To address the rising costs of private toll roads and protect commuters from unfair toll pricing, Indian American Congressman Suhas Subramanyam (D-VA-10) introduced the Affordable Commutes Act this week.

The legislation directs the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) to investigate the pricing practices of private toll operators and evaluate whether the federal government should purchase these roads and transfer ownership to states, said a statement from Rep. Subramanyam’s office, adding the goal is to bring down toll costs for everyday drivers.

“For too long, private toll road companies have operated with little to no oversight, leading to high fees that place a heavy burden on working families like my own and the ones I represent in Congress,” said Congressman Subramanyam. “My bill is a critical first step toward ensuring fair and transparent pricing. It puts commuters first by investigating potential price gouging and exploring solutions that would ultimately transfer control of these essential arteries from private companies to the public.”

The bill requires the DOT to examine possible price gouging and other unfair practices by toll road operators, with findings to be referred to the Department of Justice and the Federal Trade Commission (FTC). It also mandates a federal study to determine the feasibility and potential cost savings of “acquiring private toll roads and transferring them to state ownership.”

“The study will assess whether such a transfer would lower costs for drivers, outline the necessary framework to achieve it, and recommend other policies to reduce tolling expenses,” the statement added. The legislation, it emphasized, represents a significant step toward making daily commutes more affordable for millions of Americans.

The measure follows a recent ruling by the Virginia Supreme Court, which upheld legislation Subramanyam had advanced in the House of Delegates in 2021. That law granted the State Corporation Commission (SCC) greater authority to block toll hikes on the Dulles Greenway, a privately owned toll road in Loudoun County. In September 2024, the SCC used that authority to prevent a 40 percent toll increase that would have cost commuters an additional $1,100 annually.

While the state court’s ruling was hailed as a victory for Virginia commuters, the toll road’s operator, Toll Road Investors Partnership II (TRIP II), has since filed a separate complaint in federal court.

This week, Congressman Subramanyam also wrote to Virginia Attorney General Jason Miyares, urging that “the deployment of all necessary resources is required to defend the rule of law.”

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