Texas Monthly, Paul Burka: "We are headed for the worst public fiasco in my lifetime"

His Way or the Highway

Now that Rick Perry has won another term, his transportation plan moves on down the road. What kind of a toll will it take on Texas?

December 2006
by Paul Burka, Senior Executive Editor
Texas Monthly Magazine

Every day I can look out the window of my office in downtown Austin and watch traffic creep along Interstate 35, half a mile away. The time of day doesn’t seem to matter, nor does the weather: morning or evening, wet or dry, the snarl persists. Part of this is due to the unwieldy design of the downtown exit and entrance ramps, but the main reason is the volume of traffic, much of it commercial. I dread the drive to Dallas, which I last made on the Friday afternoon before the Texas-Oklahoma football game – surely the worst day of the year for such a trip. It took me forty minutes to negotiate the eighteen miles from downtown to the suburb of Round Rock, and much of that time was spent idling in a canyon of eighteen-wheelers.

The announcement several years ago that the Texas Department of Transportation - TxDOT, as it’s widely known – would build a toll bypass known as Texas 130 east of Austin was cause for celebration. Texas 130 was particularly welcomed by community leaders in the fast-growing town of Pflugerville, which abuts Austin to the northeast. The annexation, years earlier, by Austin of a strip of land along I-35 had kept Pflugerville from reaping the taxes generated by the high-dollar commercial property along the freeway frontage. Now, with the completion of another brand-new toll road, Texas 45, which will tie into the bypass, Pflugerville could lookforward to development along the flanks of the new highway, which would relieve homeowners from bearing the principal responsibility of paying for city services. But when TxDOT announced the design of Texas 45, it has no Pflugerville exit and no frontage road, and that made the adjacent property unattractive for development. What was the reason for this oversight? It was no oversight, according to state senator-elect Kirk Watson, who, as mayor of Austin, had served on the board of the federally mandated regional mobility planning organization for the Austin area. “TxDOT,” he says, “wanted to maximize its toll revenue.”

A single nonexistent exit on a single yet-to-be-completed highway is of little consequence in the big picture of transportation policy in Texas. And yet the missing Pflugerville exit is emblematic of why so many Texans are upset about that policy and why it became an issue in the governor’s race: The importance of roads is not merely to make sure that you and I can get from point A to point B rapidly and safely. Roads create wealth. They multiply property values. They bring economic development. They improve the quality of life. Bust as Texas turns more and more to toll roads, critics of TxDOT fear that the tail is wagging the dog, that the funding mechanism has become an end in itself, and that a mammoth stage agency has lost sight of its duty to serve the public and instead serves its own ends.

This is not going to be a screed against toll roads or against Rick Perry’s multi-highway Trans-Texas Corridor plan, through the opponents have made some legitimate points. Existing highways built with tax dollars ought not to be converted to toll roads; this is double taxation. Commuters should not be forced to tithe for the privilege of using a freeway overpass, as TxDOT wanted to do on another Austin expressway – conjuring up the memory of Ludwig of Bavaria, who built his medieval castle on an island in the Rhine, the better to extract tolls from passing boatmen. Yet toll roads are an essential part of our transportation future. The current revenue stream, which depends on a twenty-cents-a-gallon tax on gasoline, one fourth of which goes to education, is not enough to meet the state’s needs. Without toll roads, gridlock will continue to strangle Texas cities.

All of the rhetoric over whether to toll or not to toll has obscured a much bigger issue, which is privatization of transportation. TxDOT’s plan for toll roads is to surrender public control of these roads by entering into “comprehensive development agreements” (known as CDAs) with private companies, such as the partnership between Cintra, a Spanish company, and Zachry construction in San Antonio, which is building the first link in the Trans-Texas Corridor, an alternative to Interstate 35 known as TTC-35. Cintra-Zachry paid $1 billion to TxDOT for the right to collect tolls for the next fifty years. I’m not going to make a xenophobic argument, as Carole Keeton Strayhorn did in her gubernatorial campaign, that this is a land grab by foreign companies. It doesn’t really matter whether the company operating the toll road is American or European or Qatari. What matters is whether the arrangement protects the public interest. Here is what John Carona, a Republican state senator from Dallas who is the new chairman of the Senate committee that deals with transportation, has to say on the subject: “Within thirty years’ time, under existing comprehensive development agreements, we’ ll bring free roads in this state to a condition of ruin.”

It may seem as if the system of granting a concession to private companies in return for money, like restaurants at an airport, is a great idea – “free money” that TxDOT can use to build other toll roads, enter into still more concession agreements, and build still more toll roads, as if the agency had succeeded in creating a perpetual- motion machine to finance roads in perpetuity. But alas, there is no free money, and there is no perpetual-motion machine. The private companies that will build and operate the toll roads are in business to make a profit. In order to ensure that profit, they must have people who want to drive on their roads. And – here’s the rub – in order to be sure that people will want to drive on their roads, the CDAs with TxDOT will contain non-compete clauses that prohibit to TxDOT from building new roads or upgrading existing highways. Any improvement to an existing highway that is not already planned at the time TxDOT enters into the contract is prohibited. That billion-dollar concession limits TxDOT’s ability to improve nearby secondary roads. How about adding extra lanes? Sorry, prohibited by the CDA. An HOV express lane? Not a chance. This is why Carona says that free roads will be reduced to ruin. TxDOT will no longer be able to respond to the transportation needs of the state, other than to say: If you don’t like the traffic, use the toll road.

Oh, I almost forgot. About that free money. It may be free for TxDOT, but it isn’t free for you and me. The billion dollars represents the present value of future toll revenue. TxDOT finds it attractive for the same reason that buyers of lottery tickets ask for the “cash option.” They want their money up front – so they can use it now, so that it won’t be eaten up by inflation – rather than have it dribble in over twenty years (or fifty). Meanwhile, the private toll road operator wants to get that billion dollars back. And the way the company will get it is by raising its tolls over fifty years, largely unrestrained by the public sector. Tolls will be market based – that is whatever the traffic will bear. In effect, TxDOT’s free money amounts to a tax on our children and grandchildren.

Concession agreements are not the only way to build toll roads, just the most expensive one. (Carona likens it to “renting to own.”) In fact, toll road authorities have functioned in Houston and Dallas for years by using the conventional method of building the roads: issuing revenue bonds that will be paid off with toll revenues over a period of twenty to thirty years. When major league baseball first came to Arlington in the seventies, I drove to games from Dallas on the Dallas-Fort Worth Turnpike. In twenty years (1957-1977) the bonds were paid off and the turnpike became a free road, Interstate 30. It remains free today. The Dallas North Tollway followed a similar pattern, except that when the original section, from downtown to Interstate 635, was paid off, tolls continued to be collected so that the tollway could be extended farther north. The Harris County Toll Road Authority has built 101 miles of toll roads, including a section of the Sam Houston for which I gladly pay $1.25 four times in order to drive to my hometown of Galveston without having to contend with Houston traffic. This method of financing is, in the long run, far cheaper for the public than concessions and higher tolls. In the past, TxDOT cooperated with these local authorities – for instance, by making right-of-way available – but since Rick Perry has been governor, a much more aggressive department seems to regard the local toll agencies as competitors. The North Texas Tollway Authority wanted to build Texas 121, for example, but TxDOT stepped in and forced the NTTA to cede control of the project, thereby allowing TxDOT to do another concession agreement. The NTTA will be allowed to collect the tolls, but that is all.

How did we get to this point, and what can we do about it? For years, state budget writers have been dipping into the pot of money that is earmarked for highways to fund the Department of Public Safety, on the theory that state troopers are responsible for highway safety. This poly diverted $700 million from road building in the current biennial budget. At the same time, lawmakers have refused to raise the gasoline tax since 1991. In a Republican era, any kind of tax increase isunthinkable, even if its purpose is to further the case of free roads. TxDOT played politics too, putting more projects on its approved list for future construction than it could afford; now it uses the length of the wish list to win the support of local transportation planning organizations for toll roads, warning communities like Austin and El Paso that their only other option is to wait 25 years for free projects.

The final step was that the 2003 legislative session, when Republicans controlled all the levers of power – House, Senate, governor – for the first time. Major bills were rushed through the Legislature with little debate or discussion. One of these was the omnibus transportation bill that authorized concessions and other mammoth changes in the way we build highways. Few lawmakers knew what was in the bill. The Senate gave it only cursory inspection. The result was a scheme in which TxDOT will be taking in billions of dollars from the private sector with no oversight by the Legislature, no responsibility to say how that money will be used, and no assurance for the public that free roads, as well as toll roads, will benefit from that money. Governor Perry has strongly supported transparency, accountability, and oversight in public education. He could do the state and the public a great service by insisting on the same standards for highways. Otherwise, we are headed for the worst public fiasco in my lifetime.

