Virginia DU: MacAuliffe just screwed up BIGTIME. Don't let him PRIVATIZE toll lanes

[blm]

Last edited Fri Nov 4, 2016, 02:13 PM - Edit history (4)

Every GOP governor is pushing Bush's P3 privatization schemes for nation's roadways. Bush hardwired P3s into DOT policy books in his first term.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/dr-gridlock/wp/2016/11/03/virginia-picks-new-partner-to-build-i-66-hot-lanes/

CINTRA/Ferrovial is a TOTALLY CORRUPT firm from Spain. Their roads are shoddy, their bridges collapse, and the company manages to use bankruptcies to avoid accountability.

NC's evil Gov McCrory signed a 50 year deal with CINTRA and the majority here have been railing against it.

Go after MacAuliffe on this - tell him it is a MISTAKE - CINTRA is setting up Virginia drivers to be GOUGED day in and day out.

RESEARCH CINTRA. Research Ferrovial.

They claim bankruptcy and taxpayers are left with the bill AND exorbitantly priced toll lanes.

http://www.wsj.com/articles/texas-toll-road-operator-files-for-bankruptcy-1456958991

http://www.wsj.com/articles/indiana-toll-road-operator-files-for-bankruptcy-1411395866

http://businesstodaync.com/cintras-parent-firm-built-canadian-bridge-which-failed/

[blm]

1. Bush's Toll Lane scheme for this country:

https://www.texasobserver.org/2883-the-wrong-of-way-texas-highways-for-lease/

The Wrong of Way
Texas highways for lease.

The administration of President George W. Bush had three major domestic goals: privatize Social Security, transfer federal work to private corporations, and shift the financing, construction, and operation of America’s busiest highways, including the high-traffic parts of the interstate system, from public freeways to privately operated toll roads.

The tolling of major parts of America’s road system is a fundamental shift from traditional U.S. policy of providing the best roads at the lowest cost to a market-based approach that seeks to maximize highway revenues. The resulting costs can be high. In northern Virginia, for instance, a private consortium led by an Australian company is now constructing toll lanes inside the public right-of-way and will charge commuters $1.54 per mile during rush hours. Similar projects are under way in 24 other states.

The two people responsible for implementing the Bush administration’s tolling policies are U.S. Secretary of Transportation Mary Peters and D.J. Gribbin, the department’s general counsel. Both worked for the Federal Highway Administration during Bush’s first term, and then both left to work for companies involved with tolling. Peters headed consulting at HDR Inc., a major engineering firm. Gribbin was the Washington lobbyist for Macquarie Holdings (USA) Inc., one of the world’s largest toll road operators.

Not surprisingly, George W. Bush’s home state of Texas, following the lead of states like Indiana, is a principal proving ground for his administration’s road privatization program.

In brief, the generic name for the U.S. Department of Transportation’s privatization program is Public-Private Partnerships. Most often, the arrangement allows a private company either to convert existing highways to toll roads or to plan, finance, build, and operate roads and bridges.
>>>>

[dixiegrrrrl]

4. "converting" existing hiways is stealing what the taxpayers built.

I am happy to report they tried a version of private toll roads down here, and most people boycotted the road, leaving the local politico's with egg on their faces.

[blm]

12. Exactly right.

.

[Wilms]

2. Not on your life, blm.

MacAuliffe is a Dem. So the case is closed.

[blm]

7. Dems make mistakes, too. This is serious. DOT is operating with BUSH policies that were HARDWIRED

into the policy books.

[alarimer]

3. Yes, it's bad whoever does it.

We can't accept shit from Democrats that we wouldn't accept from Republicans. That makes us hypocrites at minimum.

I hate this general trend towards privatizing government services, only enriching corporations at our expense.

[world wide wally]

5. The 9 most frightening words in the English language:

I'm from a corporation and I'm here to help

[blm]

14. boy, howdy…ain't that the truth

.

[FSogol]

6. 1. There are already privaitzed HOT lanes in VA.

2. Cintra didn't win the bid, it is a group called "I-66 Express Mobility Partners", which consists of the Cintra, Meridiam, Ferrovial and Allan Myers companies.

3. Should the State solicit bids for projects and then throw out ones they don't like? That group qualified, why exclude them?

4. I doubt you know much about I-66. It isn't possible to widen the road due to decades old agreements with the City of Arlington. The HOT lanes (which I hate) are part of a difficult compromise which is going to happen no matter who the Governor happens to be.

5. How exactly is McAuliffe involved? Seems like you are just bashing a successful Democratic Governor.

[blm]

8. I said MacAuliffe is making a MISTAKE, not bashing him. McCrory signed a deal with CINTRA/Ferrovial

and he is suffering major backlash from it.

Yeah - it's called I-77 Mobility Partners in NC, too.

[FSogol]

9. How is McAuliffe involved? The state solicits bids and accepted the low bid.

His mistake is you don't like one of the companies in the partnership group?

Transurban (the losing bidder runs the other HOT lanes in the state) got a sweetheart deal from Bob McDonnell. The Mobility Partner deal is better for the State than the McDonnell inflicted on us.

[blm]

10. Did you read the article - MacAuliffe announced the deal - HIS name will be on the deal just as

McCrory's is on the CINTRA deal in NC.

Read the links in OP to recent bankruptcies in Texas and Indiana.

And WTF you thinking after all these years that I am here to bash on Democrats?

[FSogol]

13. Yes, Governors have to sign off on big projects. n/t

[blm]

11. Read the links I added to the OP - there is no way CINTRA represented themselves honestly.

No way. The deal needs to be canceled.