Fraim urges McDonnell to make Midtown expansion a priority

NORFOLK

Mayor Paul Fraim is growing frustrated with the state's slow pace and lack of communication as it negotiates with private developers to build a $1.9 billion expansion of the Midtown Tunnel, the city's top road priority.

Fraim said in a letter to Gov. Bob McDonnell last week that further delays "cannot be tolerated." He urged McDonnell to set deadlines for finalizing an agreement and starting construction of a toll crossing.

Construction originally was set to start later this year. If an agreement is reached, construction could begin by early 2012.

"It's clear that the longer this takes, the more expensive the project becomes," Fraim said Thursday. "Maybe VDOT assumes because the bulk of the project would be funded by tolls, they don't have to worry about the cost."

Elizabeth River Crossings, a consortium of private companies, wants to add a second tube to the Midtown Tunnel, refurbish the Downtown Tunnel and extend the Martin Luther King Freeway. Transportation officials said the project would fix two of the region's worst traffic bottlenecks.

"I can tell you we are on track now to move this project along," Virginia Department of Transportation Commissioner Greg Whirley said. "These are very complicated deals to get together. Cost does go up as time moves on... but we're not at a point yet where we're talking about the numbers changing."

Fraim also urged the governor to bring the toll down from a proposed $2.17 to $1.50 "so it does not overburden users." Whirley said his goal is $1.50 as well.

As of now, the estimated base toll for both the Midtown and Downtown tunnels is $2.17 for cars and $6.52 for trucks. At peak traffic hours, the tolls could be as high as $2.89 for cars and $8.67 for trucks.

Collections would be electronic, so as not to slow traffic. Tolling would begin when construction begins.

In his letter, Fraim urged the state to make a significant financial contribution to the project to help lower the tolls like it has with some other toll projects in Virginia.

"It's a question of priorities and fairness," Fraim said.

Whirley said several options have been identified to bring the toll rate down, including providing a state operating and maintenance subsidy.

"It's too early in the game to say where a subsidy would be, but it's on the table," he said.

Fraim said he's frustrated by the lack of information the city has received on the project. He said he has yet to see the plans for the new tunnel configuration at Brambleton Avenue and Hampton Boulevard.

Debbie Messina, (757) 446-2588, debbie.messina@pilotonline.com