Bluefield Daily Telegraph, Bluefield, WV

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July 3, 2009

Turnpike travelers fume over toll hike

By GREG JORDAN

PRINCETON — Motorists pausing from their Fourth of July travels to rest at the West Virginia Tourist Information Center off Interstate 77 did not welcome news that tolls on the West Virginia Turnpike would be increasing on August 1.

The West Virginia Turnpike Authority voted unanimously Wednesday to increase the turnpike’s tolls from $1.25 to $2 for passenger vehicles and from $4.25 to $6 for heavy trucks.

A native West Virginian who now lives in another state said he wasn’t surprised by the toll hike.

“It’s been a buck and a quarter for a long time,” said Ed Knight of Raleigh, N.C. “To jump it up to two dollars is a lot, plus I really think that they ought to justify the increase to West Virginians.”

When Knight was told that $10 million in federal funds based on the turnpike’s miles were not spent on that highway’s maintenance, he said “So the state stole the money to use somewhere else.”

Knight said the North Carolina has high taxes on gasoline, but the state government there uses the revenue for items other than highways.

Another traveler said he was dismayed by the size of the increase.

“Wow, that’s a big jump for one time,” said Sam Groce, 48, of North Carolina.

Brad and Kerry Barth of Fort Mill, S.C., said they would continue using the West Virginia Turnpike because they had no other choice.

“I never like how the government raises money. We don’t have a choice, so we’ll still use it,” Kerry Barth said.

Local people who were visiting the travel center — Kirk and Brenda Hatfield of Princeton stopped to purchase books in the center’s shop — shared the feelings of out-of-state travelers.

“I think it’s terrible,” Brenda Hatfield said.

“I think the bonds they had should have been paid from the money they collected a long time ago,” Kirk Hatfield, 68, added.

“We don’t use it much, but we used to work in Beckley,” she said.

“They should leave it (toll price) the same,” he concluded.

— Contact Greg Jordan at gjordan@bdtonline.com

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