SH 130 toll road (Austin, Georgetown, Seguin: power lines, neighborhoods, tax)

[jobert]

Does anyone think this is a good idea? Is it needed? If so, why?



Discuss!!!

[datacity]

Has this not been a done deal for well over a year with many segments open? Or are you referring to the extension to Seguin?

[pbnj07]

I think any highway additions are good for Austin long-term, even if they serve very little immediate purpose.

Expansion is inevitable. It's easier to build a highway across farmland than a crowded suburb!

[Spookmeister]

In 10 years it will carry double the traffic on I-35, so the question is pointless. Should it have been a toll road, is the more relevant question.

[jobert]

I guess my point is that the toll road was to alleviate traffic on I-35 by bypassing downtown - the rational being that truckers will pay extra to drive out of the way to avoid the downtown traffic, yet i-35 is still backed up with long lines of semis during morning rush hour. Can anyone attest whether 130 is actually being used? - does anyone in this forum live near it, use it, etc? Why would a toll road be built in a relatively less affluent part of town?

[Spookmeister]

A lot of the trucks use it right now. I've also seen more people in the areas around it use it as well, at least to 290, heading south, and I assume they use it northbound too when going back. It's a much needed alternative to I-35, it will take a little time for the traffic to really build up using it. Better to have it in place now when the area is relatively sparsely populated. Imagine trying to design/build that road on the west side of Austin, and the opposition to it, even though those that would most benefit from it, would put up. Everyone wants traffic alleviation and solutions but then opposes every logical suggestion to it.

[love roses]

Because we couldn't dare have any kind of eyesore where wealthy people live, now could we? Or are you saying that only wealthy people should have access to a toll road? Do the more affluent residents of Oak Bluff and River Place not count as much as the ones in Steiner or the like? I live near the toll road and use it extremely often as do the thousands of other people who don't live right next to 35. Gradually, I've noticed an increase in traffic on it, but it still is nowhere near as heavily used as 35. Many of the truckers that live in this area use the toll road but most of the trucks driving 35 probably loaded up somewhere closer to 35 and are traveling it from Mexico into Canada. I know that lots of people all the way from Pflugerville to Georgetown use it to get from point A to point B. I30 is our 35

[jobert]

love roses - my point being is that why should people in eastern travis county have to pay to drive on highways?

Would you give away food to rich people, then charge everyone else to eat?

[love roses]

In part I think Spookmeister has a good point. But, even though Eastern Travis County and Williamson County aren't as affluent, we're not so poor we can't pay a toll. I do see what you mean, and I do agree but I don't think most people would be half as aggravated about paying the tolls if the money weren't going to interests in Spain. Eventually it will be paid for and will not be a toll hopefully, but I guess I'm going to defer back to Spookmeisters post on the other points.

Now, if you mentioned the power lines, I would 100% agree. Why should we have to endure that mess just to make the power load better for people who live West? We don't want it on this side of town anymore than they'd want it on theirs

[atxcio]

I'm not a big fan of SH130. I don't see any noticable decrease in 18 wheelers on I35... especially at night/non-rush hour times. I question whether it will be an effective bypass, because:

1) When gas prices are low, people will use I35 anyway to avoid the expensive tolls (when complete, I think the total bypass route will cost like $12 to drive)

2) When gas prices are high, people will use I35 anyway because of the gas cost for all the extra mileage added to the trip by using the bypass.

3) Again because of the extra mileage, you aren't going to save any significant amount of time driving around Austin vs. driving through it on I35. I think the Statesman ran some tests, and during rush hour 130 was just a few minutes faster. During all other times I35 was faster.

4) Oh, and if they implement the "mileage tax"... that would seem like a killer as far as 130 being used as a bypass. Toll + expensive gas + mileage tax would just be too much money.

Seems like the formula just doesn't work. The expectation is that people will be willing to pay extra to bypass the hassle of Austin traffic; but especially these days, I'd imagine most truckers (and anyone else) would probably opt to put up with the hassle and save the money.

I do see that it is good for certain for certain neighborhoods, especially N and NE, with routes to the airport.