Senator Suhas Subramanyam Introduces Bill to Lower Greenway Tolls

Bill Stops Price Gouging, Limits Costs, and Increases Transparency

Ashburn, VA – Today, Senator Suhas Subramanyam, Obama White House Alumnus and Candidate for Virginia’s 10th Congressional District, announced the introduction of SB 611, which explicitly gives the Virginia State Corporation Commission (SCC) authority to lower tolls on the Greenway if it finds that toll prices are discouraging road use, or if the SCC finds that the road is overcharging users. 

SB 611 further pushes for transparency and cost-cutting by ensuring public reports of Greenway spending, and by ensuring that fees from lobbyists, excessive compensation, and entertainment expenses are not passed on to toll road users or taxpayers.

This bill comes on the heels of Subramanyam joining local elected officials to fight for lower tolls at a SCC hearing earlier this month.

“I’m proud to have consistently taken on rising costs like high tolls on the Dulles Greenway,” said Senator Subramanyam. “This bill lowers costs, increases transparency, and ensures that toll users and taxpayers alike don’t get stuck with the bill for the Greenway’s lobbying efforts or lining the toll operators’ pocketbooks. 

I’m confident we will win the current rate case, but in the long run we must also solidify the SCC’s authority to lower tolls for future generations and reject efforts by the Greenway to negotiate a deal behind closed doors that would hurt us long term.”

Senator Subramanyam separately introduced a budget amendment to empower the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) to study the cost of implementing distance-based tolling in an attempt to further lower costs for users.

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Senator Suhas Subramanyam has dedicated his life to public service as a State Senator, Obama White House advisor, Capitol Hill staffer, and as a Loudoun volunteer firefighter/EMT. In Richmond, he has worked across the aisle to pass gun violence prevention bills, protect democracy, and defend abortion rights. Senator Subramanyam is best positioned to keep VA-10 in Democratic hands because he represents more VA-10 constituents than any of the 16 primary election candidates, and he has consistently outperformed the Democratic ticket and delivered for his constituents. Suhas resides in Ashburn, Virginia (in VA-10) with his wife, Miranda, and their two daughters.