East Cesar Chavez Neighborhood Planning Team Resolution Opposing Toll Fees on US 183 and HWY 71

RESOLUTION OPPOSING TOLL FEES ON US 183 AND E. HWY 71

WHEREAS, the East Cesar Chavez Neighborhood Planning Team has adopted a Neighborhood Plan to address historical neglect and economic disparity in sharing public resources and delivering services by governmental entities at all levels and by the public sector at the local level; and

WHEREAS, the proposed Central Texas Toll Road Plan has scheduled for East Austin a dis-proportional share of road miles than any other sector in Austin; and

WHEREAS, the East Cesar Chavez Neighborhood is home to many very low-income families and the medium family income was just $18,724 at the time we adopted our Neighborhood Plan in 1999 and knowing that for poor families transportation is the second highest household expense after housing; and

WHEREAS, the East Cesar Chavez Neighborhood Planning Team is concerned about any fees that impact family income or our neighborhood businesses and we discussed and reviewed the plan to begin charging toll fees to travel on the southeastern portion of US 183 and E. HWY 71 at our August and September 2006 meetings; and

WHEREAS, the Team has a responsibility to represent the interests of our residents and small businesses and to speak out whenever an issue presents itself affecting affordability, access to jobs and the airport, and trading goods and services with our area businesses; NOW THEREFORE,

BE IT RESOLVED BY THE EAST CESAR CHAVEZ NEIGHBORHOOD PLANNING TEAM:

That the East Cesar Chavez Neighborhood Planning Team does not necessarily oppose the concept of “users pay for new roads,” but we request the Capital Area Metropolitan Planning Organization and the Central Texas Regional Mobility Authority rescind its’ prior decisions to charge tolls on the existing southeastern portion of US 183 and East HWY 71 which have already been built, improved, and paid for by taxing our residents and businesses.

ADOPTED: October 18, 2006 BY: The East Cesar Chavez Neighborhood Planning Team

ATTEST: __________________________________________ Joseph A. Martinez, Chairperson

My comment speech at the Mobility Alternative Finance Study Steering Committee today.

To illustrate how much the committee wanted to hear from the public, there were NO mics for any of the public speakers. Many great speeches were made today, including representatives from Central Texas groups such as PODER, Fix290, Texans against Tolls and more. Here is mine. I was able to cover about 75% of it with my 3 minutes.

This 'Independent Study' study (Mobility Alternative Finance Study Steering Committee) was unanimously approved by the Austin City Council in early 2005. A March 3, 2005 city resolution promised "the study is not to be delayed". That was 20 months ago.

People for Efficient Transportation pushed for and publicly supported the idea of Brewster McCracken’s independent study, until it was hijacked last year.

The public was promised that:
• ALL the meetings would be televised
• A citizens committee would steer the study
• The community could have full opportunity to speak at every meeting.

None of these promises came to be.

• This process was NOT open, secret meetings have taken place between TxDOT, CRA and CTRMA.
• No meetings were televised
• Those who voted to toll roads we’ve already paid for were placed on what was supposed to be the citizens steering committee.

The tollers who hijacked the study allowed the tolling authority, the CTRMA - the one who proposed the Phase II toll plan, to hire URS, a contractor with a long history of inflated projections.

More on the inflated projections in a moment.

The Phase II toll plan is so unsound and experimental that it depends on the theft of our public highways. Did your study cover that simple principle?

Traditional toll roads have been brand new roads utilized as a means of raising money to pay for the whole new road. In Austin, the absurd plan calls for tolling existing highways. This includes expressways we’ve already paid for. Phase II expresslanes for 183 & 71 are 100% funded and can be easily be opened as free roads. Oak Hill at the “Y” has $76 million of our tax dollars allocated to it.

TxDot will have have an financial incentive to NOT fix the congestion of the frontage roads, as drivers will be forced onto the freeway toll road.

The freeway toll revenue can easily equal thousands of dollars a year that the average family in Austin just can’t afford to pay. There is no economic impact study, just a bunch of self serving special interests looking to steal our freeways.

These freeway tolls also create more unaccountable taxation. The bureaucratic freeway tolling authority, CTRMA has been found to give out no bid contracts to themselves and their friends.

And we are now finding out that our transportation bond dollars that were promised to be used on our roads and freeways are being diverted to toll projects.

Back to the inflated URS projections.

URS, was hired to do the numbers for this study and has one of the most disturbing records of inflating traffic forecasts, in the industry.

URS has produced inaccurate forecasts for nearly a half-dozen toll road projects in Florida. In some cases, the roads drew only half the cars. URS predicted that the Suncoast Parkway would take in $70 million in tolls in its first year of operation, and it produced only $7 million - a tenth of the projection.

Forbes, in 9/3/01, said this about URS:

"It has become painfully clear to bondholders and politicians that many of the public toll-supported projects built in the past decade, the majority blessed by URS and its ilk, have become financial albatrosses."

Standard and Poor's bond analysts, after reviewing forecasting case studies for years, have concluded

"Optimism bias remains a consistent feature of toll road traffic forecasting."

Can we agree that one of the worst boondoggles in Texas history was the Camino Colombia toll road? It was promised to be a 'generator of regional economic activity'.

URS forecasted the traffic revenue for Camino Colombia at $9 million for the first year - it produced $500k. That is about 6% of the URS forecast!

Let me simplify it. Garbage in, garbage out.

You can do all the Indepenendt Studies you want, but the simple fact is tolling roads we’ve already paid for is highway robbery. it’s wrong, and we won’t stand for it.

Read more HERE.

From Rick Skiers

The new Toll Road HWY 121 Project that is up around the Dallas area is up and running. Our Gov. Perry had delayed the tolls till after the election. Come this Friday , the toll is beginning. One small problem, there are no toll booths only cameras . As you drive through TxDot takes your picture of your license plate and sends you a bill each month. One problem is that if you have out of state license ,Texas does not have a agreement with any other state to find out who you are so they can send you a bill. TxDot has said out of state drivers cannot legally drive on the toll road. Cities along the toll road can have there police pull over out of state drivers and ticket them. Some cities will not do this and have told TxDot.

Typical TXDOT.clueless..................

THis was on KRLD 1080 this morning

Rick

A familiar newcomer for CAMPO

A familiar newcomer for CAMPO

By Ben Wear

Austin American-Statesman

Monday, January 16, 2006

BEN WEAR: GETTING THERE

Monday, January 16, 2006

In case you missed it, former Austin Mayor Kirk Watson was elected to the Texas Senate a couple of weeks ago.

Well, not exactly. That's actually when the filing period for the 2006 election ended. Watson drew no Democratic primary challenger, and no Republicans are running. He will have an opponent in November, Libertarian Rock Howard. But a Libertarian last won a Texas legislative spot in . . . well, never, actually.

So, it's Sen. Kirk Watson, D-Austin, come next January. The transportation connection to this is that Watson will succeed Gonzalo Barrientos, also a Democrat, who has been chairman of the Capital Area Metropolitan Planning Organization board for two decades.

I used to describe this board as "little-known" or "obscure." Then, in July 2004, the group of 23 legislators, city council members and county commissioners authorized charging tolls on everything but the drive-through at Wendy's and was obscure no more. So it matters who runs it. And who serves on it.

Which brings up a longstanding question: Should legislators even serve on the CAMPO board? Around the state, on the boards of the seven other such planning organizations in metro areas, they generally don't. Five (including Houston and Dallas-Fort Worth) have no legislators, San Antonio has one legislator among its 19 members, and El Paso has six lawmakers on its 25-member board.

CAMPO, on the other hand, has 10 legislators, or 43 percent. Anti-toll folks began to grumble about the surfeit of legislators last year mostly because one of them, state Rep. Mike Krusee, R-Williamson County, wrote the 2003 state law that made the toll plan possible. Krusee then orchestrated the 16-7 vote in favor of tolls.

The logic breaks down a little, however, when you look at that vote. Five of the seven no votes were legislators. Take away all 10 of them, and the vote was still 11-2 in favor of the toll plan.

This argument predates tolls. In a consultant's study of CAMPO five years ago, the authors noted that in their interviews with sitting board members and civic leaders, some said having all these legislators was "undesirable. However, it was not easy for us to get to the root cause of these impressions."

Basically, the argument is that council members and commissioners hear from the public all the time and thus should decide which roads to build. Maybe so. But the legislators are the ones governing the state budget, and that's where the big money is for transportation. Whatever. At this point, there's no momentum for kicking them off.

Which brings us back to the senator-to-be. Watson, who served on CAMPO for four years as mayor, didn't want to participate in speculation about taking possession of Barrientos' CAMPO gavel, calling "that kind of determination premature." But as mayor, Watson was aggressive in rounding up local money to persuade the state to build more roads here, so count on his being more than a dabbler in transportation.

"As state senator," Watson said, "I look forward to being in the big middle of it."

