Posted on 01/21/2018 10:49:36 PM PST by Tolerance Sucks Rocks
AUSTIN - As we begin the new year, congestion on Interstate Highway 35 continues to be a problem for commuters in Central Texas.
Late last month, TxDOT leadership voted to scrap plans to add tolls to the interstate.
So, what plans does the state have to address traffic on the interstate and other highways?
TxDOT is looking to its leadership, the Texas Transportation Commission -- a government-appointed 5-member body.
Because leadership voted against tolls, TxDOT is essentially regrouping and said it is wanting to talk with local partners to get to a solution for I-35.
KVUE spoke with Ben Wear, a reporter for the Austin American-Statesman who has been covering transportation for the paper for 14 years.
He said I-35's current projects will still continue.
"TxDOT is going to continue doing projects on I-35 as tax money is available," Wear said
But as far as adding toll lanes to I-35:
"That has morphed over time from one lane each side, to two lanes each side, to adding lanes to the upper deck, to taking down the upper deck," said Wear. "It's had several different versions and several different cost estimates. But the whole idea of adding toll lanes to I-35, at least for now, I think is dead."
(Excerpt) Read more at khou.com ...
Sell all our freeways to China and let them toll us to death.
In before the Pooch!!!
LOL.
We also spoke with Texas Senator Kirk Watson’s office...”While we have more money than before, the funds are insufficient to address the state’s infrastructure needs without other sources of revenue, including tolls.”
I’m fine up to the last two words, since isn’t all money one color, and if they’re funded sufficiently from the sale tax, for example, what the h3ll does it matter.
If you deported all your illegal aliens, your roads would be surprisingly easy to get around on.
If Austin’s leadership had it’s say, they were turn all of it into bike lanes.
Just make trucks free on the existing toll roads which bypass Austin and that would free up a significant amount of traffic.
“Just make trucks free on the existing toll roads which bypass Austin and that would free up a significant amount of traffic.”
Being the Trans Texas project is dead a new super interstate is needed. A logical path seems to me would be starting from Ciudad Acura and go north utilizing right of ways of US 277/208/70 with expansion as necessary.
believing in road socialism is never going to solve congestion.
capitalism works
your friend - Pooch :)
And roads that were built with taxpayer dollars in the first place.
They ain’t sending back anyone. Austin liberals looove their cheap labor.
How about cutting the toll!!!
The toll prices are so high, few use the toll roads. When real capitalists can't sell their products, they CUT THE PRICE. I suspect that if the toll prices were made more reasonable, usage would increase, revenue would actually INCREASE, and the I-35 congestion would go down.
Ciudad Acura? Acuna maybe
“Just make trucks free on the existing toll roads which bypass Austin and that would free up a significant amount of traffic.”
That’s so out of the box, it would probably work and be cost-effective. Simply have TXDOT pay the tolls up to a reasonable limit, providing the trucks get free passage. Just running a few numbers, if TXDOT pays the operator(s) $20 per truck, and 1000 trucks per day take advantage, it would cost $7M per year (a drop in the bucket for TXDOT), but a HUGE impact on I-35.
Sucks to have the concrete right there, unused, because of one STUPID governor who was in bed with the toll road lobby.
The P3 toll road from Mustang to Seguin has always been 85mph.
No kidding!
The few times I've been on the Austin bypass, it was almost deserted!
While I love being able to set my cruise control on 100, something still seems wrong.
Imagine what it would do to free up Austin's congestion if more folks took the bypass?
And it's a T-shirt, AND it's a mindset...
Not according to NPR in 2013: https://www.npr.org/2013/12/17/248757580/even-an-85-mph-highway-cant-fix-austins-traffic-tangle
From the Article: "Texas Highway 130, a new Austin bypass toll road, is so far east of the city that it sees little traffic. The state recently raised the speed limit there to 85 mph in hopes of boosting its use."
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