Private Highways

Earlier this year I wrote about the debate at the public hearing over the proposed toll increase on the Greenway, see Free Markets. All the TV lights and the spots on the evening news, including the NBC and ABC national news shows that same night, focused mainly the politicians, who in my opinion were way off the mark on this issue. Frank Wolf was one. I have been a friend and admirer of Franks for many years. My wife was his transportation aide during his freshman years in Congress. Frank has also been a great friend of Loudoun County and Leesburg so I am surprised by his position. The Greenway would not exist if private entrepreneurs had not financed, built, and managed this road. The Greenway is to the economic development of the Leesburg area as Dulles Airport is to the western Fairfax County and far eastern Loudoun County.

Recently National Public Radio’s Kojo Nnamdi show featured a discussion on Private Highways. Bob Poole of the Reason Foundation discussed private toll roads and HOT lanes, which is another "hot" subject in Northern Virginia and Richmond as the Commonwealth tries to unjam our roads. Frank Wolf put in an appearance on the show, but did not stay on the air long enough to hear Poole’s very logical explanation of why Wolf is mistaken. For example, the Greenway is not the most expensive toll road per mile in the US. The Greenway can not be compared to the Pennsylvania Turnpike, which was built over 60 years ago; and it is impractical to think that Virginia could buy the Greenway. (Why not use those dollars to fix the state roads and interchanges?)

You can listen to the Private Highways show, and at the same time learn why there is a solution to some of our traffic problems that has proven to work elsewhere.
Click here to listen with Windows Media
Chick here to listen with Real Audio.