"The fuse has been lit. Our own actions have helped to create dissension."
Fork in road on toll plans?
January 24, 2006
Some discuss pullout if agency uses local funds for FW highway
By TONY HARTZEL
The Dallas Morning News
Copyright 2006
For years, North Texas leaders have prided themselves on working closely on massive road-building projects.
But a simmering debate over the Southwest Parkway toll road has become the latest and perhaps most serious threat to that long-standing cooperation.
The dispute stems from a decision by the tollway authority board to use tolls collected on Dallas- and Collin-area roads to pay for more than half of the $825 million Southwest Parkway, a proposed Tarrant County tollway.
Upset with that decision, Dallas County commissioners raised the possibility of pulling out of the tollway authority.
At stake could be the future of other regional projects such as the Bush Turnpike and even the North Texas Tollway Authority itself.
Complicating the matter are efforts by officials in Denton and Collin counties to collect tolls on State Highway 121 and to keep excess toll revenue primarily in their own counties. That all adds up to a divided region, said Dallas County Judge Margaret Keliher.
"If that's going to happen, then this whole idea of regionalism is going to fall apart," Ms. Keliher said of the county-based toll roads. "My concern is that counties are going to cherry-pick the good projects. Dallas County toll payers would end up paying for other projects that the business community wouldn't do."
Last month, the tollway authority board voted 4-3 to adopt its toll policy for Southwest Parkway and other projects. Representatives of Denton, Tarrant and Johnson counties supported the vote.
Representatives of Dallas and Collin counties unsuccessfully pushed for a policy that could set higher tolls for projects, such as Southwest Parkway, that don't initially generate as much revenue.
"The fuse has been lit," Paul Wageman, the Collin County representative of the tollway authority board, said at an agency retreat this week where board members spent an hour discussing last month's vote. "Our own actions have helped to create dissension."
Toll shortfall
The tollway authority's most recent estimates show that the approved policy would collect only enough tolls to initially pay about 45 percent of Southwest Parkway's construction, operating and debt costs. Although the policy calls for higher tolls on Southwest Parkway than on most other roads, the Fort Worth toll road is not expected to raise enough money to pay its costs, even after 30 years.
"I think the NTTA ought to be responsible for developing a business plan that makes sense," Ms. Keliher said.
Many questions surround the notion of a county withdrawing from the tollway authority, which is a separate government entity that owns and operates all existing toll roads.
"I'm not advocating anything at this point," Ms. Keliher said. "But I am concerned that other counties will do other projects and not participate on a regional basis any longer."
Dissension is not new to the tollway board. Last year, some officials in Tarrant County raised the possibility of leaving the tollway authority board. Their effort, seen by others on the board as an attempt to define the agency's role in future toll projects, was dropped quickly.
"In every instance, it's anti-regional and ill-advised," said the tollway authority's Tarrant County representative, Bill Meadows, who did not take part in the withdrawal discussions.
Who foots the bill?
As Texas shifts to a heavier reliance on toll revenues over gas taxes to fund road construction, the number of clashes over how projects are paid for seems to have risen.
The Texas Department of Transportation is encouraging private groups to submit bids for projects such as Highway 121 toll roads in Denton and Collin counties, as well as a State Highway 161 toll road in southwest Dallas County.
To gain approval for those projects, state leaders have pledged some of the toll revenue to help build neighboring road projects.
The focus on local benefits "has been fostered by the whole concept of near-neighbor" toll revenue sharing, said Collin County Judge Ron Harris. "Those citizens along Highway 161 are going to feel that the money should stay right there."
Meanwhile, the state Transportation Department and the tollway authority have been talking for months about how to pay for construction of an interchange at Interstate 30 and the Bush Turnpike in Garland. Breaking from past agreements, the state is seeking a fixed share of toll revenues from tollway authority projects it will help build.
That differs greatly from 10 years ago, when the state paid to help build some of the major highway interchanges along the Bush Turnpike. The tollway agency pledged to repay some of that money over time. That widely lauded model has become outdated as the state looks to toll roads as its own revenue source.
Using toll roads to pay for nearby projects has a larger benefit than to just that immediate area, said Bob Brown, the deputy district engineer for the state Transportation Department's Dallas office.
"This helps the entire economy of the D-FW area," he said. "A lot of folks are looking at this very short-sighted."
E-mail thartzel@dallasnews.com
In late November, a handful of political leaders met near Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport to discuss the North Texas Tollway Authority's future. The consensus, according to several participants, was that the agency must compete strongly with private groups for such projects as LBJ toll tunnels or a Highway 121 toll road.
"The NTTA is well-positioned to be more creative than they have been to date," said Lee Jackson, chancellor of the University of North Texas and a longtime leader in regional transportation issues who attended the November meeting.
"They can do some things that counties currently feel like they need ... other entities to do."
In the past few years, the agency has declined offers to participate in such projects as the proposed LBJ tunnels or toll roads on state highways.
"What was appropriate for the NTTA to do in 2000 is probably not sufficient today," said board member Bill Meadows, who represents Tarrant County. "The rules of the game have changed."
In today's climate, the tollway authority has no choice but to become more competitive, said David Blair Jr. of Farmers Branch, chairman of the agency's board.
"We've got to," he said, adding that the Dallas County concerns have come at a difficult time as the agency also deals with competition from private companies. "It's our job now to convince people that we are the right agency to do the work because we understand the challenges."
