"There were questions about whether local officials and state leaders wanted I-35W developed as a toll road."
Toll project shelved for now
By GORDON DICKSON
Fort Worth Star-Telegram
Copyright 2006
AUSTIN - Once again, Tarrant County commuters are stuck in traffic.
Plans to build privately run toll lanes on Northeast Loop 820 and Airport Freeway were shelved Tuesday by state transportation officials, who said the project across more than 30 miles in Tarrant and Dallas counties had become too problematic.
The delay may frustrate many motorists who have been waiting more than a decade for road work to begin between Alliance and Dallas/Fort Worth airports, but state officials pledged to restart the bidding immediately -- with a better blueprint.
Construction could still be under way by 2009 or earlier, they said.
Four bidders had offered to build median toll lanes, but each wanted to start in the Dallas area first because they could collect more toll revenue early on, officials said. That didn't sit well with Tarrant County officials, who say congestion relief is sorely needed in the Fort Worth section, where toll lanes might not have been built for years.
Tarrant County leaders had already earmarked some local money for the project.
Dallas officials had other priorities.
Last week, Tarrant County Commissioner Glen Whitley asked that the Tarrant County portion of the project be separated from the Dallas County portion. Whitley and other members of the newly formed 35W Coalition also have called for toll lanes on Interstate 35W to be included in the project.
Whitley's letter helped state officials realize it was time to start over, said Ric Williamson of Weatherford, Texas Transportation Commission chairman.
"If we start down a road and something goes wrong, we can't be afraid to stop, step back and even suffer losses," Williamson said.
Construction of the Tarrant County toll lanes won't necessarily be delayed, Texas Department of Transportation officials said. Redrawing the project is only expected to take about two months. During that time, an environmental study will continue. By the end of the year, private companies may again be at the bidding table.
"This will not stop the project development," said Russell Laughlin of Hillwood Properties, who is transportation chairman for the 35W Coalition. The group is fighting for I-35W traffic alleviation from Meacham Boulevard to Alliance Airport.
Instead of extending the median toll lanes more than 30 miles from Interstate 35W to Interstate 35E, Tarrant County officials say they want the lanes to go only about as far east as Texas 161, near the D/FW Airport south entrance.
But new elements could be added, including toll lanes on Interstate 35W, perhaps from Meacham Boulevard to Alliance Airport, and reconstruction of the I-35W and Loop 820 interchange.
Private companies hadn't been sure how much of I-35W to include in the project. There were questions about whether local officials and state leaders wanted I-35W developed as a toll road.
After the 35W Coalition called last week for I-35W to be doubled to four lanes in each direction, with two toll lanes and two nontoll lanes, the local acceptance of toll lanes became more clear.
Jose M. Lopez de Fuentes, director of U.S. projects for Cintra, one of the companies bidding on the project, said he wasn't upset by the state's decision to scrap all the bids.
"We liked the project a lot, but we will like it much better after it is repackaged," Lopez said. "I think it will still happen. I think it will happen soon."
The setback in Tarrant County was the only bad news announced during a workshop held by state officials in Austin to brief lenders, engineers and other interested companies on $27 billion worth of Texas toll road projects.
More than 400 people attended the briefing, including representatives of overseas companies. Officials said 600 people also watched an online broadcast.
Projects include the Trans-Texas Corridor toll road from the Metroplex to San Antonio.
Median toll lanes on the Grapevine Funnel project also may be farmed out to the private sector, said Phil Russell, director of the Texas Turnpike Authority Division, as well as improvements to Texas 360 and potentially dozens of other state projects originally planned as nontoll roads.
Gordon Dickson, (817) 685-3816 gdickson@star-telegram.com
© 2006 Fort Worth Star-Telegram: www.dfw.com
By GORDON DICKSON
Fort Worth Star-Telegram
Copyright 2006
AUSTIN - Once again, Tarrant County commuters are stuck in traffic.
Plans to build privately run toll lanes on Northeast Loop 820 and Airport Freeway were shelved Tuesday by state transportation officials, who said the project across more than 30 miles in Tarrant and Dallas counties had become too problematic.
The delay may frustrate many motorists who have been waiting more than a decade for road work to begin between Alliance and Dallas/Fort Worth airports, but state officials pledged to restart the bidding immediately -- with a better blueprint.
Construction could still be under way by 2009 or earlier, they said.
Four bidders had offered to build median toll lanes, but each wanted to start in the Dallas area first because they could collect more toll revenue early on, officials said. That didn't sit well with Tarrant County officials, who say congestion relief is sorely needed in the Fort Worth section, where toll lanes might not have been built for years.
Tarrant County leaders had already earmarked some local money for the project.
Dallas officials had other priorities.
Last week, Tarrant County Commissioner Glen Whitley asked that the Tarrant County portion of the project be separated from the Dallas County portion. Whitley and other members of the newly formed 35W Coalition also have called for toll lanes on Interstate 35W to be included in the project.
Whitley's letter helped state officials realize it was time to start over, said Ric Williamson of Weatherford, Texas Transportation Commission chairman.
"If we start down a road and something goes wrong, we can't be afraid to stop, step back and even suffer losses," Williamson said.
Construction of the Tarrant County toll lanes won't necessarily be delayed, Texas Department of Transportation officials said. Redrawing the project is only expected to take about two months. During that time, an environmental study will continue. By the end of the year, private companies may again be at the bidding table.
"This will not stop the project development," said Russell Laughlin of Hillwood Properties, who is transportation chairman for the 35W Coalition. The group is fighting for I-35W traffic alleviation from Meacham Boulevard to Alliance Airport.
Instead of extending the median toll lanes more than 30 miles from Interstate 35W to Interstate 35E, Tarrant County officials say they want the lanes to go only about as far east as Texas 161, near the D/FW Airport south entrance.
But new elements could be added, including toll lanes on Interstate 35W, perhaps from Meacham Boulevard to Alliance Airport, and reconstruction of the I-35W and Loop 820 interchange.
Private companies hadn't been sure how much of I-35W to include in the project. There were questions about whether local officials and state leaders wanted I-35W developed as a toll road.
After the 35W Coalition called last week for I-35W to be doubled to four lanes in each direction, with two toll lanes and two nontoll lanes, the local acceptance of toll lanes became more clear.
Jose M. Lopez de Fuentes, director of U.S. projects for Cintra, one of the companies bidding on the project, said he wasn't upset by the state's decision to scrap all the bids.
"We liked the project a lot, but we will like it much better after it is repackaged," Lopez said. "I think it will still happen. I think it will happen soon."
The setback in Tarrant County was the only bad news announced during a workshop held by state officials in Austin to brief lenders, engineers and other interested companies on $27 billion worth of Texas toll road projects.
More than 400 people attended the briefing, including representatives of overseas companies. Officials said 600 people also watched an online broadcast.
Projects include the Trans-Texas Corridor toll road from the Metroplex to San Antonio.
Median toll lanes on the Grapevine Funnel project also may be farmed out to the private sector, said Phil Russell, director of the Texas Turnpike Authority Division, as well as improvements to Texas 360 and potentially dozens of other state projects originally planned as nontoll roads.
Gordon Dickson, (817) 685-3816 gdickson@star-telegram.com
© 2006 Fort Worth Star-Telegram:
posted by Porkus Maximus Tex: at Wednesday, January 18, 2006
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