North Texas Tollway Authority Plans to Finance Toll Road Projects

Also, Rail North Texas plan gets green light; TxDOT inks the deal to move several projects forward with NTTA funding; more than $400 million pledged by the tollway authority.

Rail North Texas Plan Approved, Legislature Tapped for OK on New Taxing Entity

In mid-December, the Regional Transportation Council, an independent transportation policy body of the Metropolitan Planning Organization, voted in favor of its Rail North Texas plan that could lead to the creation of a new taxing entity called the Transportation District. The North Central Texas Council of Governments serves the region as its Metropolitan Planning Organization to address the needs of the rapidly growing Dallas-Fort Worth area.

The RTC now plans to go to the Legislature to request permission to hold county elections in the Dallas-Fort Worth area to get tax money to fund the public transportation initiatives. The ultimate goal of Rail North Texas, formed in February 2008, is to build hundreds of miles of regional passenger rail throughout the region.

“The Regional Transportation Council passed the resolution with enthusiasm to move on to the Legislature and work together regionally to find a way to fund this rail,” says Chad Edwards, program manager with North Central Texas Council of Governments.

The creation of a Transportation District would be similar to existing water districts or community college districts that can levy fees and taxes, with voter approval, issue debt for projects and pay for operations.

The next step will be for local leaders to work with the Texas Legislature when it  convenes in January. If the Legislature agrees, individual counties, including Tarrant and Denton, could be asked to vote as soon as November on the items, similar to a bond election.

The plan could present an opportunity for cities such as Colleyville along the Cotton Belt line to join in the passenger rail planned to start by 2012. Cities such as Grapevine, which have already voted to participate and pay their share for a transit station, could receive other benefits from the plans, such as needed highway and road improvements, says Michael Morris, director of transportation for the North Central Texas Council of Governments.

“The Transportation District would be a funding area with a mechanism to collect revenue – taxes, fees etc. – from areas outside areas of the current transportation authority boundaries,” Edwards says. “Some of the money collected would go for rail projects and other monies would go toward other transportation projects.”

The transit projects that would likely receive funding are similar to the commuter rail that the Trinity Railway Express has, Edwards says.

“There are a lot of different things we are trying to achieve. We want to reduce [traffic] congestion, improve air quality, improve mobility and provide transportation options in the region,” Edwards says. “State demographers are calling for an additional 3 million people in the region by 2025. We’ve been saying this for a long time – we can’t move them all by road. We have to provide transportation options to get around.”

TxDOT, NTTA Strike Deal to Advance Three Projects in North Texas

The Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) and the North Texas Tollway Authority agreed to a partnership that advances three of the region’s critical mobility projects.

The agreement calls for NTTA to develop State Highway 161 for TxDOT to provide a toll equity loan to guarantee payment of eligible costs associated with the development, operation and maintenance of the SH 161 toll project. The partners also agreed to waive market valuation on Chisholm Trail and combine this project with Southwest Parkway to enhance the project’s feasibility and expedite its delivery. Subject to the NTTA establishing feasibility and previously-programmed Regional Transportation Council funds remaining committed to these projects, the NTTA will deliver the entire Southwest Parkway /Chisholm Trail project and TxDOT will be relieved of its financial commitment to build major interchanges on Southwest Parkway.

NTTA will commit an equity contribution of $400 million to be used on the development of these projects. After exercising its option to develop, finance, construct and operate the SH 161 project, the NTTA retains the discretion to not undertake the project for any reason, including negative rating impacts to the NTTA System. The NTTA retains the same discretion to not undertake the SWP/CT project.

Located in southwestern Dallas County, the SH 161 project is an approximately 11.5-mi link in the growing loop around Dallas County. It begins at SH 183 just south of the terminus of the President George Bush Turnpike and ends at IH-20. Designed as a limited access toll road, it will open as an all-electronic toll road on a phased basis starting in August 2009.

Galveston Causeway Project Completed

After more than five years under construction, the IH-45 Galveston Causeway new southbound entrance ramp from Tiki Island opened in mid-November.

In June 2003, the Texas Transportation Commission awarded the IH-45 Galveston Causeway construction project to Traylor Brothers Inc. of Evansville, Ind., for $135.9 million. Construction began in October 2003 and is was recently completed.

U.S. 75 and Parker Road Construction Project Progressing

In mid-December, the Texas Department of Transportation closed the U.S. 75 main lanes at Parker Road in Plano overnight for a week while Dallas-based W.W. Webber, LLC demolished the southern half of the existing Parker Road bridge.

Second Phase Begins on FM 156 Realignment in Denton County

Work began in December on the second phase of the Farm-to-Market Road 156 realignment in Haslet. The new 1.2-mi roadway will have one lane in each direction with shoulders. Construction of the first 3.1-mi phase from State Highway 114 in Denton County to Intermodal Parkway began in March.

The realignment of FM 156 is a cooperative effort between the Texas Department of Transportation, the Federal Highway Administration, Tarrant County and the city of Fort Worth. TxDOT awarded the second phase to T.J. Lambrecht of Joliet, Ill., for $9.1 million.

Completion of construction for the first phase is scheduled for spring. The second phase is scheduled for completion by summer 2010.