Operators of website 422Corridor.com hope you'll answer the question.

KING OF PRUSSIA PA – 422Corridor.com, a website established in late May to help prompt discussion about the future of U.S. Route 422 between King of Prussia and Reading, has gotten plenty of comments over the prospect of imposing tolls to pay for upgrading the highway and transit options there. What it’s hoping for now is alternative solutions.

King of Prussia-based GVF Transportation, a non-profit organization operating the website, distributed an e-mail Monday afternoon (Aug. 10, 2009) that acknowledged public disgruntlement on the tolling issue, and then essentially asked: so, you got a better idea?

“We have seen a number of posts opposing tolling US 422, and speculating over the results of the tolling,” the e-mail read. “We want your input as how to address the funding needs of the corridor. We have provided a forum discussion ‘How should we fund the needed improvements‘ to address the issue. The US 422 Corridor Team encourages your participation in this discussion.”

The mentioned forum isn’t new; it opened June 24 (2009), but never received activity. That’s already changed. As proof that people respond to the contents of their in-boxes, six replies have been added to the forum since the e-mail went out less than 24 hours ago.

422 eastbound traffic snakes its way toward Oaks.

Proposals to charge drivers a fee to travel 422, as a means of raising money to pay for both needed improvements to the road and extending mass transit to supplement it, has been a hot-button topic with the public since it was floated by the Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission (DVRPC) earlier this year.

Messages on tolling left in different forums at 422Corridor.com, which was launched to support DVRPC recommendations, are overwhelmingly negative. Of 35 comments currently found in just one forum, titled “What are your thoughts on the US 422 Master Plan,” 19 different writers oppose and nine favor it; four writers, two in each camp, had multiple comments.

422Corridor.com so far has let forum discussions run their course, despite commenters’ opinions. No authors have publicly complained about comments being censored, altered, omitted, or removed. Website operators, however, obviously have their sights set on something more than bashing of DVRPC’s plans.

“We have heard your issues,” the Monday e-mail assured recipients, “now lets come up with some solutions. Please take a moment to provide your ideas to the planning team,” it asked.

Anonymous comments are not accepted. To be able to comment, authors must join 422Corridor.com as a member, in the same way they would join any social network like Twitter or Facebook. Becoming a member requires authors to supply only a verifiable e-mail address and desired password. No personal information need be supplied unless desired.

Related:

• Truckers Alerted On Highway Partnerships Bill
• In 422 Debate, Time A Hindrance And Help
• Notebook Worthy
• Growth, Planners Say, Is 422’s Growing Problem
• Tech Used To Draw For 422 Meetings
• Route 422 Toll Meetings Next Week
• 422 Repairs, Delays Start Tuesday
• 422 Proposal, Like Traffic, Creeps Ahead
• Got A Route 422 Idea? Time To Air It
• Train Service On The Front Burner Once More

Editor’s Note: Joe Zlomek, managing editor of The Sanatoga Post, joined 422Corridor.com as a member on June 25 (2009). He has not commented in any of its forum discussions.