Re: "Transportation bill curbs agency's powers – Legislature: Senate plan would increase regional bodies' voice on projects," Thursday news story. I would like to ask our local state legislators why they allowed the toll road moratorium to exempt State Highway 121. It is utterly preposterous to stop all toll roads in the state except one. Is the Frisco/Plano area of Collin County the cash cow for the rest of the metroplex? What happens if alternative highway funding becomes available during the two-year period? Does Cintra give back Highway 121? Yes, we need the highway to be built, but a two-year delay is nothing compared to being stuck for a 50-year commitment to pay tolls, so other localities can build their roads at our expense. The "outcry" by state Rep. Charlie Geren, R-Fort Worth; state Rep. Vicki Truitt, R-Keller; and others is self-serving. Try to toll Highway 114 through Southlake and see the reaction. Locally, Collin County Commissioner Joe Jaynes and McKinney Mayor Pro Tem Brian Loughmiller applaud the exemption, because they daydream that tolls will pay for North Central Expressway improvements, again at our expense. Plano already has two toll roads. One letter writer pointed out that all citizens will pay more for purchased goods, as businesses that are forced to use toll roads pass along their costs. Part of Highway 121 from the Dallas North Tollway to Hillcrest was already funded by the Texas Department of Transportation, yet it's part of the "sale." Someone has to step forward and put a stop to this inequity. Perhaps a lawsuit is the only option – or the next election. In any event, the local taxpayers should not have to pay the brunt of fixing what the Legislature failed to address for years. Joe Schumacher, Plano
4/20/2007
DALLAS NEWS LETTER TO EDITOR TODAY
Delay 121 also
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2 comments:
"Part of Highway 121 from the Dallas North Tollway to Hillcrest was already funded by the Texas Department of Transportation..."
Does anyone have a citation for this? I recall reading it in a DMN article a year or so ago, but I have never been able to find corroboration, particularly if it came from someone at TxDOT.
I believe this is the point that should be used to stop the tolling of 121. If even to make that stretch free and collection of tolls on the road as inconvenient as possible. I really cannot believe that 1) this double taxation can be legal and 2) there isn't a massive outcry from the citizenry if it is true.
I've reported on this blog (and confirmed with a transportation reporter) that over $700 million of the 121 roads are funded with our tax dollars - that goes to Cintra to profit from for 50 years.
That does not include hundreds of millions of right of way that we paid for, that was inteneded to be free expressways.
Public highways have never been tolled in the history of the US - tolls have always been whole new routes that suppliment our freeways.
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