Thursday, February 26, 2009
Expansion of LBJ-635 in Dallas, with new toll lanes, approved by Texas Transportation Commission
LBJ will be rebuilt by a team of developers led by Spain toll road company Cintra.
The Texas Transportation Commission voted Thursday 5-0 to conditionally award the New LBJ project to LBJ Development Partners -- another step toward a partnership with LBJ Development Partners to finance, design, construct, operate and maintain the 13-mile LBJ-635 corridor. The project will add new toll lanes as well as re-do existing lanes.
LBJ Development Partners will rebuild the LBJ-635 corridor using an innovative new design, enabling the new highway to be constructed while minimizing the need for additional right of way. This unique design features six depressed lanes (three lanes in each direction) that will operate as managed lanes and eight reconstructed main lanes cantilevered above the managed lanes. In addition, the project includes two-lane frontage roads in each direction, adding a third lane in several sections, for a total of 18-20 lanes. Construction is expected to take approximately five years to complete.
“Partnering with the private sector allows us to stretch $445 million taxpayer dollars to deliver an asset worth approximately $4 billion to the region. Innovative project development strategies, like the one used for the New LBJ, stimulate our economy, provide thousands of jobs and improve regional mobility and air quality,” said Texas Transportation Commission Chair Deirdre Delisi. “This is certainly a victory for North Texas residents, businesses and visitors.”
The involvement of local officials has guided planning for the New LBJ and will continue to influence the project even after completion. Throughout the development of the comprehensive development agreement, the North Central Texas Council of Governments (NCTCOG) and Regional Transportation Council (RTC), City of Dallas and Dallas County contributed significantly. Additionally, the NCTCOG/RTC managed lane policy will govern toll rates and collections. The North Texas Tollway Authority (NTTA) will handle toll collections on the managed lanes.
“This project belongs to the region. Local officials, business leaders and citizen groups have been involved in the development of our plans to rebuild the LBJ for years,” said Bill Hale, Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) Dallas district engineer. “The conditional award of this contract is an important step toward addressing the serious transportation problems our region faces.”
LBJ Development Partners is a partnership of American and international organizations, including multiple Texan firms. LBJ Development Partners won the conditional award because, after a thorough evaluation process, their proposal was determined to provide the best value for Texans and the greatest return on the investment of limited taxpayer funds. The proposal review process, guided by state statute, includes multiple safeguards to ensure that reviewers reach a fair and impartial recommendation.
“When we talk about millions and billions of dollars, the impact of that amount is fuzzy. Compare the project’s estimated value of $4 billion in North Texas with the expected stimulus package transportation funding amount - approximately $2.5 billion to the entire state. The contrast brings the full impact of what this means to our local economy into focus,” said Dallas City Council member and Regional Transportation Council Chair Linda Koop.
The state will retain ownership of the New LBJ at all times and LBJ Development Partners will be required to meet all federal and state regulations throughout the partnership. While LBJ Development Partners will retain the bulk of the toll revenue during the term of the 52-year contract, NTTA will be paid to handle toll collection. Additionally, if revenue is sufficient, the region will take in a portion of toll revenue, as defined by the final contract, for use on future North Texas
transportation projects. As with any contract with the private sector, TxDOT will conduct regular reviews and audits to ensure safety and quality is maintained.
Source: NTTA
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xian, says:
Huzzah! Soon, ALL roads shall become toll roads!!
Anonymous
11 months, 2 weeks agoLink to this comment | Suggest removal
Scott Doyle, says:
Xian, you of all people should be relatively happy they are not simply making it 100% a toll road. Have you read up on any of this?
<a href="http://www.newlbj.com/default.asp?p=2&s=1">Their plan</a> is to split between lanes open to the public and managed lanes. So, you can pay to get where you're going quicker, or suck it up and deal with regular traffic. That's the idea, at least.
Thank Jebus they aborted the tunnel idea.