Kirk Watson's Transportation speech

Kirk Watson's Transportation speech to Opportunity Austin group
October 20, 2006

I'm looking forward to being back in public office, although we have many challenges to overcome, big issues to tackle, problems to fix. It's kind of hard to admit it, but that's probably one of the reasons I'm looking forward to this. I'm just goofy enough to want to be in the middle of the scramble as we, as a region, try to cover the distance that separates us from where we want to go.

Today, I've been asked to focus on one of the dangerous, ugly, hair-pin turns on our course – transportation. How goofy do you have to be to want to have anything to do with transportation, other than to get in a fast car and speed away from it? The problem is that no matter how fast the car is supposed to be, you're probably going to get stuck and not move.

The problems – of mobility and traffic congestion, inadequate policy, and ugly politics – also never seem to move. You all know the pain and frustration you feel when you're stuck sitting there, gridlocked in that dysfunction. Things start to move, and you feel that rush of hope for a solution, only to have to stop again.

Without question, traffic and mobility problems are going to hurt our economy and choke off the jobs we're trying so hard to create.

But more than that, mobility problems hurt our freedom. People are telling us what they want. It may not be through a vote at a ballot box, but it's a vote with their car. People want the freedom to drive, including driving alone.

They want the freedom to spend time with their families, whether it's getting home to enjoy supper together and then get down to a homework assignment, or to get to their kid's flag football game.

Our neighbors and co-workers want the freedom to get out and run a few errands at lunch time, to be able to go to an event at school in the middle of the day, or to not leave an anxious child waiting at day care because they can't get there on time.

Our partners in this excellent economy want the freedom to live in a part of this region they love – be it rural, semi-rural, small town or suburban – and still get to their jobs.

Such freedoms are lost when there aren't adequate transportation options. Our lives and quality of life are diminished.

People like to think Austin is weird, in roadways and other ways. But our problem is far from unique, even for Texas. Basically, it's a supply-and-demand issue gummed up, in part, by a bizarre coalition of some who seem to hate cars, roads, and suburbs with equal passion, and others who are so anti-tax that they freeze transportation money at 1991 levels while siphoning it off to pay for the state's other bills, all the while congratulating themselves even as the infrastructure deteriorates around them.

And far too few seem to do the hardest work — planning for the development that roads create — even though it could save precious money, not to mention time, and opportunity, and pleasure, and choice, and freedom.

Most of us are just tired and want a solution. There's only one I can see that will serve us and the people who will follow us.

Central Texas needs a comprehensive regional transportation plan that includes new roads, toll roads, rapid bus service, other effective modes of public transportation, and passenger rail.

Austin, Travis County, and all of Central Texas need a full and complete box of tools. And, we need to use every tool in that box.

But each and all of these tools must simultaneously protect and enhance our region's prosperity, treat commuters as valued constituents, and avoid lose-lose battles, reminiscent of Austin City Hall in the early and mid-1990s, where everybody – or nearly everybody – feels like they lost something.

While I think the right path is a comprehensive regional transportation plan, and would prefer to be talking about that today, we've been diverted for the past couple of years by the so-called debate about toll roads. So, if it will get us moving again, let's talk about toll roads.

To start, any toll road system must begin not with answers, but with hard questions.

What options do we have for funding the roads we want, and how fair are those alternatives to all of our citizens? How do the alternatives truly and honestly compare one tool with another? How do we ensure that our transportation system will serve its users and not simply treat them as a resource to be exploited – toll payers to be harvested? How do we create enough transparency that drivers will know their money, wherever it comes from, isn't simply filling a slush fund for road builders? How do we hold our transportation planners accountable?

I believe that answers to these questions, along with a number of traffic and financial details that remain in doubt, should be answered in a very public way. We cannot move forward without this fundamental transparency and accountability. Better late than never.

I believe such basic values could create a tool that the public could embrace. Sadly, our community has gone backward in the past couple of years. Central Texas became caught in the crossfire between some who act as though toll roads are the only possible answer to everything, and others who consider them diabolical.

We can't afford what's happening, which is a contrived war between the "toll army" and the "no-toll army". These two fight each other without even clear objectives anymore, refusing to hear each other, hunkering down into bunkers they built with inadequate figures and empty slogans, and engaging in winner-take-all politics, even though no one can really win anything and the biggest losers will be the hundreds of thousands of drivers who deserve real policy and real solutions.

Now I need to emphasize here that, for all of our troubles over the last couple of years, I don't want to lose the progress that has been made toward long-term transportation solutions in Central Texas. And for all the trouble it's caused, I'm not looking to blow up the current toll plan, necessarily. I respect the plan's authors, and I truly believe they want what's best for Central Texas.

But I also believe those who support a mechanism such as toll roads have an obligation to assure it will work.

In my view, and the view of a large segment of our constituents, toll road supporters have yet to demonstrate that their plan does more to help the region than to tax it. The very people who advocate for toll roads would not stand for it if local officials announced they were going to issue bonds and dramatically raise taxes, but would not say how much money they expected to raise, or what projects would be funded, or where those projects would be located, or when the money would be spent, or even what the tax rate would be. And yet, still, these same advocates don't understand the outrage people feel over this new tax and the lack of clear accountability for the money it raises.

Even now, amazingly, I hear some people talk about the current toll plan's "P.R. problem," as if the public would or should stop demanding a strategy, guiding principles, or basic accountability in exchange for better commercials with cute talking cars.

Yes, as people keep correctly saying, the toll plan was launched badly. But leaders frequently make their own luck, and I've come to believe that the launch was nothing more than a symptom of the failure to thoroughly evaluate, understand and debate the policy to begin with.

What we need now is not a new sales pitch. What we need, fundamentally, is a new beginning. We must seize this opportunity, even if it means walking away from any short-term gains, be they political or financial. If we can create something that will bring this region together and not rip it apart, it could create real prosperity and a better quality of life for generations of Central Texans.

How do we get back to where we need to be? And, where is that?

We need to get beyond politics and focus on policy. And – it bears repeating – that policy must be a comprehensive regional transportation plan that includes new roads, toll roads, public transportation such as rapid bus service, and passenger rail.

The policy also must assure transparency and accountability. Everyone should agree on that.

I will not support a toll plan unless there is complete financial transparency.

But that's just the start of the policy discussion that's long overdue in Central Texas. Here are a few steps we could take – or, in some cases, must take – to assure a transparent, accountable system of toll roads that will serve Central Texas drivers.

* Local officials should decide whether to keep tolling drivers once a road is paid off. If the community decides it needs that revenue to pay for new or different traffic and transportation solutions, whatever they may be, officials must be accountable when they vote on it and transparent in how they raise and spend the money. If the toll charged on one road would benefit the community by helping with another project, then that project should be specifically identified and the amount diverted to it clearly stated. And, since we need a comprehensive transportation plan, toll fees collected above and beyond the cost of building the toll road should be available to pay for other transportation tools as well as roads.

* Roads should be designed around the public's needs. Road planners should work with local officials to ensure that rights of way, entrance and exit ramps, and other design details will help the roads to serve Central Texas, and to guarantee that commuters, neighborhoods, and the entire region will achieve the fullest benefit possible. The toll roads should create truly lasting assets for the communities they run through. If a community wants to do things differently, even if it reduces profits, it deserves to be heard. No one has a monopoly on good policy.

* There should be an oversight group, made up of elected officials and accountable to the people, that reviews the revenues generated by toll roads. The information must be available to the public so people may easily determine how much money the tolls would raise, how much the roads would cost, how much the bond holders would be owed, and what other projects would benefit as new highways pay for themselves.

* Barring extraordinary circumstances, toll roads should not be sold to private or foreign corporations, but rather should be managed and owned by the taxpayers. Even under extraordinary circumstances, local officials should have to vote on whether to sell the assets, and the contract with any such corporation should be publicly disclosed.

* The agency that builds the roads and collects the tolls should have at least one elected official who can help ensure accountability and work with other transportation boards and groups. Right now, a group of political appointees decides when to build roads and how to collect tolls. These are good people. But, there's no good reason to not inject a little more democracy into the process. Accountability and elections have never scared Wall Street from financing schools and parks and libraries – even roads. You can and should trust elected leaders to build a toll road.

* Toll revenues should be used to pay back a city, a county, and the state for any gas taxes or other non-toll public money that went into a toll road. For example, if a city's taxpayers put up bond money to expand a road, and the state later decides to slap toll booths there, then the city should get it's money back and pay for other pressing needs or pay off debt.

* There must be an untolled option so that drivers who don't want to pay a toll have a choice and can use frontage roads or non-toll lanes. This way, new roads are financed only by the drivers who actually use them, not all taxpayers in the region. When done right, a toll is a more progressive "tax" that's entirely avoidable by people who can't afford it or simply don't want to pay and will plan around it. By contrast, a steep gas tax increase – one high enough to buy Central Texas out of its congestion – would have the greatest impact on working and middle-class families.

