WV pol releases plan for avoiding tolls (COMMENT included)

A West Virginia politician Delegate John Shott (Repub, Mercer) thinks his constituents need help to work out how to avoid toll points on the West Virginia Turnpike. He has spelled out in exquisite detail to the local Bluefield Daily Telegraph newspaper (July 18) what he calls a "100 percent discount" toll plan.

Shott's description of one of three toll plaza bypass moves needed for the Shott 100 percent Turnpike Discount plan:

"Toll Plaza A: To bypass the Ghent toll plaza at mile post 30, take I-64 East near Beckley (exit 40) to the first exit (No. 124) on I-64 and follow the exit ramp all the way to the stoplight (you will see signs for U.S. Route 19.

"Turn left at the stoplight and then left again at the stop sign onto old U.S. Rt. 19 South for approximately 13 mi.

"At the Exxon station on the left, turn right onto the connector road and then left after crossing under the turnpike overpass onto exit No. 28 (Ghent/Flat Top). This is an easy route, but traffic in the Beaver area can slow you down, especially between 4 to 5:30 p.m. on weekdays).

"It is about 17 miles after leaving the Turnpike (versus a little over 12 miles on the turnpike), and it took me about 25 minutes due to traffic (versus about 10 minutes on the turnpike)." (END QUOTE)

They don't know?

We'd have thought that Shott's constituents might have known this alternate route already without him having to 'educate' them on it.

And they might also put a value on the 15 minutes extra that Shott says it takes on his alternate route as compared to the Turnpike.

The new cash toll is $2.00 so if their value of time saved is $8 or more per hour the Turnpike is the better deal on time saving alone.

Local WV E-ZPass provides trips at $1.30 so anyone who values their time at $5.20 or more per hour still gets value on the Turnpike with a transponder account.  (CORRECTION: we originally wrote $1.50 and $6.00/hour here. 2009-07-28)

And there is also a flat rate unlimited use commuter scheme at $25/quarter or $95/year (PACC). 

So 200 trips, say, a year cost under 50c each, worth saving 15 minutes if your value of time saved is more than $2/hour.

new toll schedule:

http://www.wvturnpike.com/PDFfiles/NewTollSchedule.pdf

But Delegate Shott also thinks many in the region are "allergic to technology" and won't get a transponder.

COMMENT: They can't read a map, or discover alternate routes, they don't value their time, and they are allergic to transponders, he is saying.

Seems to us this politician thinks his constituents can't get by without his superior advice on their travel choices - because he thinks they are a bunch of inbred idiot hillbillies.

Shott's plan reported here:

http://www.bdtonline.com/homepage/local_story_199201901.html?keyword=leadpicturestory

TOLLROADSnews 2009-07-20 CORRECTION 2009-07-28