Verified
11 months, 2 weeks agoLink to this comment | Suggest removal
Scott Doyle, says:
Some notes from the <a href="ftp://ftp.dot.state.tx.us/pub/txdot-info/dal/lbj_635/lbj_development_partners/tech_proposal_managed/Technical%20Proposal%20V1/Tab%20A-Executive%20Summary/Executive%20Summary.pdf">Executive Summary</a> of LBJ Development Partners:
Phases 1&2: Construct noise walls, utility relocations, drainage trunk lines and new/reconstructed frontage roads along the new right-of-way lines. Construct cross road overpass bridges and permanent/temporary widening to the outside of the existing General Purpose Lanes (GPL) of IH 635.
Phase 3: Shift GPL traffic to the outside of the existing pavement, construct the Managed Lanes and overhang structures in the center.
Phase 4: Shift GPL into final configuration and complete all ramps between the GPL and Frontage Roads
Several significant benefits and efficiencies result from this approach:
Frontage roads and cross street overpasses will be completed during the first two phases, which will minimize the impact on local stakeholders, relieve some congestion early in the project, and provide improved and unimpeded access to neighborhoods, pedestrians and businesses for the remaining duration of construction.
At least two frontage road lanes will remain open during peak hours of all phases of construction, which exceeds the CDA requirements of maintaining only one lane access on frontage roads.
Four main General Purpose Lanes on IH 635 will remain in operation throughout the construction period including through the DNT interchange. This exceeds the CDA requirements, which allow three GPL through the DNT Interchange during construction.
No major crossovers are proposed, meaning the traffic flow pattern for the eastbound and westbound GPL will remain in the existing configuration throughout construction. This will minimize the impact to motorists and improve safety.
Utilities and drainage are key issues that have been considered in construction staging and sequencing. Potential conflicts with existing utilities throughout the project limits have been identified. Where conflicts cannot be avoided, utility relocation plans will be developed.
Toll Operations
The Managed Lanes will be operated with state-of-theart technology to ensure pricing is set according to traffic conditions at any given moment and compliant with CDA requirements. Detectors on the roadway will monitor traffic conditions and congestion on the Managed Lanes throughout the day and will send the traffic data to the Toll Facility System (TFS) in charge of setting toll rates. The TFS will coordinate with Dynamic Toll Rate Signs designed to notify drivers of the current toll rate allowing them to easily and safely choose if they wish to enter the Managed Lanes.
At the entrances to the managed lanes, all vehicles will self-declare as either a High-Occupancy Vehicle (HOV) or a Single-Occupancy Vehicle (SOV) by driving through a tolling lane designated for either HOVs potentially entitled to a discount, or SOVs.
The Developer will deploy Automatic Vehicle Identification (AVI) technology capable of reading the transponders of passing vehicles. For vehicles without a valid transponder, license plate recognition cameras will capture images of the license plates for use in identifying and billing the registered owner. Automatic Vehicle Classification (AVC) will determine each vehicle’s size or number of axles and the system will adjust the toll amount accordingly.
The TFS will process video and transponder transactions and pass them to NTTA for posting to customer accounts.
Verified
11 months, 2 weeks agoLink to this comment | Suggest removal
xian, says:
Don't get me wrong, I was glad to see that they would leave original lanes open for the little people... My argument is this: Say, for example, you are going to spend 30 bucks over the course of a year to have the privilege of driving on a toll road. I guarantee that if the state levied a tax that would cost you $30/yr, and used that money to build the same highway, you would scream bloody murder.
Anonymous
11 months, 2 weeks agoLink to this comment | Suggest removal
Scott Doyle, says:
I'm not sure what you're insinuating here.
I'd scream bloody murder if they taxed me the same amount for a road I'll never drive on. Otherwise, I'm payin' for muh road either way - just a matter of who is more efficient.