These policy objectives are a starting point. There surely are others. I think it would be a mistake to throw toll roads out of the toolbox purely because of frustration or suspicion, although I appreciate – and share – the frustration and suspicion that many people feel.

As I've said, we should view toll roads as, at best, just part of the real solution: a comprehensive, absolutely transparent transportation plan. These sorts of values will ensure Central Texans that this tool exists for their benefit.

My hope is that we will shift gears and focus on the policies and values that should be woven into any toll road system, even if it means re-drawing a map or two.

Then, and only then, can we start addressing the real problem. That’s not toll roads, folks. It’s traffic.

I didn't need to tell you that it's tough to get anywhere in this region. But, I do have to tell you it's going to get worse.

According to every reasonable demographic projection, there will be at least twice as many people in Central Texas in about 30 years as there are right now. It's extremely reasonable to expect, barring a dramatic shift that will get a whole lot of drivers out of their cars, there will be many thousands more cars and trucks on the road soon.

Where are those cars and trucks going to go?

Our existing highways are jammed, and we're running out of money to build new ones. The current pay-as-you-go system, which still clings to gas tax revenues, can't keep up with the demand for new road construction.

At the same time, road-building costs have skyrocketed – up 24 percent in 2005 alone.

And gas use will only decline as ever more people step into ever more hybrids and electric cars. We are falling further behind.

Forget 30 years from now. Heck, no need to be visionary here. Think 15 years from now. According to our state demographer, there will probably be – conservatively – another 498,000 people here. Ten years from now? 324,000 people. Five? 159,000 more people.

Folks, that's really only tomorrow. Even those of us who can't picture our grandkids can realize what we're facing if we bury our heads.

One way to process it is to consider that, in only five years, we're going to add the combined 2000 census populations of Round Rock ... Georgetown ... San Marcos ... Buda ... Bastrop ... Pflugerville ... and West Lake Hills. Another way to visualize our gridlock is to comprehend that, in a mere five years, we will have the equivalent of twice the number of people currently living in Round Rock – twice the number, two more Round Rocks – all jockeying with you, me, and the hundreds of thousands of other drivers who have stretched rush-hour into a nightmare that torments us for half the day.

Here's how I put it in a context that I can understand. When my sixth grader, Cooper, is a junior in high school, we'll have two more Round Rocks on our roads. By the time he's a junior in college, we'll have added another Williamson County!

As a region, we have to meet this challenge. We need to work to stabilize our situation and avoid further decline. And we have to do it the right way.

The fact is that there are currently more than 76 miles of toll roads under construction in Texas. Without tolling, these roads would have taken decades – literally decades – to complete. But with tolling, they will be completed in six years.

Take State Highway 130. This vital highway will cost 1 billion dollars to build. The Department of Transportation gets about 30 million dollars a year in gas taxes to build highways in Central Texas.

If they devoted every penny of that to 130 – ignoring every other transportation need in the region – it might, at the earliest, be finished sometime after Cooper turns 40, about the time DPS would be taking my driver's license away because I wouldn't be able to see.

More likely, the road simply wouldn't get built – which anybody familiar with the decades of talk about the MoKan Highway will tell you. The state would spend the money on something smaller, much less critical, but much more doable.

Instead, SH 130 will be a toll road. They broke ground in late 2003, when Cooper was in third grade. They'll finish it, all 49 miles of it, next year, when he's in seventh.

This is not a small benefit. This is the difference between prospering from our growth and choking on it. It's the difference between reduced freedom and greater enjoyment of our days and lives.

There's no such thing as a free road. There ain't no free lunch and there really ain't no freeway. We can't have an honest discussion about our future as long as people pretend that there is. Building roads costs money. Do we raise gas taxes? Do we raise property taxes? Do we raise some other piece of the sales tax?

And, let's be clear: those sources of tax dollars will have to be really raised – by a lot – to meet our needs. But, it shouldn't just be a contest, or an all-or-nothing decision, between gas taxes and tolls, property taxes and tolls, or sales taxes and tolls. Our rush to toss out tools based on our fears and prejudices is half the reason we’re in this mess to begin with.

So, we must at least consider having roads pay for their own construction costs, as we scrounge for potential tools to put into our toolbox.

It's not an option to simply hope things get miserable enough that people will get out of their cars. It seems responsible to look at a funding source that will get us some relief shortly after Cooper gets his driver's license, as opposed to waiting until he's well into his 40s.

But, first, let's all agree we have a problem. Let's seek out as many tools as we can for our comprehensive transportation plan. Let's look at everything. Let's tell warriors on all sides to put away their long memories and hard suspicions and take a fresh look at rail, rapid buses, bicycles, sidewalks, roads, and – yes – toll roads.

Numerous factors created this crisis, and solitary solutions won't solve it. As much as some of us might hate certain transportation options, we must look in good faith at the role they might play.

And, let's conduct the discussion looking for solutions. No one gets to simply be against something. If you oppose one of the tools, including a financing mechanism, be prepared to offer a solution. We can't afford, and don't have the time, to just be against things. We have to be for greater mobility and greater freedom. That requires more than criticism; it requires thought, consensus and work.

My hope is that no one will get into this intent on destroying a comprehensive plan because it has a component they just don't like. But, likewise, no one should devote themselves to saving any single part of it until that part works for the region, even if it means we miss out on the reward of the moment.

The issues at stake are far bigger even than the toll roads. I promise you, unfortunately, that sorting through them will be a tedious, contentious, and slow process.

But if we succeed – if Central Texas comes together around a shared and open vision of how future generations will live and travel – then we will have given an enormous gift to all of those who are here, and all of those who are coming.

Thank you all for all of your work and critical interest.

Beware of the True Cost of Toll Abuse

Beware of the True Cost of Toll Abuse

Sally Baptiste, November 17, 2006

Don’t be fooled by the political rhetoric that preaches the tolls are a “USER FEE”. This is the way the politicians will try to brainwash voters into supporting a state funded scam against the taxpayers.

Tell the money grubbing politician to be honest……a TOLL is a TAX! “Toll” is just another word for Tax. A tax is any money paid to a governmental agency for providing a service to the public. The public service SHOULD protect and promote the general welfare of the people.

Orlando, Florida - the toll road capitol of the world. It is nothing more than highway robbery. Here are some of the facts and true cost of TOLL ABUSE:

· Toll taxes increase the cost of living for EVERYONE. Anything that increases the cost of transportation increases the cost of living. It does not matter if you drive or you don’t drive. Your cost of living will increase. The notion of a “User Fee” is totally totally totally BOGUS!!!

· Toll taxes hurt small businesses. In Florida, it is not uncommon for a local landscaping company to pay $1,000 - $2,000 dollars per month in toll taxes.

· Toll taxes limit access to the expressway system to lower income motorists. Toll taxes are very regressive. Toll roads tend to be an elitists system that only the wealthy can afford to use.

· Toll taxes limit access to the most efficient highway system. This forces motorists onto the secondary roads and this creates unnecessary “stop & go” gridlock. The result is negative in several ways. 1) Increases air pollution, 2) Wastes fuel, 3) Increases travel time and 4) Increases road runoff that pollutes our water supply. Everyone in the community and our environment loses with Toll Abuse!

· Toll taxes divert money from the local economy. In Florida, it is not uncommon for a household to spend $100+ per month in toll taxes. This is $1200+ per year in additional taxes. In most cases, this money would have been spent in the local economy via dining out, movies, entertainment, and shopping. Thus, reducing sales taxes.

· Toll taxes are the most expensive way to raise transportation revenues. The collection cost of gas taxes is less than 1%. The collection cost of toll taxes can be between 10-40%. Electronic toll tax collection systems are very expensive. Check out the financial statements of the Orlando Orange County Expressway Authority if you have any doubt about the true cost of toll tax collections.

· Last but not least. Toll taxes allow elected officials to divert tax dollars to special interest groups that do not promote the general welfare of the taxpayers. This is just plain wrong. Public money should be used for public services. Politicians should not be allowed to give away our tax dollars to major campaign contributors.

· To see first hand the corruption and abuse of toll road authorities, just “Google” the “Orlando Orange County Expressway Authority”. They are the perfect example of Broken Government and how elected and unelected public servants abuse their authority and do not work in the best interest of the people.

Sincerely,
Sally Baptiste
Orange County, FL Citizen, Activist, Voter and Taxpayer

BEN WEAR: GETTING THERE

Turnpikes take toll on Krusee

Monday, November 20, 2006

The continuing political parlor game of "What price tolls?" took an interesting turn Nov. 7.

The Big Toller himself — Gov. Rick Perry — seemed to suffer little damage from what was a sustained battering on the issue, losing only three of the dozens of counties in the paths of the two proposed Trans-Texas Corridor routes. But voters in Texas House District 52 alongside the new Texas 45 North tollway put something of a scare into state Rep. Mike Krusee.

