Published: July 30, 2009 08:47 pm      

Legislators: Toll protest on track

BLUEFIELD — Within about 24 hours, at least two southern West Virginia legislators plan to exercise their First Amendment rights of free speech by conducting a protest of a long-debated toll increase on the West Virginia Turnpike. After midnight tonight, the tolls will jump from $1.25 to $2 per toll booth for cars and from $4.25 to $6.75 per booth for big trucks.

State Delegate Clif Moore, D-McDowell, said that he still plans to “stand in front of the toll booth until the State Police come to move us.” Moore said that he intends to conduct the toll hike protest at 8 a.m., on Saturday at the southernmost toll booth on I-77 near Ghent.

“They’ll have to do something,” Moore said. “This is not a political thing. It’s a matter of right and wrong. They’re wrong and we’re right.”

Delegate John H. Shott, R-Mercer, said that he intends to demonstrate his support for Moore on Saturday morning. “I’m not going to encourage anyone to break the law, but we do plan to exercise our first amendment rights,” Shott said. He said the protest will take place, “between the Ghent Exit and the toll booth,” and said the protest is a bipartisan effort.

“We took an oath to uphold the law, and we will,” Shott said. “When people have concerns, I think they need to show their concerns.” Shott said he does not want to create a safety issue, but said “we can’t let something like this go without comment,” he said.

Lt. Larry Bailes of the West Virginia State Police Turnpike Detachment said the detachment has “an action plan in place” to address the toll increase protest, and added that troopers will take all appropriate measures to ensure the safety of the traveling public.

“People who live in this area may know what’s taking place on Saturday morning, but all of the people traveling on the turnpike won’t know,” Bailes said.

“Safety and the operations of the toll booth are our concerns.”

He said that the State Police will have troopers stationed at the various cross-overs on the turnpike to prevent people from making unauthorized turns on the highway. He added that the detachment even has a plan for working with the media. “We’re going to try to accommodate everybody,” he said.

Bailes said that it was good that the detachment has time to develop a plan, but said: “We cannot predict the unpredictable.”

– Contact Bill Archer at barcher@bdtonline.com