No Tolls Allowed on Federal Parkways

WASHINGTON - Don't look for tolls on federally owned parkways any time soon.

With the region's population expected to grow by more than 1 million by 2030, a recent report by the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments recommends tolls on roads across the region. The report recommended using an E-ZPass-like system and putting tolls on highways and bridges into the District.

It also recommends tolls for the federally owned Baltimore-Washington Parkway, George Washington Parkway, Rock Creek Parkway and Clara Barton Parkway.

But Joe Lawler, regional director of the National Park Service, says it's something that is not "prudent at this point."

"Tolls on these national parkways, with our current regulations, are certainly not applicable," Lawler tells WTOP.

Lawler says tolls could come in the future.

"That's something we'll have to wrestle with over the next five, 10, 20 years. But at this point we wouldn't be authorized to allow any collection of tolls on our parkways."

The COG study finds tolls could generate $2.75 billion annually for transportation.

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