The Williamson County Republican is the chairman of the House Transportation Committee, stage-managed the birth of the controversial Phase 2 toll road plan in Austin and has been a blunt advocate for Perry's transportation plans.

His Democratic opponent, Karen Felthauser, made sure as many District 52 voters as possible knew about Krusee's fondness for tolls.

Her Web site and signs featured this slogan: "Schools yes! Tolls no!" And she told voters that Krusee was lying when he said the Trans-Texas Corridor highway through Central Texas will be Texas 130, which is partially open and should be complete by next year. Her point to the eastern part of District 52 in and around Taylor and Granger: the REAL Trans-Texas Corridor is yet to come and will take your land.

Actually, Krusee was telling the truth, although other elements of the Trans-Texas Corridor — rail, pipelines, electric lines — could end up requiring more land buys.

Now the punch line: Krusee, like Perry, won. But not by much.

In supposedly rock-ribbed Republican Williamson County, Krusee got just 49.7 percent of the vote, according to the unofficial final tally. Felthauser got 44.8 percent, and Libertarian Lillian Simmons got 5.4 percent. All in all, something well short of a rout. Krusee got almost 94 percent two years ago when Felthauser ran as a write-in.

And this after a campaign when Krusee (not counting costs in the final eight days, which won't be reported until January) spent almost $118,000 to Felthauser's $13,300.

Asked about this, Krusee said tolls mattered, but mostly because Felthauser was putting out falsehoods (in his view) that were largely unchallenged in the media.

But Krusee also maintains that he, like former GOP House member Jack Stick from northern Travis County in 2004 and Travis County Republican Ben Bentzin this year, was hurt by a district morphing from solid Republican to swing district. District 52 runs from Austin at the Travis County line, through Round Rock to Georgetown, and then covers the county's eastern half.

A look at a sampling of 20 precincts in District 52 shows that, yes, the Democrats, though still behind, are surging. But Krusee performed worse than other Republicans in those precincts, finishing about 2 percentage points behind GOP state Sen. Steve Ogden and almost 7 percentage points behind Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst.

I asked Krusee, who has shown an interest in higher education issues, whether he might be eyeing a different, less heated, committee to head up in the 2007 session. No, he said, if the House leadership gives the nod, he'll stay on Transportation.

He may or may not have that option in 2009.

TTC Alternatives

Alternatives

Use existing right of way instead of mass evictions of Texas families for foriegn controlled toll roads...

1999 state analysis calling for the expansion of IH 35 using existing rights of way will relieve congestion by improving transportation: http://www.dot.state.tx.us/mis/i35corr/i35corr.htm

Since June of 2001, the Ports to Plains feasibility study exists (again if you look carefully) approved on TxDoT’s own website at: http://www.dot.state.tx.us/publications/transportation_planning/portstoplains_execsumm.pdf

Tollway, turnpike fees on the rise

Tollway, turnpike fees on the rise

Some drivers to pay $1; increase steeper for cash customers

11:41 PM CST on Wednesday, November 15, 2006

By TONY HARTZEL / The Dallas Morning News

FORT WORTH – Driving on the Dallas North Tollway and the Bush Turnpike is going to cost more – enough to make some motorists fork over a dollar at each main toll plaza.

On Wednesday, the North Texas Tollway Authority formally approved raising the tolls on both roads, effective next September. Rates for TollTag users will increase a dime to 70 cents, and tolls for cash customers will go up a quarter to reach $1.

The board also approved a second, smaller rate increase that will take effect in 2010.

The tollway authority last raised its rates on the Dallas North Tollway in 1999 and on the Bush Turnpike in 2002. The agency's board of directors, faced with rising costs for planned projects and demand to build even more projects, had discussed toll increases for more than a year. In April, the board approved a policy calling for regular toll increases every five years, and that led to the toll increase approved Wednesday.

Also Online

Tell us: Is the approved toll hike too much?

"We have to increase rates to not only maintain what we've got, but also to build for the future," said board vice chairman Jack Miller.

Revenue from the increases could raise $2 billion for road projects in the next 35 years. Projects could include the Trinity Parkway near downtown Dallas and a State Highway 360 extension in southern Tarrant County.

"We've been asked to do more to address the congestion issue," said Allan Rutter, executive director of the tollway authority. "This will do so in a way that addresses the concerns of a lot of people in our own region."

The agency offered some good news for motorists who slog through the tollway construction zone near downtown Dallas. Higher rates at the main toll plaza there will not take effect until construction in the area ends in mid-2008.

In 2010, tolls at main plazas will rise again slightly, going to 75 cents for TollTag users at each main lane plaza on the Tollway and Bush Turnpike. Cash customers will continue to pay $1.

The new rates apply at the tollway's three main toll booths, which are at Wycliff Avenue near downtown Dallas; Keller Springs Road in Far North Dallas; and Parker Road in Plano. The increases also apply at the Bush Turnpike's five main toll plazas – in Irving, Carrollton, Far North Dallas, Plano and Richardson.

Rates also will rise on all ramp tollbooths next year and again in 2010. Those rates vary, but most will rise by a nickel. The increases do not affect tolls on the Addison Airport Toll Tunnel or the Mountain Creek Lake Toll Bridge, which will remain at 50 cents.

"It really adds up," said motorist Michael Lovelace, who uses a mixture of freeways and city streets to get to his job near the tollway-Bush Turnpike interchange. "They don't pay me enough already."

The premium for using cash on tollway authority roads also is rising.

Cash users now pay a 25 percent premium at main tollbooths. That premium will rise to 43 percent next year, and the tollway authority hopes the higher cost will entice more people to get TollTags. During peak commute times, about 80 percent of all transactions recorded are with TollTags.

The board also has pledged to raise tolls on a more consistent basis after 2010. Under the guidelines for increasing toll rates, tolls would rise about 10 percent every five years.

"This allows us to plan regionally and for our customers to know what to expect," said Paul Wageman, chairman of the tollway authority board.

The new toll rates will not affect the new State Highway 121 toll road in Collin and Denton counties, which is owned by the Texas Department of Transportation. Portions of the all-electronic toll road have opened in Denton County, and tolls will be collected on those sections starting Dec. 1. State and regional leaders have set toll rates slightly higher on that and other state-operated roads.

Some motorists said Wednesday that they were not happy to have to pay more on roads that already have a lot of traffic.

"Do we really benefit from all that?" asked Brandon Finnigan, who said he used to commute on the tollway from the Frisco area to his old job at a car dealership in Dallas. He now works in real estate, which also requires a lot of driving. "The roads are nice, but there is always going to be traffic on them."

Dallas Toll Increase Poll Results from Dallas News

Poll Results
Is the new toll increase too much?

Yes - Aren't we paying enough already?
93.88% 690 votes

No - It's consistent with inflation.
5.44% 40 votes

735 Total Votes

Here's what other people are saying:

November 15, 2006 06:35 p.m.

Where does the toll money go? If it is used to build other roads shouldn't they be built without tolls on them? They should use tolls to pay for the new road construction. Once paid for they should be removed.

November 15, 2006 06:35 p.m.

I would like evidence of where the money is going. The roads are expensive and crowded. The Dallas Tollway is slower than taking a side road during rush hour. The expense is not worth the benefit, yet every time a much-needed new road is put in, it has a toll attached to it. Don't we already pay taxes to pay for roads? Where does the money go that we pay for registration and inspection each year?

November 15, 2006 06:25 p.m.

This is totally unrealistic. I go through 3 tollbooths just to get to work.

November 15, 2006 06:24 p.m.

For that much money, they better be washing my car as I go through the boothe! Here's an idea, charge that much so long as traffic is flowing at posted speeds. As traffic jams up, the cost to drive also drops. Nothing like getting your money's worth!

November 15, 2006 06:16 p.m.

No longer will I automatically use the tollway, this or any increase is crazy!

November 15, 2006 05:51 p.m.

This is getting a bit out of control! The tollroads do not move at the critical times when everyone is trying to get where they need to go! The only advantage of the George Bush for me is it dumps me off near my house, rather than taking LBJ to Preston and North to my subdivision. 190 is already bogged completely down at 6:45am as I head to work and 6:00pm as I return home. Geez, Louise.

November 15, 2006 05:48 p.m.

On top of that we might have to start paying toll on 635 after it is rebuilt. What will it cost to drive on a section of 190 by the time 635 is finished? $1.50?

November 15, 2006 05:46 p.m.

Often times when I take the Dallas North Tollway, I end up sitting in traffic for a long time. Until that's improved, I don't see any reason why we should pay more. After all, aren't we paying to get to places faster??

November 15, 2006 05:38 p.m.

I don't mind paying more, but they really need to step up and collect from the freeloaders who cruise through without paying. It amazes me when I hear that somebody owes over $10,000. What took them so long to get their money?

November 15, 2006 05:37 p.m.

