On February 19, 2017 I sent Virginia Congressman, Rod Wittman a letter via
his government website. The topic of my letter was removal of the toll from the
George P. Coleman Bridge . (See letter below) As of the publishing of this
article; the only response I have received from Congressman Wittman is the
automatic reply email that is also shown below.
While I understand
Congressman Wittman is a busy man; I do not understand why I have not received
some sort of official reply from him or his staff. Maybe it is because there
are not enough people in Gloucester
and the rest of the Middle Peninsula who want the toll removed from the bridge.
If you find the toll on the Coleman Bridge unacceptable and want to see it removed sooner than later; take a few minutes
to call or write to Congressman Wittman and let him know how you feel. His
contact information can be found below.
13 News Now Reporter, Niko
Clemmons is interested in speaking with people about the toll on the bridge. Contact
him at nclemmons@wvec.com and on Facebook at Niko Clemmons
Let your voice be heard.
Kenny Hogge, Sr.
Helping To Drain The Swamp
Letter to Virginia Congressman Rob Wittman:
Hello Congressman Wittman,
I am contacting you because of my concerns about the toll on the George P. Coleman Bridge and how it has and continues to stifle growth in Gloucester County and other areas of the Middle Peninsula.
After considerable research and conversations with numerous people, I understand; when it came time to replace the bridge during the 90’s, there was a concerted effort, by the local governing bodies to our south and parties here in Gloucester, to prevent the federal government from becoming involved in the replacement process, to the extent that reinstating a toll on the bridge was the only option to cover replacement costs.
I further understand; our southern neighbors’ objectives of reinstating a toll were to stifle the unprecedented growth that occurred in localities north of the bridge when the toll was removed from the old bridge. I further understand; our southern neighbors supported reinstating a toll to stop people from moving from those areas to the Middle Peninsula . I further understand; there were certain influential persons in Gloucester who wanted growth stifled because they want Gloucester turned into a retirement community. I further understand; some players wanted growth stifled until such a time as they too would be able to profit from growth in Gloucester . I further understand; if the federal government had been included, in the same manner as it was in the replacement of two bridges in West Point , there would not have been a need to implement the toll.
When the Coleman Bridge replacement plan was presented to the residents of Gloucester , they were left with the impression that the toll would be required for 20 to 25 years. A year or so ago we were informed the toll will remain for another 20 to 25 years. Within the last few months Gloucester Supervisor, Phillip Bazzani has made efforts to have the toll restructured to relieve some of the financial burden the toll primarily places on Gloucester residents. I appreciate Mr. Bazzani’s efforts, but feel traveling the path through the Commonwealth process will result in minimal to no relief.
Whether or not my understandings of how the toll came about are correct or not is basically dependent on whose version of the story one chooses to believe. There is one thing everyone seems to agree on; the swing span portion of the bridge is necessary only because of the Navy ships that navigate the York River .
I am wondering what the possibility would be of moving legislation through Congress, in which the Navy pays off any outstanding debt and assumes permanent financial responsibility of at least, the costs of operations, maintenance and replacement of the span portions of the bridge; or better yet, of the entire bridge.
If such a shift in financial responsibility occurs, there will no longer be any justification for the toll that has stifled growth in a large portion of the Middle Peninsula . It will also relieve the residents of Gloucester County and other affected localities of an unnecessary tax and restriction on travel.
Thank you for the good job you have been doing and for your time.
Respectfully,
Kenny Hogge, Sr.
Automatic reply from Virginia
Congressman Rob Wittman:
Message body
Dear Friend,
Thank you for contacting me. I am eager to answer your questions and to assist you in any way I can. If you need urgent and immediate assistance with a federal agency, please call my Washington office at (202) 225-4261. You can also call my offices in Stafford (540-659-2734), Tappahannock (804-443-0668), or Mechanicsville (804-730-6595).
Your thoughts and ideas are incredibly important to me as I represent you in Congress. Please be assured that you will receive a response soon. Feel free to print this email for your records.
In the meantime, I hope you’ll consider signing up for my enewsletter, which I use to keep folks up to date on my activities here in Washington and across the First Congressional District of Virginia. You can also stay engaged with me via Facebook and Twitter, where I post videos, answer questions, provide updates, and interact with constituents on the issues important to you.
In addition, my office is able to provide a number of other services to First District residents. A list of these services can be found here. Whether you need help with a federal agency, are interested in finding tickets to various tourist attractions in Washington, or are considering applying to a service academy, I am eager to serve you.
Thank you again for emailing me. I am committed to serving you to the best of my abilities.
Sincerely,
Rob Wittman
Message body
|