Gov. Terry McAuliffe has announced the Toll Relief program for tolls through the Elizabeth River Tunnels, a program aimed at providing assistance for low-income residents in the Norfolk and Portsmouth, Virginia, areas.
Elizabeth River Crossings, which operates the Elizabeth River Tunnels, will pay $500,000 a year for 10 years to help offset the cost of tolls for qualifying users. The first year of the program will serve as a pilot. Officials say the program is the first of its kind in the U.S.
Qualifications for the Toll Relief include:
- Reside in Norfolk or Portsmouth
- Earn $30,000 or less per year
- Have or obtain a Virginia E-ZPass transponder and registered account
- Record eight trips or more during a calendar month through the Downtown or Midtown tunnels
Officials say a qualified participant will receive a $0.75 per trip refund credited to their Virginia E-ZPass account once their transponder has recorded eight trips ore more through the Downtown or Midtown tunnels during a calendar month.
Enrollment begins December 1 and will continue through February 15, 2017. The benefits are set to being March 1, 2017. More details on the program are available at www.VirginiaDOT.org/tollrelief.