Alaska pork doctor praises Texas tollers
Lawmaker praises Texas for innovative road plans
Denton County: Officials applaud toll projects such as Highway 121
Thursday, December 1, 2005
By DAVE MOORE
Denton Record-Chronicle
Copyright 2005
The congressman who oversees federal transportation funding had some kind words Wednesday for how Texas has addressed its traffic jams, and many of the practices earning his praise are happening in Denton County.
"There is no such thing as a free road," said Don Young, R-Alaska, chairman of the Congressional Transportation and Infrastructure Committee. "All roads have been bought. The money has to come from somewhere. If we're going to use it, we pay for it."
Mr. Young spoke to a room full of elected and appointed officials at the third annual 26th Congressional District Transportation Summit, organized by Dr. Michael Burgess, R-Flower Mound. After the meeting, Mr. Young cited Texas' use of toll roads, light rail and streamlined road design and construction, among other factors, for being on the "front edge" of transportation in the country.
"You can't just do it with highways," he said. "You've got to have mass transit and light rail and various forms of transportation."
Speakers from the Texas Department of Transportation, which also sponsored the summit at the University of North Texas, cited plans for tolling State Highway 121 as an example of how the state is stretching highway money.
"We are moving toward a toll-based system," said Bill Hale of the Dallas district of TxDOT. But "we're not going to toll everything," he said.
But he did say such "innovative financing" would reduce the state's timeline to build numerous roads from 45 years to 10 years.
The Highway 121 toll road is expected to generate about $1 billion over the next 20 years. Much of that will go toward widening Interstate 35E from Lake Dallas to University Drive, TxDOT officials have said. Officials also plan to toll a couple of lanes on I-35E to pay for improvements on the road.
The tolls collected on Highway 121 will also be used for road projects across Denton County, including FM423 from Highway 121 to U.S. Highway 380, FM720 from Garza Lane to FM423, and FM2934 from FM423 to the Dallas North Tollway, Mr. Hale told the crowd.
He showed a broader map that included numerous roads in Denton and Dallas counties that would be built using revenue from various toll roads.
"Would any of those roads be possible without tolls?" TxDOT chair Ric Williamson asked Mr. Hale.
"No," Mr. Hale said.
"Would you repeat that?"
"No," Mr. Hale replied.
Also speaking at the summit were officials from the Denton County Transportation Authority, Dallas Area Rapid Transit and the Fort Worth Transportation Authority.
Charles Emery, chairman of the DCTA board of directors, said his agency is making headway in linking a rail line from Denton to Carrollton, where DART plans to extend its light-rail line.
Mr. Young said the variety of efforts to ease traffic jams in Texas impressed him enough to push for more federal funding for the state.
He said critics who flinch at the thought of paying highway tolls would end up idling in traffic jams.
"It's going to cost them more if they can't get there," Mr. Young said.
E-mail dmmoore@dentonrc.com
© 2005 The Dallas Morning News Co www.dallasnews.com
Denton County: Officials applaud toll projects such as Highway 121
Thursday, December 1, 2005
By DAVE MOORE
Denton Record-Chronicle
Copyright 2005
The congressman who oversees federal transportation funding had some kind words Wednesday for how Texas has addressed its traffic jams, and many of the practices earning his praise are happening in Denton County.
"There is no such thing as a free road," said Don Young, R-Alaska, chairman of the Congressional Transportation and Infrastructure Committee. "All roads have been bought. The money has to come from somewhere. If we're going to use it, we pay for it."
Mr. Young spoke to a room full of elected and appointed officials at the third annual 26th Congressional District Transportation Summit, organized by Dr. Michael Burgess, R-Flower Mound. After the meeting, Mr. Young cited Texas' use of toll roads, light rail and streamlined road design and construction, among other factors, for being on the "front edge" of transportation in the country.
"You can't just do it with highways," he said. "You've got to have mass transit and light rail and various forms of transportation."
Speakers from the Texas Department of Transportation, which also sponsored the summit at the University of North Texas, cited plans for tolling State Highway 121 as an example of how the state is stretching highway money.
"We are moving toward a toll-based system," said Bill Hale of the Dallas district of TxDOT. But "we're not going to toll everything," he said.
But he did say such "innovative financing" would reduce the state's timeline to build numerous roads from 45 years to 10 years.
The Highway 121 toll road is expected to generate about $1 billion over the next 20 years. Much of that will go toward widening Interstate 35E from Lake Dallas to University Drive, TxDOT officials have said. Officials also plan to toll a couple of lanes on I-35E to pay for improvements on the road.
The tolls collected on Highway 121 will also be used for road projects across Denton County, including FM423 from Highway 121 to U.S. Highway 380, FM720 from Garza Lane to FM423, and FM2934 from FM423 to the Dallas North Tollway, Mr. Hale told the crowd.
He showed a broader map that included numerous roads in Denton and Dallas counties that would be built using revenue from various toll roads.
"Would any of those roads be possible without tolls?" TxDOT chair Ric Williamson asked Mr. Hale.
"No," Mr. Hale said.
"Would you repeat that?"
"No," Mr. Hale replied.
Also speaking at the summit were officials from the Denton County Transportation Authority, Dallas Area Rapid Transit and the Fort Worth Transportation Authority.
Charles Emery, chairman of the DCTA board of directors, said his agency is making headway in linking a rail line from Denton to Carrollton, where DART plans to extend its light-rail line.
Mr. Young said the variety of efforts to ease traffic jams in Texas impressed him enough to push for more federal funding for the state.
He said critics who flinch at the thought of paying highway tolls would end up idling in traffic jams.
"It's going to cost them more if they can't get there," Mr. Young said.
E-mail dmmoore@dentonrc.com
© 2005 The Dallas Morning News Co
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