The most expensive toll road system in the country getting more expensive. Excellent.

November 15, 2006 05:30 p.m.

This is the nation's most profitable Tollway authority - it is literally printing money. Why in the world do they need to increase rates?

November 15, 2006 05:26 p.m.

$1 per toll is ridiculous! When is the southern portion of the tollway going to be paid for? We have been paying for that portion of the road for all of my life!

November 15, 2006 05:23 p.m.

The tolls were to pay for the roads, not support an immense bureaucracy or build other roads.

November 15, 2006 05:22 p.m.

Wasn't the original point of tollways to pay for the road? Yet they continue to charge the toll long after it's been paid and now will increase it.

November 15, 2006 05:20 p.m.

This is robbery in the first degree! When you get on the tollway, it is nothing but a traffic jam. There is nothing special about this tollway - no different from all the other highways. I thought tollways were designed to help you get to your destination faster than other highways.

November 15, 2006 05:19 p.m.

Dallas has lower rates than other states.

November 15, 2006 05:10 p.m.

I'm happy giving the company money to build roads faster.

November 15, 2006 05:08 p.m.

I have used it very frequently since the price changed for cash vs. toll users. I will stop using it all together if it goes to $1. I thought that it was paid for already, what happened to that!

November 15, 2006 05:06 p.m.

With the traffic that is already on these roads, the NTTA should have more than enough money to pave the road in gold. Maybe they are trying to reduce the amount of traffic that is on them. I guess it is time to find a new route!!

November 15, 2006 05:03 p.m.

But at least they increased the difference between the two toll amounts to further incent people to obtain a tolltag.

November 15, 2006 05:01 p.m.

Well I think the toll road would be paid off quicker but it probably will not (heck we are still paying for downtown to 635). If people in DFW saw how much others are paying in tolls around the country (Florida for instance) then they would truly appreciate how little we really pay.

November 15, 2006 05:01 p.m.

I guess somebody (as in us) has to pay for the landscaping and resurfacing of George Bush Tollway. They have produced a monopoly.......

November 15, 2006 05:00 p.m.

16.7% for tolltags and 33.3% for cash customers is not inflation, it's highway robbery.

November 15, 2006 05:00 p.m.

It is outrageous that we have toll roads in Texas period. I avoid all the tollways at all cost.

November 15, 2006 05:00 p.m.

The increase should be on the cash price and not on the tolltags. It it would make more people use tolltags.

November 15, 2006 04:55 p.m.

How can the fees be consistent with inflation? We're told that inflation has been 3% or so per year, but this is a 30% increase in tolls. The tollway has only been really functional for 3 years! This is being used as a revenue stream for building tollways in other areas and we are funding it. Talk about taxation without representation! We should cut off federal and state taxes for building these tollroads if they are going to be paid for by the drivers on the road via tollbooths. How can they justify collecting tolls AND using tax money? These aren't small amounts.

November 15, 2006 04:55 p.m.

It is just like the Post office. Lets do a rate hike and nickel and dime the people. It is just greed.

November 15, 2006 04:52 p.m.

What a coincidence...just after Rick Perry got re-elected! Congrats, Texas voters, I hope you like it when every freeway in Texas is toll. I guess someone has to pay for his corruption...

November 15, 2006 04:52 p.m.

It's ridiculous enough that we have to pay for roads, and now they are increasing the amount?

November 15, 2006 04:51 p.m.

It should be up to the public to vote for uping the rates.

November 15, 2006 04:50 p.m.

Yes but cars paying with cash should be even more

November 15, 2006 04:48 p.m.

We are now paying 10 cents a mile. This is ridiculous enough for an overcrowded highway. I'm ready to tackle the only slightly slower side streets

November 15, 2006 04:47 p.m.

I think .75 cents is too much. If they would go after the people that run the toll both and don't pay, then we might be able to be back at .25 cents!

November 15, 2006 04:47 p.m.

If the amount of traffic problems and delays would decrease then the rate hike would be alright, but the NTTA needs to make a "paying" road more traffic friendly.

November 15, 2006 04:46 p.m.

Not only is the price going up, the tolls are never going to go away...... at least in my lifetime.

November 15, 2006 04:46 p.m.

Way too much. I will be canceling my toll tag before the end of the year.

November 15, 2006 04:46 p.m.

I rarely use the tollway(s) anymore, why should I have to pay $1 just to use the road every once in a while. The constant users are the drivers who wear it out, not the occassional user.

November 15, 2006 04:46 p.m.

I am 62 years old and cannot afford to leave my house anymore it seems. I spend $100 a month of my social security on tolls. It seems like I get poorer and poorer each year

November 15, 2006 04:45 p.m.

I hope everyone quits using the tollroads and they have to turn them into goat sanctuaries.

November 15, 2006 04:44 p.m.

If anyone wants to go that far North, let them pay...

November 15, 2006 04:44 p.m.

When is enough? enough!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! The goverment just keeps taking and taking. We left england because of the gov. Maybe its time to kick out the politicans.

November 15, 2006 04:42 p.m.

Where does the money go?

November 15, 2006 04:40 p.m.

This is way too much. I will just have to find an alternative route. We are already paying way too much.

November 15, 2006 04:39 p.m.

That's what you get for living up north.

November 15, 2006 04:39 p.m.

It's ridiculous now! I can't believe that is even on the table. Pretty soon we'll have more toll roads than any other. I'm pretty stubbon about it now and only utilize the toll roads when absolutely necessary. If it goes up it will be even less!!

November 15, 2006 04:38 p.m.

The increase is NOT consistent with inflation. Inflation has been running at about 3% starting Reagan was president, and has been lower than that during the past six years. Furthermore, a much larger percentage of the tolls now are collected automatically and the cost of the technology used to collect the tolls also has been dropping significantly thereby reducing the cost of operating the toll roads. The increase in tolls simply is a rip-off! Alfred Riccomi

November 15, 2006 04:38 p.m.

These tollways already cost too much. They should never have been implemented as toll roads anyways. I can't believe someone would recommend raising the cost. Amazing!

November 15, 2006 04:32 p.m.

Yes, it is way to much. Gas going up and the roads we drive going up soon we will revert back to horse back. Call me stupid, but I was under the impression that the gas tax we pay each time we fill up is to build roads. If we are paying for the roads through tolls then give us back the gas tax.

November 15, 2006 04:32 p.m.

Good God, the tolls were too much before. Gas prices are high and tolls are going higher. What do they think, money grows on trees????

November 15, 2006 04:32 p.m.

If I am not mistaken, I thought the tollway was there till the construction of it was paid off, and now they want to raise it?!!

November 15, 2006 04:32 p.m.

congestion? maybe they could do a better job of punishing toll jumpers.

November 15, 2006 04:32 p.m.

That is ridiculous!! The cost of Everything is always rising.

November 15, 2006 04:31 p.m.

JEEZ! Enough with all the tolls in this town already! The roads have been paid for forever and we're still being charged so they can build roads elsewhere. That's ROBBERY!

November 15, 2006 04:31 p.m.

I'm tired of paying tolls, The state needs to manage their money better. We pay enough taxes already. I'm refusing to give anymore money to already the richest state in the union.

November 15, 2006 04:31 p.m.

Tolls were to be used to pay off the construction costs. Now they consider it a cash cow. I'm glad the DFW Turnpike (now I-30 and no longer a toll road) was built in the days of honesty and integrity.

November 15, 2006 04:30 p.m.

roads are paid for

November 15, 2006 04:29 p.m.

Everytime something good happens, such as gas prices dropping, someone has to jump in there and raise their price. It just seems that no matter what one does, you just can't get ahead. Someone out there please give us a break.

November 15, 2006 04:29 p.m.

I take the Tollway through two tollbooths every day to work it was my choice to live in Dallas and work in Plano. However, I have a problem paying for future projects. As I understand it, the section of the tollway I take every day is paid for. Let those that want the new road pay for it was the original concept for tollways. Under a model of making all users pay for current projects, aren't we just denying the fact that our state gas taxes and federal income taxes, which are supposed to cover road construction, are no longer sufficient?

November 15, 2006 04:28 p.m.

That's why I don't drive it!

November 15, 2006 04:28 p.m.

This rate increase is ridiculous.

November 15, 2006 04:28 p.m.

The percentage increase over existing tolls is ridiculously high

November 15, 2006 04:27 p.m.

Why the increase? There is already a big upswing in usage anyways, with all the increased traffic in Plano and especially Frisco. Why should I pay because some contractor went over budget?

November 15, 2006 04:27 p.m.

It is getting way to high when we have to pay a $1 or more to travel the tollroads!

November 15, 2006 04:26 p.m.

Seems fair to me - it's held steady for a while now.

November 15, 2006 04:25 p.m.

