74% oppose hiring private contractors to build and manage toll roads in San Antonio.

Privately operated toll roads get thumbs-down vote in Alamo City, poll shows

2/6/06

San Antonio Business Journal
Copyright 2006

Drivers are finding that a shortage of available highway funds, coupled with explosive growth, is causing highway congestion to worsen throughout Texas, including San Antonio.

In order to address what some have called a transportation-funding crisis, Texas Department of Transportation officials are now signing leases with private contractors to build and operate new toll roads.

Toll roads are currently planned in San Antonio along stretches of U.S. Highway 281 and Loop 1604 and possibly a portion of Interstate Highway 35.

However, a San Antonio Business Journal online Business Pulse survey shows little support for the state's plan to create privately operated toll roads to deal with traffic congestion.

Seventy-four percent of participants who voted in the poll oppose hiring private contractors to build and manage toll roads in San Antonio. Only 22 percent support such a move, while 3 percent were undecided.

© 2006 American City Business Journals Inc. sanantonio.bizjournals.com