Company pays toll relief for those stuck in big Va. traffic jam

By The Associated Press
October 10, 2018 | 5:11 AM

NORFOLK, Va. (AP) — A construction company is reimbursing tolls for drivers after one of its trucks caused a 17-hour traffic jam in Virginia.

The Virginian-Pilot reported Tuesday that more than 3,000 drivers have gotten $44,000 so far. Those drivers paid to cross the 17-mile Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel that connects Virginia Beach with the Eastern Shore.

The toll-relief fund is being paid for by Chesapeake Tunnel Joint Venture, which is constructing a new parallel tunnel.

Last week, one of its trucks was carrying an 11-ton piece of equipment when it struck the current tunnel’s ceiling.

A one-way trip across the bridge-tunnel can cost $13 for passenger cars if they’re not frequent users.

Joint Venture’s project executive, John Hellman, said that toll relief was “the right thing to do.”

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Information from: The Virginian-Pilot, http://pilotonline.com

A golf course for ‘the people’ faces a presidential makeover

By The Associated Press
September 5, 2026 | 7:18 AM

WASHINGTON (AP) — A pack of cyclists whisked by along the circuit at East Potomac Park while the golf course parking lot filled with luxury SUVs parked next to older, inexpensive economy cars, all with the Washington Monument in the background. The scene highlighted what residents say are the park's best features: its accessibility and affordability right in the nation's capital. The historic park, especially the golf course, has caught the eye of President Donald Trump, who wants to turn it into a world-class golf venue. It's part of his grand vision for Washington, D.C., where he has torn down storied structures, remade or renamed others and deployed the National Guard for more than a year. But some residents fear the planned changes to the golf course — where Trump has visited with a cabinet member, a well-known golf course architect and blueprints — risk altering the character of a place that has served Washingtonians of many stripes for more than a century. Turning the park into an upscale golf course will mean costlier fees and a loss of public space, residents worry.

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