Tony Hartzel
© 2006 The Dallas Morning News Co www.dallasnews.com
January 24, 2006
Some discuss pullout if agency uses local funds for FW highway
By TONY HARTZEL
The Dallas Morning News
Copyright 2006
For years, North Texas leaders have prided themselves on working closely on massive road-building projects.
But a simmering debate over the Southwest Parkway toll road has become the latest and perhaps most serious threat to that long-standing cooperation.
The dispute stems from a decision by the tollway authority board to use tolls collected on Dallas- and Collin-area roads to pay for more than half of the $825 million Southwest Parkway, a proposed Tarrant County tollway.
Upset with that decision, Dallas County commissioners raised the possibility of pulling out of the tollway authority.
At stake could be the future of other regional projects such as the Bush Turnpike and even the North Texas Tollway Authority itself.
Complicating the matter are efforts by officials in Denton and Collin counties to collect tolls on State Highway 121 and to keep excess toll revenue primarily in their own counties. That all adds up to a divided region, said Dallas County Judge Margaret Keliher.
"If that's going to happen, then this whole idea of regionalism is going to fall apart," Ms. Keliher said of the county-based toll roads. "My concern is that counties are going to cherry-pick the good projects. Dallas County toll payers would end up paying for other projects that the business community wouldn't do."
Last month, the tollway authority board voted 4-3 to adopt its toll policy for Southwest Parkway and other projects. Representatives of Denton, Tarrant and Johnson counties supported the vote.
Representatives of Dallas and Collin counties unsuccessfully pushed for a policy that could set higher tolls for projects, such as Southwest Parkway, that don't initially generate as much revenue.
"The fuse has been lit," Paul Wageman, the Collin County representative of the tollway authority board, said at an agency retreat this week where board members spent an hour discussing last month's vote. "Our own actions have helped to create dissension."
Toll shortfall
The tollway authority's most recent estimates show that the approved policy would collect only enough tolls to initially pay about 45 percent of Southwest Parkway's construction, operating and debt costs. Although the policy calls for higher tolls on Southwest Parkway than on most other roads, the Fort Worth toll road is not expected to raise enough money to pay its costs, even after 30 years.
"I think the NTTA ought to be responsible for developing a business plan that makes sense," Ms. Keliher said.
Many questions surround the notion of a county withdrawing from the tollway authority, which is a separate government entity that owns and operates all existing toll roads.
"I'm not advocating anything at this point," Ms. Keliher said. "But I am concerned that other counties will do other projects and not participate on a regional basis any longer."
Dissension is not new to the tollway board. Last year, some officials in Tarrant County raised the possibility of leaving the tollway authority board. Their effort, seen by others on the board as an attempt to define the agency's role in future toll projects, was dropped quickly.
"In every instance, it's anti-regional and ill-advised," said the tollway authority's Tarrant County representative, Bill Meadows, who did not take part in the withdrawal discussions.
Who foots the bill?
As Texas shifts to a heavier reliance on toll revenues over gas taxes to fund road construction, the number of clashes over how projects are paid for seems to have risen.
The Texas Department of Transportation is encouraging private groups to submit bids for projects such as Highway 121 toll roads in Denton and Collin counties, as well as a State Highway 161 toll road in southwest Dallas County.
To gain approval for those projects, state leaders have pledged some of the toll revenue to help build neighboring road projects.
The focus on local benefits "has been fostered by the whole concept of near-neighbor" toll revenue sharing, said Collin County Judge Ron Harris. "Those citizens along Highway 161 are going to feel that the money should stay right there."
Meanwhile, the state Transportation Department and the tollway authority have been talking for months about how to pay for construction of an interchange at Interstate 30 and the Bush Turnpike in Garland. Breaking from past agreements, the state is seeking a fixed share of toll revenues from tollway authority projects it will help build.
That differs greatly from 10 years ago, when the state paid to help build some of the major highway interchanges along the Bush Turnpike. The tollway agency pledged to repay some of that money over time. That widely lauded model has become outdated as the state looks to toll roads as its own revenue source.
Using toll roads to pay for nearby projects has a larger benefit than to just that immediate area, said Bob Brown, the deputy district engineer for the state Transportation Department's Dallas office.
"This helps the entire economy of the D-FW area," he said. "A lot of folks are looking at this very short-sighted."
E-mail thartzel@dallasnews.com
Leaders want a more active tollway group
The key to strengthening regional cooperation, many say, starts with a more active tollway authority.In late November, a handful of political leaders met near Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport to discuss the North Texas Tollway Authority's future. The consensus, according to several participants, was that the agency must compete strongly with private groups for such projects as LBJ toll tunnels or a Highway 121 toll road.
"The NTTA is well-positioned to be more creative than they have been to date," said Lee Jackson, chancellor of the University of North Texas and a longtime leader in regional transportation issues who attended the November meeting.
"They can do some things that counties currently feel like they need ... other entities to do."
In the past few years, the agency has declined offers to participate in such projects as the proposed LBJ tunnels or toll roads on state highways.
"What was appropriate for the NTTA to do in 2000 is probably not sufficient today," said board member Bill Meadows, who represents Tarrant County. "The rules of the game have changed."
In today's climate, the tollway authority has no choice but to become more competitive, said David Blair Jr. of Farmers Branch, chairman of the agency's board.
"We've got to," he said, adding that the Dallas County concerns have come at a difficult time as the agency also deals with competition from private companies. "It's our job now to convince people that we are the right agency to do the work because we understand the challenges."
Tony Hartzel
© 2006 The Dallas Morning News Co
posted by Porkus Maximus Tex: at Tuesday, January 24, 2006
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