Verified
11 months, 2 weeks agoLink to this comment | Suggest removal
Jason Rice, says:
ScoDo - how 'bout for a school you don't attend
Verified
11 months, 2 weeks agoLink to this comment | Suggest removal
jtmbls, says:
I'm just thankful all those spendthrifts will be off my highway and out of my way! Toll away!
Not looking forward to the construction though.
Anonymous
11 months, 2 weeks agoLink to this comment | Suggest removal
Jason Rice, says:
Yep - you pay for it at least twice, even if you don't use it. They have a great racket going.
Verified
11 months, 2 weeks agoLink to this comment | Suggest removal
Collin Gouldin, says:
Jason, I'd much rather pay taxes to educate the public rather than get them somewhere faster.
Verified
11 months, 2 weeks agoLink to this comment | Suggest removal
Scott Doyle, says:
J-Rice, I'll worry about that if/when I decide to purchase a home. At this point it's looking like hookers & blow would not only be a better time - possibly a better investment as well. Unless, of course, Obama will just outright buy me a house to store my hookers and blow. Maybe I should compose a letter...
Concur with your racket comment, though. This thing went from a $2 billion deal when bidding to a $4 billion deal once awarded.
Verified
11 months, 2 weeks agoLink to this comment | Suggest removal
xian, says:
I'm not sure what to think about the fact that it is a Spanish firm either.
Anonymous
11 months, 2 weeks agoLink to this comment | Suggest removal
Scott Doyle, says:
Doesn't really matter, imo. Still local jobs created. Not like they're shipping in as many migrants as possible for this.
It's simply owned elsewhere. I'd prefer the best candidate for the job, tbh. Why are you so racist, Xian?
Verified
11 months, 2 weeks agoLink to this comment | Suggest removal
Jason Rice, says:
Don't bite xian.
Spaniards aren't a race, troublemaker. I have to second xian's nationalist xenophobia, however.
Verified
11 months, 2 weeks agoLink to this comment | Suggest removal
Scott Doyle, says:
Excuse me: http://dictionary.reference.com/brows...
race 2 [reys] -noun 1. a group of persons related by common descent or heredity.
Believe Spaniards could easily be considered a race, my fine photoshopping friend! I already forgave you since you provided that wonderful pic, if you were wondering.
What can you do with the following?
<img src="http://img370.imageshack.us/img370/5448/ubinstantbaitcv1.jpg">
Verified
11 months, 2 weeks agoLink to this comment | Suggest removal
Jason Rice, says:
ScoDo you have cold-cocked me with that image before. There are just some things too perfect to mess with.
Verified
11 months, 2 weeks agoLink to this comment | Suggest removal
Jason Rice, says:
If you're asking for a custom tweak to ScoDo-ize it, glad to, but really it's too perfect.
Verified
11 months, 2 weeks agoLink to this comment | Suggest removal
Travis Bush, says:
He is way spoilt, Jason...don't give in to queer pressure.
Verified
11 months, 2 weeks agoLink to this comment | Suggest removal
Jesus Valadez, says:
I don't feel safe being in here.
Verified
11 months, 2 weeks agoLink to this comment | Suggest removal
Scott Doyle, says:
Can't argue with that, J-Rice.
T-Bush, don't take out your familial aggression on me now that pops is back in town. Just not fair.
Verified
11 months, 2 weeks agoLink to this comment | Suggest removal
Travis Bush, says:
With some guy named Valadez around, I don't either...
Verified
11 months, 2 weeks agoLink to this comment | Suggest removal
Jason Rice, says:
Can we get back to irrational hatred of a country best known for 30 hour work weeks and using cattle alternately for torture-sport and marathon-like population control?
Verified
11 months, 2 weeks agoLink to this comment | Suggest removal
Travis Bush, says:
"T-Bush, don't take out your familial aggression on me now that pops is back in town. Just not fair."
He loved you "best" for a reason...
Verified
11 months, 2 weeks agoLink to this comment | Suggest removal
What do you think?