State, region leaders get on toll road roll

After months of stalemates, state and regional leaders sat at the same table last week and officially hashed out many of their differences over the Trans-Texas Corridor and other planned toll roads.

And in a moment of lighthearted symbolism, they shared a few doughnuts. I'll explain later.

The Texas Transportation Commission, at its regular meeting Thursday in Austin, approved an agreement that lays out the future of at least six toll projects in North Texas.

The agreement specifies which agency – the Transportation Department or the North Texas Tollway Authority – will build these toll roads: along State Highways 121 and 161, the Bush Turnpike eastern extension, the Lewisville Lake Toll Bridge and the Southwest Parkway in Fort Worth.

It stipulates that the state will build and control toll roads along Highways 121 and 161, and the tollway authority will build and operate the others.

"This is a new day in North Texas," said transportation commission chairman Ric Williamson.

"We had a little bad spot here in the past year, but that's behind us," Dallas County Commissioner Maurine Dickey told the transportation commission.

Most of all, the agreement should prevent unnecessary delays on projects and help motorists keep moving.

While the agencies were haggling over the rights to future toll revenue, some of the toll projects were in danger of being delayed.

In addition, the transportation commission discussed the potential creation of a "doughnut," or new highway loop, around the edges of North Texas.

Regional leaders for months have pushed for a future Loop 9, as the doughnut plan is known locally.

That loop, according to a letter issued by Gov. Rick Perry last week, should be part of the study determining the Trans-Texas Corridor route through the region.

I don't understand why they are having these commissions and are going around asking for input if they have already made deals with the companies to build these roads? http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1690716/posts

Because half of what is posted here about tollroads is dishonest BS or the typical poorly researched/written media articles. Road projects are bid out individually, and the article you linked is confusing SH130, which has been a long-planned road around the east side of Austin connecting down to Seguin, with TTC-35, the 1st segment of the Trans-Texas Corridor. The construction bids were awarded for SH130, with the Georgetown-north of Lockhart portion almost complete, and the latter section south to Seguin soon to start. Meanwhile TXDOT has accepted Cintra's separate proposal to build and operate the TTC-35 corridor, but it is in the review process that includes determining routes, fed review, public hearings, etc. Can't bid out actual construction contracts until they know where it is going to go! TTC-35 is probably going to incorporate SH130, but for now they are 2 separate projects. And now TXDOT is working out agreements on the north end with local officials as far as routings, timing, organization, funding, etc. for a variety of projects.

BTW, what the kook's won't tell you is that the TTC-35 contract is a lease with provisions that the state can opt out at any time at will, provided they recompensate Cintra for what it has invested that hasn't yet been recouped by tolls. What they also won't tell you when they cry nonsense about this being a tollroad to erase our borders is that only San Antonio-DFW will be built by 2015, with the extensions to the border (but no new border crossings) not planned until after 2025.

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

"