TxDOT hosts public hearing to discuss new Sam Rayburn Tollway

by PegNews wire

The Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) will conduct a public hearing to gather comments from interested people regarding the proposed transfer to the North Texas Tollway Authority (NTTA) of a portion of State Highway 121 from Hillcrest Road to Watters Road in Collin County. The hearing is scheduled for Wednesday, Sept. 30 at 4 p.m., at the Maribelle Davis Library, 7501 Independence Pkwy, Suite B, Plano, Texas.

Following the public hearing, this portion of SH 121 mainlanes will become part of the North Texas Tollway Authority (NTTA) system and will become an extension of the recently renamed Sam Rayburn Tollway; however, the service roads will retain the SH 121 designation. The new 7-mile segment of roadway is scheduled to open Tuesday, Sept. 29.

A one-way trip on the 9-mile section of Sam Rayburn Tollway from Watters Road in Allen/McKinney to the Dallas North Tollway in Frisco/Plano is expected to take less than 8 minutes during peak traffic times. Not only can motorists expect to save time and fuel by avoiding traffic lights, they will help improve the region’s air quality at the same time.

As an all-electronic toll collection facility, the Sam Rayburn Tollway has no tollbooths. Customers with an NTTA TollTag, a TxDOT-issued TxTag, or a Harris County Toll Road Authority EZ Tag will have tolls deducted from their accounts. Vehicles without one of these electronic transponders and ZipCash customers will have a photo taken of their license plate, and they will be billed by mail. ZipCash rates are 50% higher than TollTag, TxTag, and EZ Tag rates to offset the higher cost of collection.

Rates for all vehicles traveling on SH 121 or any other NTTA facility are posted on the NTTA website, and are prominently displayed on rate signs along all tollway roads.

The NTTA’s Segment 4, the SH 121/U.S. 75 interchange, is under construction and is scheduled to be completed and open to traffic by January 2011.

Segment 5, the addition of direct-connect bridges linking SH 121 with the Dallas North Tollway, is currently in the environmental-approval process and is scheduled to be open to traffic by January 2012.

Source: TxDOT

Staff
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Anonymous

Why the heck are they having a hearing?

It's a done deal, right. The palms have been greased. The dotted line signed.

:: Following the public hearing, this portion of SH 121 mainlanes
::will become part of the North Texas Tollway Authority

Why are they pretending?

Jason Rice Verified

1 month, 3 weeks ago
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I never understand the need for Toll Roads ever. And, aren't taxes collected to pay for our roads? And isn't this a form of additional TAX therefore? What is the Process to "consider" the need for a NEW tollroad? I think the general public, as I do, has the concept that information and decisions made in this regard are not relayed in an appropriate and timely way to attract public involvement deciding for example whether to have another toll road anywhere in Texas. It should always be a public Vote before a decision is made to build a new toll road. I do not believe this is the case. The Public is woefully informed (and always in my opinion) too late to have a recognizable voice in these matters.