Dulles Greenway Sees Decrease in Drivers

According to today's Loudoun Times-Mirror, the number of drivers on the Dulles Greenway decreased 8 percent from January to May this year as compared to the same period a year ago. And the paper reports, 4 percent of drivers are choosing alternate routes other than the Dulles Toll Road.

"Paying $4.50 at the mainline toll plaza to the Dulles Toll Road is not worth it for Dorothy Middleton. She travels from her Leesburg home to her Reston workplace mostly on Route 7, because, she said, 'It's too expensive and also the traffic is bad" at the Dulles Greenway tollbooth before the road becomes the Dulles Toll Road.'

"The January toll increase from $3 to $3.40 during off-rush hours and $4 during rush hour have contributed to the decrease in ridership, said Tom Sines, chief executive officer of Toll Road Investors. Layoffs, AOL's downsizing and the rising price of gasoline are also factors.

"Given the recession, the adage "time is money" is driven into the ditch. Now, money is money. Annually, a five-day-a-week commuter on the Dulles Greenway would pay about $2,000 a year to travel during rush hour. For a commuter like Middleton, who passes through the Dulles Greenway toll booth and onto the Dulles Toll Road, that cost would run up to $2,250 annually."

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