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In 1997, a proposal was made to extend the Westpark Toll Road into Fort Bend County and another proposal was recently made that Fort Bend County construct, as tolled facilities, the main lane overpasses of the only existing portion of the Grand Parkway (Segment “D”). Taxpayer/residents would still be able to drive on a “free” Grand Parkway, they would have to stop at 11 different intersections that have, or will have, signal lights or stop signs.

There were several reasons for these proposals:
1. Current state and federal gas taxes will cover only about one-third of needed new roads and even less for the fastest growing precinct (approaching 10% annually) in the second-fastest growing county in Texas.
2. Most all of the state gas tax goes to maintaining existing roads.
3. By using “local” funds, instead of federal or state dollars, which come with strings attached, we are able to build the roads much sooner and for less money. Counties are funded almost exclusively by property taxes, which in my and many others’ opinions are already too high. Tolls are the only other source of funding for counties to build more roads.
4. Currently, Texas gets back from the federal government about 88 cents for every
dollar Texas taxpayers send to Washington, the other 12 cents goes to projects like the “Big Dig” in Boston and if federal gas taxes are increased 20 cents Texas will be lucky to get back 17 cents. Additionally, the Houston Region gets back, on average, about 90 cents of every dollar of state gas tax or of the 88 cents that Austin gets back from the federal government. That percentage is currently higher because of the improvements to I 10, but this is the exception to a general rule and will most likely end when I 10 is completed.
5. Toll roads by their nature are “user paid facilities”. If you do not wish to “pay” for the road you do not have to use it, there are alternative roads. If you do use the road, you pay for it.
6. The county will build a “toll road” only when it is feasible, that is where projected revenues cover projected expenses and debt service.

I am unaware of any local or state official who proposes to “toll” existing free roads. Most believe to do so is fundamentally unfair to the taxpayer/resident or they know doing so would be the end of their political career. A state agency, such as the Texas Department of Transportation, is able to float “trial balloons” about tolling certain roads, because the heads of those departments do not stand for election.

There are no current proposals to toll existing federal or state highways. There are proposals to toll “added capacity”, similar to the proposal for the existing Segment of the Grand Parkway.

The state has already stated that, where feasible, new roads will be toll roads, including the rest of the Grand Parkway.

There is a move to embrace “user-paid facilities” such as toll roads because of the resistance to higher taxes.

It is the Democrats, like those in Boston, who want someone else to fund the roads they drive on.