
                         THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
                 Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: WEDNESDAY, June 8, 1994                    TAG: 9406080586 
SECTION: LOCAL                     PAGE: D5    EDITION: FINAL  
SOURCE: BY MAC DANIEL, STAFF WRITER 
DATELINE: 940608                                 LENGTH: VIRGINIA BEACH

ALLEN REQUESTS STUDY OF IMPACT OF REMOVING EXPRESSWAY TOLLS

{LEAD} Gov. George F. Allen has asked the state secretary of transportation to review the impact of early removal of tolls on the Virginia Beach-Norfolk Expressway, according to Del. Frank W. Wagner, a candidate for Congress.

In a letter to Wagner, Allen said he asked Secretary of Transportation Robert E. Martinez to review the effect of removing the tolls by 1995. The maximum toll is 25 cents each way for cars.

{REST} Wagner responded to the letter Tuesday, saying, ``It's no longer a matter of whether they will remove the tolls, but when they will remove the tolls.''

He added later, ``This isn't crying wolf. This is a significant policy shift.''

Ken Stroup, spokesman for the governor, said Allen supports removing the tolls ``if that's feasible.''

``I think it's too early to say we can set a deadline for removing the tolls,'' he said. ``The governor is taking a serious look at this.''

Stroup said he was unsure when a decision would be made.

Wagner, 38, is seeking the Republican nomination to run against Democratic Rep. Owen B. Pickett in the 2nd Congressional District. Six days from today, he and Jim Chapman will face off in a Republican primary.

Chapman, 36, favors removing the tolls but only after several interchange projects along the expressway are completed. The Virginia Beach City Council took a similar position.

Wagner brought the toll issue to the General Assembly this year, saying state officials promised commuters that the tolls would be removed after the bond debt on the road was paid off. He said the remaining $7.5 million bond debt can be paid off sooner than expected.

Wagner's efforts to remove the tolls fell short this year when the General Assembly killed the measure. The Senate voted to keep the tolls in place until they generate $58 million to pay for improvements on the 14-mile expressway, delaying the toll removal by seven to eight years.

Wagner asked Allen to use an executive order to remove the tolls by January.

{KEYWORDS} TOLLS

by CNB