"A few cents per mile adds up to millions in revenue each year."
Toll rate debate reveals N. Texas' great divide
Collin's plan charges more for future roads than Tarrant-Denton's
December 21, 2005
By TONY HARTZEL
The Dallas Morning News
Copyright 2005
McKINNEY – Collin County commissioners endorsed a proposal Tuesday that would set premium rates for two future toll roads, furthering the debate over how far the North Texas Tollway Authority should go in building projects that don't pay for themselves.
The issue could come to a head today at the tollway authority, where the agency's board of directors will decide whether to adopt a policy that would charge higher tolls on Fort Worth's proposed Southwest Parkway and the Bush Turnpike's eastern extension through Garland, Rowlett and Sachse.
No matter the outcome, the debate promises to test the regional agency, which collects almost all its revenue in Dallas and Collin counties but whose board has members from Dallas, Tarrant, Collin, Denton and Johnson counties.
"The counties who are represented and who pay the tolls have one philosophy," Dallas County Judge Margaret Keliher said, referring to Dallas and Collin counties. "And counties where they don't pay tolls, and their projects are determined not to be feasible, have another philosophy."
Under the scenario favored by Collin County commissioners, users of the $825 million Southwest Parkway would pay tolls of 19 cents per mile when the road opens in 2010. That scenario calls for rates of 15 cents per mile on the Bush Turnpike's $782 million eastern extension, which also should open by 2010.
In comparison, motorists with TollTags who use the Dallas North Tollway and the Bush Turnpike's existing sections currently pay 10 cents per mile. They will probably pay 11 cents per mile in 2007 and 12 cents per mile in 2010. A drive on the entire Dallas North Tollway would rise from $2.10 to $2.30 by 2007, and a drive on the entire Bush Turnpike would rise from $3 to $3.25 by 2007.
Although the difference amounts to a few cents per mile, it adds up to millions in revenue each year and difficult decisions for regional leaders.
Lower price per mile
Tarrant County and Denton County commissioners endorsed a proposal that would set rates of 16 cents per mile on the Southwest Parkway and 12 cents per mile on the turnpike's eastern extension.
"The idea that it's just Dallas people using these toll roads is just not the case. It's already a regional system," said Glen Whitley, a longtime Tarrant County commissioner who resigned recently to run for Tarrant County judge. After roads such as the Southwest Parkway open, their traffic and revenue counts almost always exceed the tollway authority's conservative estimates, he said. "If you look at what's best for the region, you've got to understand that sometimes we have to help a neighbor out."
The proposal endorsed by Tarrant and Denton counties would mean that tolls collected on the Southwest Parkway would pay for about 45 percent of its costs, and tolls on the eastern extension would pay for about 64 percent of its costs. The Collin County-endorsed proposal, with much greater toll rates, would raise more revenue so that the planned projects would pay for about 69 percent and 88 percent of their costs, respectively.
In comparison, money collected on the Dallas North Tollway and Bush Turnpike when they were first built paid about 75 percent of those projects' costs.
Dallas County commissioners have endorsed a compromise that would limit subsidies to projects, requiring them to pay for their operations and debt in 10 years. Under the plan, motorists on both projects would pay a penny more per mile than the plan endorsed by Denton and Tarrant counties.
That proposal could "force projects to meet criteria before we move forward, and that's prudent," said Paul Wageman, a tollway authority board member who represents Collin County.
Mr. Whitley argued against that plan, saying it could limit the agency's flexibility to meet the region's future transportation needs.
Balancing needs
"It's very important that we recognize that sometimes the regional good is not necessarily what's best for an individual county or city," he said.
Collin and Dallas officials also have expressed concern that the tollway authority board, which has a majority of its members from Denton, Tarrant and Johnson counties, might not fully account for motorists in the eastern half of the region, who they say pay the vast majority of all tolls collected.
"The Dallas County Commissioners Court is very sensitive to the impact this will have on Dallas County toll payers, and we're going to have to assess our options based on what impact the vote will have to the NTTA," Ms. Keliher said.
