours when a problem arises. We need to give our cops not only a wage, but a living wage and a great big THANKS.
  • Posted By: Craig: If what I am hearing is correct that Kanawha County teachers accepted a pay raise in return for submitting to drug testing, and then sued successfully so they do not have to be subject to testing, then why shouldn't we the taxpayers demand they return the raise?
  • Posted By: teresa: racist lmao i am one cherokee,german,irish,german,and who knows what else TIRED of hearing of racist comments u are either GOOD OR BAD k no skin color needed just evil or NOT
  • Posted By: Ex-Officer: I agree with Robert 100% I worked in law enforcement and loved the job but try to rise a family on less than 10.00 an hour (out of that pay for your own duty gear and gun). I believe that all public safety workers should be drug tested but i also believe that they should be paid for the job that they do. Not many people understand what a public safty worker goes through. Would you put your life on the line for this kind of pay? Remember the saying that you get what you pay for. I see this in several new officers in my area. Don't get me wrong there are still very good officers in law enforcement. Something really needs to be done about the low pay for these jobs.
  • Posted By: Garland: What's the difference between teachers and other workers(coal mineers, bus drivers, state employees,etc.)? Teachers aren't any better are they?
  • Posted By: : This is not a comment, but I would like comments on it please. What do you think of Poca High School? Racist or not?
  • Posted By: Robert: We the people, through our own self centeredness and apathy, have allowed our teachers and police officials to be some of the most underpaid people in the United States. We are trusting our childrens education and our public safety to the very people that are some of the most underpaid profesions in the U.S.. If I could change this, I would. However, I do believe that these people should be randomly drug tested. I work in the construction industry and I have no problem being drug tested. I have nothing to hide. I also believe that any person who is intrusted with the safety of others should have nothing to hide. This includes plitical officials up to and including the president.
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