Virginia House of Delegates Republican Caucus Chairman Timothy D. Hugo (R-Fairfax) released the following statement Tuesday on the price of new dynamic tolls on Interstate 66 inside the beltway.

“Drivers across our region are shocked at the exorbitant tolls we’ve seen on I-66 over the last couple days. This is not what anyone expected to see. We immediately need to come together to craft a realistic public policy solution that helps lower the cost of commuting for single-occupancy vehicles on I-66 inside the beltway.

“In 2015, my colleagues and I in the House of Delegates campaigned against tolling inside the beltway. We predicted tolls of $17 or worse and promised to introduce legislation to stop the tolling unless I-66 was widened inside the beltway. We kept that commitment and introduced House Bill 1 in the 2016 General Assembly.

“After several months of discussions, an agreement was reached with Governor Terry McAuliffe that allowed tolling to proceed in exchange for widening I-66 inside the beltway. It wasn’t a perfect deal, and many of us across the region were skeptical, but we moved forward in hopes that this would offer a better commute for our constituents and Northern Virginia drivers.

“Throughout those discussions, Governor McAuliffe and Transportation Secretary Layne made repeated assurances and commitments, in both public and private, that the toll rates would be reasonable. Numerous public documents advertised $6 to $7 tolls on average. We worked in good faith with this administration and trusted their assurances, but what we’ve seen over the last couple of days is unacceptable.

“Working with my colleagues in the House, we will begin looking for a realistic public policy solution that helps lower the cost of commuting for single-occupancy vehicles on I-66.”