"If you have questions or concerns about tolls, you might want to call Madrid and see how that goes."
Toll Alternatives Proposed
2/1/2006
Jim Forsyth
WOAI TV
San Antonio
Two Bexar County Commissioners who oppose the construction of toll roads on the far north side are proposing a non toll alternative to the Texas Legislature and the Texas Department of Transportation, 1200 WOAI news reported today.
Republican Lyle Larson and Democrat Tommy Adkisson are asking Bexar County lawmakers to urge TxDOT to support revisions to Highway 281 between 1604 and the Comal County line.
Larson says TxDOT should built overpasses to take through traffic on 281 over Encino Rio, Evans Road, Stone Oak Parkway, and Borgfield Road, and build one extra lane both northbound and southbound.
"Build an additional lane each direction and see what the cost is, rather than just going in and tolling these roads," Larson proposed in his letter, obtained by 1200 WOAI's Bud Little.
Traffic lights at those intersections, as well as poor planning in the construction phase of 281, is given most of the blame for the massive congestion on the highway today. In addition, explosive development in the area, which will only get worse when Washington Mutual adds several thousand jobs to the complex of buildings at 281 and Stone Oak Parkway, will add to the nightmare.
TxDOT and the Bexar County Regional Mobility Authority have proposed building new express toll lanes along 281, but that plan is stalled indefinitely due to environmental concerns and much stronger than expected opposition from toll road opponents, including Larson and Adkisson.
"We should take a sensible approach to simply build overpasses, rather than allowing the state to just come in and toll it," Larson said.
Adkisson has expressed concern that a Spanish based company is among the bidders to build and operate the Bexar County toll system, saying if you have questions or concerns about tolls, you 'might want to call Madrid and see how that goes.'
© 2006 Clear Channel Broadcasting, Inc. www.woai.com
2/1/2006
Jim Forsyth
WOAI TV
San Antonio
Two Bexar County Commissioners who oppose the construction of toll roads on the far north side are proposing a non toll alternative to the Texas Legislature and the Texas Department of Transportation, 1200 WOAI news reported today.
Republican Lyle Larson and Democrat Tommy Adkisson are asking Bexar County lawmakers to urge TxDOT to support revisions to Highway 281 between 1604 and the Comal County line.
Larson says TxDOT should built overpasses to take through traffic on 281 over Encino Rio, Evans Road, Stone Oak Parkway, and Borgfield Road, and build one extra lane both northbound and southbound.
"Build an additional lane each direction and see what the cost is, rather than just going in and tolling these roads," Larson proposed in his letter, obtained by 1200 WOAI's Bud Little.
Traffic lights at those intersections, as well as poor planning in the construction phase of 281, is given most of the blame for the massive congestion on the highway today. In addition, explosive development in the area, which will only get worse when Washington Mutual adds several thousand jobs to the complex of buildings at 281 and Stone Oak Parkway, will add to the nightmare.
TxDOT and the Bexar County Regional Mobility Authority have proposed building new express toll lanes along 281, but that plan is stalled indefinitely due to environmental concerns and much stronger than expected opposition from toll road opponents, including Larson and Adkisson.
"We should take a sensible approach to simply build overpasses, rather than allowing the state to just come in and toll it," Larson said.
Adkisson has expressed concern that a Spanish based company is among the bidders to build and operate the Bexar County toll system, saying if you have questions or concerns about tolls, you 'might want to call Madrid and see how that goes.'
© 2006 Clear Channel Broadcasting, Inc.
posted by Porkus Maximus Tex: at Wednesday, February 01, 2006
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