Highlands Drivers Notice Higher Gas Prices As New Tax Goes Into Effect

Drivers in the Highlands noticed higher gasoline prices Monday as a new tax  went into effect to generate money for Interstate 81 improvements. 
The tax affects areas from  the Alleghany Highlands  through the Roanoke and New River Valleys and into farther southwest Virginia.
Prices will go up 7.6 cents a gallon, which is about a $1  more every time motorists fill up.
Overall, the tax will raise gasoline prices along the I-81 Corridor by 10 cents per gallon over two years. 
Next year, the state will add another 3.4 cents to the tax. 
In addition, in mid-2021, the tax on diesel fuel at the pump will rise 6.8 cents per gallon.
There also will be a 2.1 percent regional fuel tax that will be levied in 36 jurisdictions within five regional planning districts along the corridor. 
The tax is similar to the regional taxes approved in 2013 for Hampton Roads and Northern Virginia as part of a deal that has transformed Virginia’s transportation system.
Revenue for I-81 will go toward $2 billion in road improvements, including widening highway sections, lengthening access ramps and making curve improvements such as lighted signs.