A bill proposing that toll collections be suspended on evacuation routes during mandatory evacuations unanimously passed a Virginia House subcommittee Thursday.
Virginia Delegate Jerrauld Jones said in a statement, “We are working diligently to try and alleviate burdensome tolls for the citizens of Hampton Roads and we believe this is a strong first step.”
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Current state law allows tolls to be collected during mandatory evacuations.
A map of toll roads in Hampton Roads lists the Downtown and Midtown Tunnels, the South Norfolk Jordan Bridge, Dominion Boulevard, the Chesapeake Expressway, the Chesapeake Bay-Bridge Tunnel and the Coleman Bridge. If any of these roads falls on an evacuation route, they could be affected, along with toll roads in Richmond and Northern Virginia.
The bill still needs to pass the Virginia House and Senate before reaching the governor’s desk.