Greenway Legislation passes in Senate Transportation Committee

On Jan. 28, Senate Bill 1259, introduced by Senator John Bell, passed out of the Senate Transportation Committee on a 12-3 vote. Senate Bill 1259 will bring transparency and accountability to the process of toll rate increases on the Dulles Greenway. 

“This is a big win today for Loudoun County and Northern Virginia commuters. Passing this legislation would not have been possible without the bipartisan support of the Loudoun Delegation and the Loudoun County Board of Supervisors,” said Senator John Bell. “We have been working on this issue for a long time, and I’m proud that we were able to come together on this important issue facing Northern Virginia commuters. I look forward to passing this bill through the Senate and helping relieve our commuters from high tolls.” 

The legislation emphasizes that any proposed toll rates must be reasonable, not materially discourage use of the roadway, and provide the operator no more than a reasonable return. 

Any toll rate requests that fail to satisfy these criteria would be deemed against the public interest and would not be approved by the State Corporation Commission. 

This legislation prevents the Greenway owners from using the toll road as a financial instrument by requiring approval from the SCC on any refinancing of debt obligations. This bill has reached a bipartisan agreement, and is supported by the Loudoun County Board of Supervisors and the Loudoun Delegation, and will now advance to the Senate Floor.