A Berkeley Springs, West Virginia singer songwriter has released a song calling on the Commonwealth of Virginia to roll back the tolls on the Dulles Greenway — a privately owned 14 mile highway between Leesburg, Virginia and Dulles Airport.<\/p>\n
Rush hour commuters are now being charged $5.55 to travel the 14 mile stretch — or 40 cents a mile — making it one of the most expensive highways in the country.<\/p>\n
The song, titled Highway Robbery,<\/a> was released by Angela Petry of Berkeley Springs.<\/p>\n “Highway robbery,” Petry sings in the chorus. “Sending our money overseas. Making a mockery of you and me. Because it’s highway robbery.”<\/p>\n The Dulles Greenway is owned by Toll Road Investors Partnership II (Trip II).<\/p>\n Trip II is owned by the Australian-based Macquarie Group.<\/p>\n Petry said that she and her family periodically venture into the Washington, D.C. area — and are struck by the exorbitant tolls on the highway.<\/p>\n Congressman Frank Wolf (R-Virginia), a critic of the Greenway’s toll structure,<\/a> has called the high tolls on the Greenway “a disgrace.”<\/p>\n “Everyone knows that these tolls are ripping people off,” Wolf said.<\/p>\n “Nobody should be forced to pay 40 cents a mile to drive on a highway” Petry said. “This road is in the Commonwealth of Virginia. Commonwealth means the wealth is held in common — by the people. But the Greenway is owned by an Australian firm and we are sending our money overseas.”<\/p>\n Petry urged citizens to sign a petition<\/a> calling on the Virginia Governor Bob McDonnell, House Speaker William Howell and Senate Majority Tommy Norment — to pass legislation to bring the tolls in line with tolls on other major toll roads — like the Pennsylvania Turnpike or the Garden State Parkway in New Jersey, which are less than 10 cents a mile.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" A Berkeley Springs, West Virginia singer songwriter has released a song calling on the Commonwealth of Virginia to roll back the tolls on the Dulles Greenway — a privately owned 14 mile highway between Leesburg, Virginia and Dulles Airport. Rush … Continue reading