E-mail thartzel@dallasnews.com
© 2005 The Dallas Morning News Co www.dallasnews.com
Collin's plan charges more for future roads than Tarrant-Denton's
December 21, 2005
By TONY HARTZEL
The Dallas Morning News
Copyright 2005
McKINNEY – Collin County commissioners endorsed a proposal Tuesday that would set premium rates for two future toll roads, furthering the debate over how far the North Texas Tollway Authority should go in building projects that don't pay for themselves.
The issue could come to a head today at the tollway authority, where the agency's board of directors will decide whether to adopt a policy that would charge higher tolls on Fort Worth's proposed Southwest Parkway and the Bush Turnpike's eastern extension through Garland, Rowlett and Sachse.
No matter the outcome, the debate promises to test the regional agency, which collects almost all its revenue in Dallas and Collin counties but whose board has members from Dallas, Tarrant, Collin, Denton and Johnson counties.
"The counties who are represented and who pay the tolls have one philosophy," Dallas County Judge Margaret Keliher said, referring to Dallas and Collin counties. "And counties where they don't pay tolls, and their projects are determined not to be feasible, have another philosophy."
Under the scenario favored by Collin County commissioners, users of the $825 million Southwest Parkway would pay tolls of 19 cents per mile when the road opens in 2010. That scenario calls for rates of 15 cents per mile on the Bush Turnpike's $782 million eastern extension, which also should open by 2010.
In comparison, motorists with TollTags who use the Dallas North Tollway and the Bush Turnpike's existing sections currently pay 10 cents per mile. They will probably pay 11 cents per mile in 2007 and 12 cents per mile in 2010. A drive on the entire Dallas North Tollway would rise from $2.10 to $2.30 by 2007, and a drive on the entire Bush Turnpike would rise from $3 to $3.25 by 2007.
Although the difference amounts to a few cents per mile, it adds up to millions in revenue each year and difficult decisions for regional leaders.
Lower price per mile
Tarrant County and Denton County commissioners endorsed a proposal that would set rates of 16 cents per mile on the Southwest Parkway and 12 cents per mile on the turnpike's eastern extension.
"The idea that it's just Dallas people using these toll roads is just not the case. It's already a regional system," said Glen Whitley, a longtime Tarrant County commissioner who resigned recently to run for Tarrant County judge. After roads such as the Southwest Parkway open, their traffic and revenue counts almost always exceed the tollway authority's conservative estimates, he said. "If you look at what's best for the region, you've got to understand that sometimes we have to help a neighbor out."
The proposal endorsed by Tarrant and Denton counties would mean that tolls collected on the Southwest Parkway would pay for about 45 percent of its costs, and tolls on the eastern extension would pay for about 64 percent of its costs. The Collin County-endorsed proposal, with much greater toll rates, would raise more revenue so that the planned projects would pay for about 69 percent and 88 percent of their costs, respectively.
In comparison, money collected on the Dallas North Tollway and Bush Turnpike when they were first built paid about 75 percent of those projects' costs.
Dallas County commissioners have endorsed a compromise that would limit subsidies to projects, requiring them to pay for their operations and debt in 10 years. Under the plan, motorists on both projects would pay a penny more per mile than the plan endorsed by Denton and Tarrant counties.
That proposal could "force projects to meet criteria before we move forward, and that's prudent," said Paul Wageman, a tollway authority board member who represents Collin County.
Mr. Whitley argued against that plan, saying it could limit the agency's flexibility to meet the region's future transportation needs.
Balancing needs
"It's very important that we recognize that sometimes the regional good is not necessarily what's best for an individual county or city," he said.
Collin and Dallas officials also have expressed concern that the tollway authority board, which has a majority of its members from Denton, Tarrant and Johnson counties, might not fully account for motorists in the eastern half of the region, who they say pay the vast majority of all tolls collected.
"The Dallas County Commissioners Court is very sensitive to the impact this will have on Dallas County toll payers, and we're going to have to assess our options based on what impact the vote will have to the NTTA," Ms. Keliher said.
E-mail thartzel@dallasnews.com
© 2005 The Dallas Morning News Co
posted by Porkus Maximus Tex: at Wednesday, December 21, 2005
<< Home