"We're in favor of TxDOT living in their budget like the rest of us."
Toll road plans under scrutiny
05/24/2006
Lety Laurel
San Antonio Express-News
Copyright 2006
LEON VALLEY — A standing-room-only crowd packed the Leon Valley Community Center last Wednesday to hear about the possible construction of toll roads over Bandera Road.
Before an audience made up of Leon Valley and San Antonio residents, officials from the Texas Department of Transportation and the Alamo Regional Mobility Authority knocked heads with representatives from the San Antonio Toll Party in a forum that allowed all sides to give 10-to 15- minute presentations before a heated 30-minute question-and-answer session with rebuttals.
"I think it went well," said state Rep. Joaquin Castro, who organized the meeting along with San Antonio District 7 Councilwoman Elena Guajardo. "Both sides of the argument were expressed, and also I think the RMA and TxDOT had the opportunity to lay out some of their ideas."
Guajardo said the turnout was impressive, especially on a Spurs game night.
"It was between the Spurs and the Idol show was on. That was the joke," she said. "But it was over 300 people, standing room only."
The RMA is studying relieving congestion on Bandera Road from Loop 410 to Loop 1604 by adding toll lanes along the 7.5-mile route.
According to the authority, the study area sees 31,000 to 53,000 vehicles each day, and that number is projected to increase to 68,300 to 106,900 daily by 2030.
In her presentation, RMA executive director Terry Brechtel told the audience that officials predict an $8.4 billion shortfall over the next 25 years to fund transportation projects in Bexar County. One way to fund projects now would be through a tolling mechanism, she said.
"We're facing a significant increase in population, and with that increase in population we're going to see a significant increase in our demand for infrastructure, particularly in local streets, highways and major corridors," she said.
"And we're going to continue to see a funding shortfall because ... around the state, gas tax does not truly pay for even the maintenance of our roadways."
What everyone can agree on, she said, is that congestion is bad.
"It's going to get worse unless we as a community do something about it now," she said.
Terri Hall, regional director and founder of San Antonio Toll Party, an organization opposed to tolls on roads or rights of way already paid for with tax dollars, and transportation consultant Bill Barker stressed that the issue goes beyond Bandera Road.
"This is about a statewide shift to tolling existing freeways — and, yes, Bandera Road is an existing road and an existing right of way, and whether it's up in the sky in an elevated toll way or down on the ground, it's still taking our existing right of way purchased with your gas tax dollars and trying to put a toll on it and charging twice to use it," Hall said.
As for making transportation improvements with a budget shortfall, Barker said: "We're in favor of TxDOT living in their budget like the rest of us."
In the audience made up mostly of Leon Valley residents, there was support for both sides of the issue.
Leon Valley resident Ernest Medellin, who has lived in the city for 28 years, said he is against tolling.
"It's bad enough we have to pay the gas (prices) we're paying, but to pay 25 cents to a dollar to go to H-E-B because we forgot the eggs ... I want to discourage the whole idea, but I don't think we will win this deal," he said. "I think it's a done deal because somebody's for it, and I don't know who they are."
But Mike Villyard, who lives in Stone Oak, said he doesn't see much of a choice other than to add toll lanes.
"I have seen congestion grow remarkably," he said. "I don't like to pay tolls, but I'd like congestion to lessen. I don't like to pay taxes, but it's the price you pay for the convenience and joy of living in a great country."
llaurel@express-news.net
© 2006 San Antonio Express-News: www.mysanantonio.com
05/24/2006
Lety Laurel
San Antonio Express-News
Copyright 2006
LEON VALLEY — A standing-room-only crowd packed the Leon Valley Community Center last Wednesday to hear about the possible construction of toll roads over Bandera Road.
Before an audience made up of Leon Valley and San Antonio residents, officials from the Texas Department of Transportation and the Alamo Regional Mobility Authority knocked heads with representatives from the San Antonio Toll Party in a forum that allowed all sides to give 10-to 15- minute presentations before a heated 30-minute question-and-answer session with rebuttals.
"I think it went well," said state Rep. Joaquin Castro, who organized the meeting along with San Antonio District 7 Councilwoman Elena Guajardo. "Both sides of the argument were expressed, and also I think the RMA and TxDOT had the opportunity to lay out some of their ideas."
Guajardo said the turnout was impressive, especially on a Spurs game night.
"It was between the Spurs and the Idol show was on. That was the joke," she said. "But it was over 300 people, standing room only."
The RMA is studying relieving congestion on Bandera Road from Loop 410 to Loop 1604 by adding toll lanes along the 7.5-mile route.
According to the authority, the study area sees 31,000 to 53,000 vehicles each day, and that number is projected to increase to 68,300 to 106,900 daily by 2030.
In her presentation, RMA executive director Terry Brechtel told the audience that officials predict an $8.4 billion shortfall over the next 25 years to fund transportation projects in Bexar County. One way to fund projects now would be through a tolling mechanism, she said.
"We're facing a significant increase in population, and with that increase in population we're going to see a significant increase in our demand for infrastructure, particularly in local streets, highways and major corridors," she said.
"And we're going to continue to see a funding shortfall because ... around the state, gas tax does not truly pay for even the maintenance of our roadways."
What everyone can agree on, she said, is that congestion is bad.
"It's going to get worse unless we as a community do something about it now," she said.
Terri Hall, regional director and founder of San Antonio Toll Party, an organization opposed to tolls on roads or rights of way already paid for with tax dollars, and transportation consultant Bill Barker stressed that the issue goes beyond Bandera Road.
"This is about a statewide shift to tolling existing freeways — and, yes, Bandera Road is an existing road and an existing right of way, and whether it's up in the sky in an elevated toll way or down on the ground, it's still taking our existing right of way purchased with your gas tax dollars and trying to put a toll on it and charging twice to use it," Hall said.
As for making transportation improvements with a budget shortfall, Barker said: "We're in favor of TxDOT living in their budget like the rest of us."
In the audience made up mostly of Leon Valley residents, there was support for both sides of the issue.
Leon Valley resident Ernest Medellin, who has lived in the city for 28 years, said he is against tolling.
"It's bad enough we have to pay the gas (prices) we're paying, but to pay 25 cents to a dollar to go to H-E-B because we forgot the eggs ... I want to discourage the whole idea, but I don't think we will win this deal," he said. "I think it's a done deal because somebody's for it, and I don't know who they are."
But Mike Villyard, who lives in Stone Oak, said he doesn't see much of a choice other than to add toll lanes.
"I have seen congestion grow remarkably," he said. "I don't like to pay tolls, but I'd like congestion to lessen. I don't like to pay taxes, but it's the price you pay for the convenience and joy of living in a great country."
llaurel@express-news.net
© 2006 San Antonio Express-News:
posted by Porkus Maximus Tex: at Wednesday, May 24, 2006
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