24 Va. Admin. Code § 30-620-20 - General conditions and criteria concerning suspension of toll collection

A. Tolls may be temporarily suspended on any toll facility subject to this chapter, under the following conditions:

1. The Commissioner of Highways or his designee has investigated or assessed a threat to public safety on or in the vicinity of the toll facility; and

2. As a result of the investigation or assessment, the Commissioner of Highways or his designee believes that a temporary suspension of toll collection will alleviate an actual or potential threat or risk to the public's safety, or facilitate the flow of traffic on or within the vicinity of the toll facility.

B. Incidents which may justify the temporary suspension of toll collection operations include, but are not limited to, the following: natural disasters, such as hurricanes, tornadoes, fires, and floods; accidental releases of hazardous materials, such as chemical spills; major traffic accidents, such as multi-vehicle collisions; and any other incidents deemed to present a risk to public safety.

C. Any mandatory evacuation during a state of emergency as defined in § 44-146.16 of the Code of Virginia shall require the temporary suspension of toll collection operations in affected evacuation zones on routes designated as mass evacuation routes. The Commissioner of Highways or the commissioner's designee shall reinstate toll collection when the mandatory evacuation period ends.

D. The suspension of tolls and reinstatement of tolls shall be conducted in accordance with internal agency procedures established by the Commissioner of Highways. The Commissioner of Highways may delegate in writing the authority to suspend and reinstate toll collection operations, as a result of the conditions and criteria outlined in this section. This delegation of authority includes following the policies and procedures established by the Commissioner of Highways and specific to each toll facility, governing the investigation and decision-making processes associated with the possible suspension and reinstatement of toll collections.

E. Judicial proceedings arising from any incident resulting in the suspension of toll collection will be conducted as provided for by § 33.2-613 of the Code of Virginia.

Notes

24 Va. Admin. Code § 30-620-20

Derived from VR385-01-68 §2, eff. October 4, 1995; amended, Virginia Register Volume 11, Issue 26, eff. October, 18, 1995; Volume 28, Issue 4, eff. November 23, 2011; Amended, Virginia Register Volume 31, Issue 07, eff. 12/31/2014; Amended, Virginia Register Volume 38, Issue 02, eff. 10/14/2021.

Statutory Authority: § 33.2-210 of the Code of Virginia.