I thought that the original plan stated that their would be a toll for Dallas North and then at a said date the toll would either decrease or be abolished completely. Seems as though once again that local and state government is using this money to line their own pockets or for other non-revenue programs that have been formed that we cannot afford.

November 15, 2006 04:25 p.m.

thats too much guess i'll find a different route to and from work every day when ever the increase takes effect, it seems like their punishing you for not have a toll tag, not every one has a credit card or for that fact can even get one, what because we work or live far north dallas we can automatically afford the toll increase, think again busters.

November 15, 2006 04:25 p.m.

I dont understand how the rates continue to raise after the activity grows each day. The tollway was supposed to be free once it was paid for. What else are we paying for, because it is absolutely not the use of the North Texas Tollway.

November 15, 2006 04:24 p.m.

Yeah it's getting a bit out of hand. I'm up to almost 80 bucks a month in tolls already. I'll start finding alternate ways to go. Still will be stuck in traffic no matter if it's on the service roads or on the tollway... What's the difference?

November 15, 2006 04:22 p.m.

This is too much but Im not surprised to be honest. I thought it would have already happend by now though.

November 15, 2006 04:22 p.m.

I think they should suspend charging a toll down by cedar springs, I am getting stuck in traffic every night/morning due to the construction. If this continues I will start using Inwood and just bypass the tollway all together. I know they need to do improvements but it's really getting to be just a big pain in the rear and now they want to raise the rates. What a joke.....

November 15, 2006 04:21 p.m.

since this is the only area i have ever lived in i don't know what the going rate is, but that is going to add about $3 to my daily commute expenses. my wages are not going up that much...

November 15, 2006 04:21 p.m.

I don't live in Plano anymore. But why keep up with inflation? It seems the current rates would pay off the projects during the expected timeline and unless the NTTA could provide analysis that the payoff was not keeping up with the timeline, no change should take place.

November 15, 2006 04:19 p.m.

I thought we paid for these roads already? Toll roads are nothing but easy money for corrupt governments. Makes me want to throw up. Is there a charge for that? If so, has it gone up?

November 15, 2006 04:19 p.m.

This is ridiculous. We are already paying a lot to use the roads, and we normally have to sit in bumper to bumper traffic. Aren't these roads paid off yet? Isn't that the purpose of the toll road--pay for it until it's paid off? So whose pockets will the increase be going into?

November 15, 2006 04:18 p.m.

No. Nyet. Nein. This is yet another breach of the public trust by the North Texas Tollway. When the original stretch of the Tollway (downtown to LBJ) was opened 30 years ago, the tolls were to COME OFF after the tollway was paid for. It was paid for some years ago. Then they raised the toll to 60 cents and have the south end users subsidizing the activity on the far north end. Enough is enough! Where is the accountability to the public?

November 15, 2006 04:18 p.m.

that's why i don't take any of the toll roads! unfortunately, in a few years all roads will have a toll attached! every major highway, thoroughfare, you name it! mark my word, we haven't seen anything yet!!!

November 15, 2006 04:16 p.m.

I already change my mind sometimes on taking a different route, now I will definetely not consider any tollways.

November 15, 2006 04:15 p.m.

The Tollway Authority gets to decide if/when to raise toll rates? Wow. That's convenient. Almost like Congress getting to vote themselves a raise. Can they please vote to dedicate a Toll Tag lane at all toll gates so Tag owners can avoid stopping for idiots digging for loose change from between the seat cushions?

November 15, 2006 04:14 p.m.

They can raise the fee to whatever they want because it will never affect me because I refuse to pay to drive on any road. So I guess they won't be making money off me. And I can guarantee this forever. I can guarantee to never pay a toll in Dallas not even in a life or death situation because no one is worth paying a toll fee and I do mean no one. There are plenty of roads to ride for FREE and I choose to be cheap and will never travel on any pay road in TEXAS and I can guarante this for a fact. Because they say never say never but when I say never I mean never because I am one stubborn customer.

November 15, 2006 04:14 p.m.

Houston's toll roads are $1 for tag users and $1.25 cash. Even at the new rates, the Dallas toll roads are a bargain.

November 15, 2006 04:13 p.m.

Why are we paying more? What exactly will we get out of it? Yet another company trying to get the last drop of blood out of us.

November 15, 2006 04:12 p.m.

I do not mind increasing the toll rates periodically. What I do mind is when I pay full fare for a toll road and am forced to use one lane because of construction. If you are going to reduce the traffic flow, then reduce (or eliminate) the toll for that period too!

November 15, 2006 04:11 p.m.

I take Tollway between Mockingbird and Northwest Highway - sometimes Walnut Hill. I don't want to pay for roads elsewhere.

November 15, 2006 04:11 p.m.

Goodness, it costs $2.25 to drive from downtown to Parker Road, just a few miles. I grew up in an area that has toll roads, and to this day travel on them is considerably cheaper than the tollway here.

November 15, 2006 04:10 p.m.

That is nuts. I for one will be doing my best to avoid the Toll way. They are no longer going to get my money.

November 15, 2006 04:09 p.m.

I'm not sure if they are trying to steer drivers off their roads but this recent increase will go along way in acheiving that goal.

November 15, 2006 04:08 p.m.

if they would make everyone pay and not just the ones with tags (I am a toll tag user). I see people running tolls every day.

November 15, 2006 04:08 p.m.

Yes of course we are already paying too much. It is extremly frustrating that in an addition to paying such high costs - it isn't any quicker due to the construction. As I realize this is needed for improvement and expansion but we should get a discount during the inconvenience. Who owns the tollway and the George Bush turnpike? How much is the state actually benefiting from the increase?

November 15, 2006 04:08 p.m.

Yes....The North Dallas Tollway is already paid for and I think the Bush is probably close.

November 15, 2006 04:08 p.m.

we were told at the time the toll road was built that once it paid for itself there would be no toll. like interstate 30 at one time was a toll road. obviously that promise has been broken. its ridiculous to charge that much to use a road that our tax money already helps to fund.

November 15, 2006 04:06 p.m.

Yes, this is to much. Unfortunately, NTTA has us tied down to using their toll roads in so many locations that it is our only viable alternative. I'm waiting for the day that they finish converting every highway and major street in the metroplex into toll roads. Then, we will have to pay tolls to even leave our homes.

November 15, 2006 04:06 p.m.

Absolutely TOO much!! It makes me mad that NTTA spends money doing stupid stuff like power washing underneath its bridges, "remodeling" toll plazas, and street sweeping perfectly clean roads every Sunday. The drivers at the south end have been paying a lot longer than than those at the north end. Let the Collin County people foot the bill for choosing live up North by paying extra at their toll booths to extend the Tollway to Oklahoma.

November 15, 2006 04:06 p.m.

inflation is about 3% that is a 17% of 34% increase.

November 15, 2006 04:06 p.m.

This is rediculous. I live in Frisco and I am now surrounded by toll roads. Put some toll roads in South Dallas before you up the tolls or change another road up north to a pay highway. It is reverse discrimination when you only have them thru suburbs with money.

November 15, 2006 04:06 p.m.

This is insane. I see guys edging and weed-eating the side of the George Bush Turnpike. I've even seen water trucks watering the side of George Bush Turnpike in the middle of the day. Shouldn't they be on the same watering restrictions? If they need more money, then they should cut costs and become more efficent.

November 15, 2006 04:06 p.m.

Isn't the Tollway already paid for?

November 15, 2006 04:05 p.m.

They need to stop wasting money by replacing the old-style toll booth signs with new, "pretty", LCD-style signs. It seems to me like they're already raking in money hand-over-fist.

November 15, 2006 04:04 p.m.

Com'on!!! IT's not like 190 is a great High Way!!! Stop making the middle class poorer....we are barely surviving!!!

November 15, 2006 04:04 p.m.

We come in from Kansas to Dallas and Ft Worth many times during the year. We have a student in Ft Worth and family in Plano. The Bush is the easiest way to get between the two cities in the shortest amount of time. No we don't have a toll tag and to raise it to a dollar per gate, geesh, it's already expensive enough. Give it a rest. I also understand that much of the toll monies that have been raised for road work has gone to other pork projects. Sounds as if the Texas legislature is as bad as the Kansas one...spend with reckless irresponsibility.

November 15, 2006 04:03 p.m.

when are just gonna stop and say NO MORE!!!!

November 15, 2006 04:02 p.m.

Let me get this straight.... NTTA has more traffic (hence more money) than they expected and they want to raise MORE money?? How can we avoid constant TAX increases??

November 15, 2006 04:02 p.m.

They are making the money they expected, give us a break.

November 15, 2006 04:01 p.m.

So it's going to cost $5 to drive from the south end of the airport to Garland. Now I know where the term "highway robbery" came from. It's time for the NTTA to have a heart or at least explain why they don't!

November 15, 2006 04:01 p.m.

When will this stop? Isn't the tollway paid for by now?

November 15, 2006 04:00 p.m.

