"It seems like if we're driving on the Dallas toll road it probably should go towards Dallas roads, shouldn't it?"
Dallas looks into pulling out of Tollway Authority
January 11, 2006
By BRAD WATSON / WFAA-TV
Dallas County has started to study what it could do to legally pull out of the North Texas Tollway Authority (NTTA) after increasingly higher tolls to pay for new projects.
Some of the decision to look into pulling out started because of the debate whether Dallas residents should pay for Tarrant County's tolls. However, competition is another reason Dallas has started their study.
Many Dallas and Collin County drivers have said they don't like the idea of paying higher tolls for a road in Tarrant County they won't frequently use.
"It seems like if we're driving on the Dallas toll road it probably should go towards Dallas roads, shouldn't it?" said one Dallas driver.
"I'd rather my money go in Dallas where I live," said another Dallas driver.
The NTTA is raising tolls on all roads for the George Bush Tollway extension in northeast Dallas County and to heavily subsidize construction of the Southwest Parkway in Fort Worth.
"Well, I don't think you want users of one toll road to have to continue to subsidize a project that is not a feasible project no matter where it is," said Margaret Keliher, Dallas County judge.
With the legislature allowing private companies and TxDOT to build toll roads, Dallas County officials said they fear they will get the profitable projects and NTTA will get stuck building roads that require big money from Dallas drivers.
But Tarrant County officials said transportation problems are regional.
"And we expected that our partners would feel the same way when it came to Tarrant County," said Roy Brooks, Tarrant County commissioner.
What may not be clear by the possibility of Dallas pulling out is if Dallas drivers would be affected and what impact it would have on the planned NTTA toll road along the Trinity River near downtown Dallas.
E-mail bwatson@wfaa.com
© 2006 WFAA-TV www.wfaa.com
January 11, 2006
By BRAD WATSON / WFAA-TV
Dallas County has started to study what it could do to legally pull out of the North Texas Tollway Authority (NTTA) after increasingly higher tolls to pay for new projects.
Some of the decision to look into pulling out started because of the debate whether Dallas residents should pay for Tarrant County's tolls. However, competition is another reason Dallas has started their study.
Many Dallas and Collin County drivers have said they don't like the idea of paying higher tolls for a road in Tarrant County they won't frequently use.
"It seems like if we're driving on the Dallas toll road it probably should go towards Dallas roads, shouldn't it?" said one Dallas driver.
"I'd rather my money go in Dallas where I live," said another Dallas driver.
The NTTA is raising tolls on all roads for the George Bush Tollway extension in northeast Dallas County and to heavily subsidize construction of the Southwest Parkway in Fort Worth.
"Well, I don't think you want users of one toll road to have to continue to subsidize a project that is not a feasible project no matter where it is," said Margaret Keliher, Dallas County judge.
With the legislature allowing private companies and TxDOT to build toll roads, Dallas County officials said they fear they will get the profitable projects and NTTA will get stuck building roads that require big money from Dallas drivers.
But Tarrant County officials said transportation problems are regional.
"And we expected that our partners would feel the same way when it came to Tarrant County," said Roy Brooks, Tarrant County commissioner.
What may not be clear by the possibility of Dallas pulling out is if Dallas drivers would be affected and what impact it would have on the planned NTTA toll road along the Trinity River near downtown Dallas.
E-mail bwatson@wfaa.com
© 2006 WFAA-TV
posted by Porkus Maximus Tex: at Wednesday, January 11, 2006
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