All about Texas Toll Roads (Houston, Dallas: schools, taxes, live)

[maluminse]

Im fairly certain this idea came from a yankee transplanted here. I always bragged how we had no toll roads in Texas to the people in Chicago. Tons of toll roads there. All of them promised to be removed after whatever it was was paid for. None of them removed all of them still there.

Usually its "we need it for schools (children)" Who can say no to that. Long after the school is paid for or even never paid for the money gets diverted to the general fund and complacency sets in.

Texas never had these because we have as a state massive revenue from oil profits/taxes. So weve always been a rich state and had ample highway revenue.

Oil is at an all time high.

How in the he@@ can they be talking about toll roads? where did this come from?

[Bayag_Mo_Gago]

Originally Posted by maluminse

Im fairly certain this idea came from a yankee transplanted here. I always bragged how we had no toll roads in Texas to the people in Chicago.

Texas never had these because we have as a state massive revenue from oil profits/taxes. So weve always been a rich state and had ample highway revenue.

You need to do some serious research. All of Texas' major cities has them except SA.

If you think there is ample hwy revenue, then why do the roads/freeways look like they were designed in the WWII era?

[maluminse]

Originally Posted by Bayag_Mo_Gago

You need to do some serious research. All of Texas' major cities has them except SA.

If you think there is ample hwy revenue, then why do the roads/freeways look like they were designed in the WWII era?

wha? our highways are amazing. Have you driven in Illinois? Michigan? They havent even discoverd the turn around or the notion that if theres an exit on a road there should also be an entrance. Not to mention gaping pieces of asphalt missing, massive bumps and humps.

Well was in Austin a few weeks ago didnt see any. Lived in Dallas and there was one toll way which runs parallel to a highway. So that leaves Houston. The toll road in Dallas is a road of convenience. Nonetheless it hasnt proliferated there and it shouldnt start here.

[firstclassflyer]

Houston has tolls as well.

[940]

Originally Posted by maluminse

Well was in Austin a few weeks ago didnt see any. Lived in Dallas and there was one toll way which runs parallel to a highway. So that leaves Houston. The toll road in Dallas is a road of convenience. Nonetheless it hasnt proliferated there and it shouldnt start here.

Toll roads are pretty much everywhere in the DFW area now, with many more on the way. Dallas North Tollway has now been extended to Hwy 380 between Denton and McKinney, with plans to eventually reach Grayson County just south of Sherman....Pres George Bush Turnpike is being extended through Garland and Rowlett on the far east to meet up at I-30.... Hwy 121 is now a toll road and is about to open as a brand new major freeway from Coppell, just west of I-35, through Carrollton, The Colony and Frisco connecting with US 75 (Central Expressway) in McKinney..... Lake Lewisville Toll Bridge is being built now to connect I-35E in Lake Dallas/Corinth across the lake to Little Elm and Frisco to make it faster to reach Frisco and the Dallas North Tollway.... Fort Worth is planning to build the Southwest Parkway Toll Road from I-30 east of downtown to eventually end at Cleburne in Johnson County.... Downtown Dallas is wanting to build the Trinity Parkway through the old Trinity River area which will also be a huge park just west of downtown....and the list goes on...

You definitely need a Toll Tag to avoid having to stop at the coin booths...Hwy 121 won't have booths but will charge your Toll Tag automatically or bill your license plate if you have no Toll Tag...that's supposedly how they all will become soon.

Here's a link to all the projects in the DFW area:

North Texas Tollway Authority


I can't speak for Houston but they have a lot planned as well besides the ones they already have....

[cheermomof4girls]

[quote=maluminse;1905699]w
Well was in Austin a few weeks ago didnt see any. QUOTE]

Actually, Austin does have toll roads now.

[johnrex62]

Originally Posted by Bayag_Mo_Gago

You need to do some serious research. All of Texas' major cities has them except SA.

If you think there is ample hwy revenue, then why do the roads/freeways look like they were designed in the WWII era?

Well, most likely because they were. Dwight Eisenhauer pushed the design and began implemenation during his presidency during WWII. The national highway system was originally called the Eisenhauer Highway system.


Toll roads outside of one in Dallas and a very few in Houston did not exist until just recently. We have fought them for years and finally lost the battle. Hopefully the war is not over though.

[ryneone]

Toll roads would have made sense if they ALL started out that way. You pay for the road that you drive on. But now we are paying twice for some roads. Granted we are lied to all the time by politician's. It does not make it right. Tolls roads are slowly becoming a fact of life. Because the politician's cant cut spending on useless items they have to tax us more. Lame yes but we are responsible because we elect them.

[tgannaway89]

Yep, the 2% of eligible Bexar voters that get out and vote

[Insomniac]

SA has been lucky enough not to need toll roads, and honestly wouldn't need them now from what I've come to learn as there was money saved up to fund the 281 expansion but because of... rising costs "yeah right" the money wasn't enough so now they're going to toll it. As for 1604, I can understand having to toll that (which they are) because it's a big project and I doubt there is any money for that or if any could be allocated in the next 10 or 20 years.