It's already too high. I don't use the toll roads now unless it's a must.

November 15, 2006 04:00 p.m.

yes, of course it is too high. STOP TOLL ROADS IN TEXAS !!!

November 15, 2006 03:59 p.m.

The New York State thruway spans much greater distances than either the GB or DNT combined, but is a fraction of the cost - WHY???? I would travel 18 miles from Canastota, NY to Syracuse NY & it would cost 40 cents. How much would that cost on the Toll roads here? That's enough to make me find alternative routes - and I have a toll tag. It's absurd.

November 15, 2006 03:59 p.m.

Privately owned toll roads are financial boondogles. What's going to be the benefit of increased tolls to those of us who use them?

November 15, 2006 03:59 p.m.

This is absolutely retarded. These roads are already some of the most expensive in the country, and now they're raising the rates? I've got an idea, how about we just start metering air, that way we can evenly distribute the cost across the metroplex?

November 15, 2006 03:58 p.m.

It's just another money grab. Are they not making enough already? It's another example of greedy polititions reaching into our pockets. I for one am sick of it! I will not be using the tollway anymore.

November 15, 2006 03:58 p.m.

That's why I will oppose the development of all "local" tollways. Once a faceless agency or local government gets their hands into citizens pockets, they will always reach for more.

November 15, 2006 03:57 p.m.

Everything is going up except my salary.

November 15, 2006 03:57 p.m.

try finishing 190 first.....

November 15, 2006 03:57 p.m.

It paid for already. Thay just want to have more money in the bank to fund parties.

November 15, 2006 03:57 p.m.

We're getting lousy service for our toll money. Nothing but congestion and construction. And no matter which way I travel, I have to take a toll road. It's out of control!

November 15, 2006 03:56 p.m.

This is absolutely ridiculous. The roads are already paid for by taxes and toll fees that we pay. Also, why do we have to pay for a construction of a road in tarrant county? Enough is enough... boycott the tollway!

November 15, 2006 03:54 p.m.

YES, defintely and the money is probably going in to some bigwig's pocket.... so frustrating.

November 15, 2006 03:54 p.m.

I do not want to pay for roads in other areas I just want to pay for roads that I use.

November 15, 2006 03:53 p.m.

It's ridiculous! What is the point of paying more and getting less? The Tollway is torn up and under construction in several places. It is not a convenience, its a hassle! Fix the damn thing, make it usable, then raise your freaking rates!

November 15, 2006 03:53 p.m.

Increasing tolls will cause people to start using the other main roads which are already too congested. Making it harder for emergency crews to get to an accident if there is one. Plus, wage increases are at it's lowest rate in years, and we haven't had a minimum wage increase in I don't know how long. Sure, it's being talked about, but is it going to happen? I don't think the people of Dallas should have to suffer for others greed.

November 15, 2006 03:52 p.m.

And what do I pay taxes for again? Roads and schools? Now I have to pay to drive and send my kids to private school because the systems stink.

November 15, 2006 03:52 p.m.

We are already having difficulty getting residents to support a toll on SH121 because of the cost. Unless there is some damn good stated reason to increase you need to lower the tolls.

November 15, 2006 03:51 p.m.

Good grief, what else? That's too much. $.75 or $1.00 from one point to the next on George Bush is ridiculous.

November 15, 2006 03:51 p.m.

It's high enough!

November 15, 2006 03:49 p.m.

It is too much considering that many people avoid paying tolls and when caught, they get by for pennies on the dollar. Maybe they should try enforcing the collection of tolls and there would may not be an increase needed.

November 15, 2006 03:48 p.m.

There is no justification for an increase when the authority is testing a system that could elimanate booths altogether and thus save money. With additional toll roads (121 for example) coming on line the authority will be increasing its take by several million dollars. This is uncalled for and unnecessary.

November 15, 2006 03:47 p.m.

The toll was 50 cents when I started using it 25 years ago. For the price to double in 25 years is about right.

November 15, 2006 03:46 p.m.

Shouldn't this be paid off by now? When did our tax dollars stop funding roads?

November 15, 2006 03:45 p.m.

Just like everything else in the world goes up in price.

November 15, 2006 03:45 p.m.

YIKES!!!

November 15, 2006 03:45 p.m.

They are making so much money that they are already re-paving the Bush. Why do you resurface when it has only been open about two years?

November 15, 2006 03:44 p.m.

Oh what fun! Pay more to sit in bumper-to-bumper rush hour traffic.

November 15, 2006 03:44 p.m.

Some of the tollways are already paid for, why would they increase the amount?

November 15, 2006 03:43 p.m.

What, is there a short supply of tolls overseas so we are going to get hit here like we do the gas prices.

November 15, 2006 03:42 p.m.

I thought we were paying for roads that were already built. My mortgage remains the same for 30 years. Why the increase? GREED?

November 15, 2006 03:41 p.m.

Mini-government at it's best! Tax and spend! It's our future you see, no more state highways expenditures.

November 15, 2006 03:41 p.m.

Stupid...there plenty of money coming in everyday. The increase to $1.00 might make some people not use the roads....others are stuck.

November 15, 2006 03:39 p.m.

This Rick Perry need to refrain from making any more tollways. If you are going to raise a hike to other tollways then you should turn back the 121 tollway back to free 121 in the DFW area to collin county or what ever they are.

November 15, 2006 03:39 p.m.

The tolls should pay off the road they support. They should not tax that road for support of other road projects. Turn new projects into toll roads if you want that type of support. The toll road is the new tax that will never go away!

November 15, 2006 03:39 p.m.

The NTTA is a selfperpetuating entity that will always have another project to pay for and thus, a reason to raise toll prices. What a joke!

November 15, 2006 03:38 p.m.

if they would only get rid of those damn toll booths it would make life faster

November 15, 2006 03:38 p.m.

They need to do more strategic planning to prevent the constent construction and destruction and then rebuilding of the tollway. I do not remember a time when either the North Dallas Tollway or George Bush was not under construction at some point. These roads were meant to take some of the burden off of already over crowded roads. They are already raising enough money, they are not spending it wisely at all.

November 15, 2006 03:38 p.m.

A modern day example of a Monarchy. Unelected dictators raising our taxes.

November 15, 2006 03:38 p.m.

A 25% increase?? If only my paycheck would increase that much.....

November 15, 2006 03:38 p.m.

Enough already!

November 15, 2006 03:37 p.m.

THis is ridiculous they are charging us for a highway that we have already paid for with our taxes then on top of that you are raising the price.

November 15, 2006 03:37 p.m.

What is this going to pay for? The roads are built already. There's plenty of money in today's tolls to keep up with maintenance. The tollway doesn't save any time during rush hour. If anything, they need to charge premiums at rush hour and drop the price the rest of the time.

November 15, 2006 03:36 p.m.

I don't understand raising the tolls when the tollway now is ineffective, given that you sit in traffic just as much as any other road/highway. The purpose of the tollway was to pay for the road (which we do anyway through taxes). I am sure that the roads have paid for themselves by now, and now they want to charge us more?

November 15, 2006 03:36 p.m.

The North Dallas Tollway was supposed to lose it's toll booths years ago... this is just more greedy politicians...

November 15, 2006 03:36 p.m.

Too much along with the other taxes we pay. Plus, traffic is almost as bad as on the 'free' rodes.

November 15, 2006 03:36 p.m.

2 things. #1 the original toll section of the Dallas North Tollway from I-35 to Inwood Rd. has been paid off for 22 years now. #2 Motorists in Dallas, Collin, and Denton Counties are being charged to subsidize the construction of the Southwest Parkway in Tarrant County. According to most estimates this road will NEVER turn a profit. Nice waste of money there NTTA. No wonder why Dallas and Collin County want to pull out of the authority.

November 15, 2006 03:35 p.m.

I think the best roads are toll roads...the state can't keep up. Make the cash people pay $2. It's rediculous not to have a toll tag if you EVER drive through Dallas. Traffic would flow so much smoother if people would get with the times.

November 15, 2006 03:35 p.m.

With all the dead landscaping and unecessary asphalt paving along the GBT, they might as well increase the tolls.

November 15, 2006 03:35 p.m.

This is ridiculous. Especially at 55mph and an increasing amount of traffic.

November 15, 2006 03:34 p.m.

Way too much - rip off.

November 15, 2006 03:32 p.m.

I suppose the increase will go to pay for another re-landscaping of George Bush... only to have it all die yet again. What a waste.

November 15, 2006 03:32 p.m.

This is crap for two reasons. First, toll roads are a form of double taxation. We paid our tax dollars to have the roads built, and now we have to pay again to use them. Second, weren't the tolls supposed to come off the North Dallas Tollway once it was paid for? I'm sure enough quarters have been collected over the last 20 years or however long it's been a toll road to pay for the construction and maintenance of that road for quite some time.

November 15, 2006 03:32 p.m.

I have one word, Absurd!