Back to Press Room

Groups Protest Process, Raise Questions about VDOT Beltway Contract

The Virginia Department of Transportation reportedly will announce on Monday, September 10th, that it has signed a contract with Fluor and TRANSURBAN to construct and control Beltway High Occupancy Toll lanes.

"We protest the lack of public review and input to these major transportation deals," said Jim Wamsley Transportation Chair of the Virginia Chapter of the Sierra Club.  "They negotiated in secret, did not allow for public input or review, did not analyze the impact on Northern Virginia’s roads, they did not consider alternatives, and they did not consider any competitors."

This would be the second recent contract for a Northern Virginia transportation project signed under Virginia's Public Private Transportation Act.  The Dulles Rail contract was negotiated in secret and its terms were not released until after it was signed, forcing local officials including the Fairfax Board of Supervisors to accept terms committed to by unelected transportation officials.  The lack of competition under the PPTA deal for Dulles Rail has been cited by federal officials as one of the reasons for the overly high cost of the project.

The Beltway HOT deal would reportedly grant Fluor/TRANSURBAN 75 years control of public right-of-way and may provide significant authority for the setting of toll rates to the private companies.  Virginia taxpayers will be investing $400 million into the deal and billions of dollars in toll payments.  The companies will collect a lucrative stream of income over a remarkably long period of time.

"Seventy-five years is a remarkably long time.  The profit to the companies and investors could be enormous and benefits to the taxpayers much more limited.  Since VDOT is allowing critical financial information in these deals to remain secret, we have no idea if the taxpayers and toll payers are getting a good deal," said Stewart Schwartz, Executive Director of the Coalition for Smarter Growth.  "Were VDOT to instead maintain public control of the lanes, the funds raised from the tolls would be available in future decades to pay for other transportation improvements, but here the funds will go into the pockets of private investors."

Wamsley continued, "Using the PPTA, VDOT has completely distorted transportation planning.  VDOT refused to analyze other alternatives for the Beltway corridor including rail transit with transit-oriented development and dedicated bus/HOV alternatives without tolls.  They are also signing a deal without disclosing to the public the congestion that Northern Virginia residents will face on local roads because of the contract with Fluor and TRANSURBAN."

"We call for public hearings on the contract and Beltway proposal, as well as review and debate by the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors and the General Assembly," concluded Schwartz.
------------------------------------

Background Report on Problems with Virginia’s Public-Private Transportation Act:

Southern Environmental Law Center Press Release:  http://www.southernenvironment.org/newsroom/2005/01_06_ppta_report.htm

SELC PPTA Report:  http://www.southernenvironment.org/publications/va_ppta_report_jan05.pdf