Congressman Subramanyam Introduces Legislation to Lower Toll Costs and Protect Commuters, Advocates to Virginia AG for the Continued Defense of Legislation to Prevent Toll Increases in Federal Court

Washington, D.C. – This week, Congressman Suhas Subramanyam (VA-10) introduced the Affordable Commutes Act, legislation designed to address the rising costs of private toll roads and protect commuters from unfair, unreasonable toll prices. The legislation directs the Department of Transportation (DOT) to investigate the pricing practices of private toll roads and assess the potential for the federal government to purchase and transfer ownership of these roads to states. This measure aims to bring down toll costs for everyday drivers.

“For too long, private toll road companies have operated with little to no oversight, leading to high fees that place a heavy burden on working families like my own and the ones I represent in Congress,” said Congressman Subramanyam. “My bill is a critical first step toward ensuring fair and transparent pricing. It puts commuters first by investigating potential price gouging and exploring solutions that would ultimately transfer control of these essential arteries from private companies to the public.”

The bill’s provisions include a directive for the DOT to investigate potential price gouging and unfair, unreasonable practices on private toll roads, with findings to be referred to the Department of Justice and the Federal Trade Commission (FTC). It also mandates a study on the feasibility and cost benefits to commuters of the federal government acquiring private toll roads and transferring them to state ownership. The study will assess whether such a transfer would lower costs for drivers, outline the necessary framework to achieve it, and recommend other policies to reduce tolling expenses. This legislation is a significant step toward making daily commutes more affordable for millions of Americans.

This bill follows a recent decision by the Virginia Supreme Court to uphold legislation that Congressman Subramanyam passed in the House of Delegates in 2021 that granted the State Corporation Commission (SCC) greater authority to prevent toll increases on the Dulles Greenway, a privately owned toll road in Loudoun County. In September 2024, the SCC ruled to prevent a 40% toll increase that would have increased costs for commuters by over $1,100 annually. 

While the Virginia Supreme Court’s ruling marks a major victory for Virginia commuters, the operators of the toll road, Toll Road Investors Partnership II (TRIP II), filed a separate complaint in federal court. This week, Congressman Subramanyam wrote a letter to Virginia Attorney General Jason Miyares, declaring that the deployment of all necessary resources is required to defend the rule of law. The text of that letter can be found here. 

To read the full bill text, see here.

In Washington, Congressman Subramanyam continues to advocate for working families and champion legislation that lowers the costs of everyday goods so that families across Northern Virginia can live prosperous lives. 

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