NTTA Goes to Austin

The North Texas Tollway Authority (NTTA) kicked off the New Year with a trip to Austin to participate in quarterly TeamTX events. TeamTX is the transportation and expressway authority group of Texas that was formed in 2002 by NTTA and Harris County Toll Road Authority (HCTRA) to facilitate the flow of information between toll agencies. This statewide transportation organization was created to promote regional and statewide solutions to improve mobility. A strong proponent of interoperability, TeamTX is made up of representatives from toll agencies all over the State of Texas, including the Texas Department of Transportation, a number of regional mobility authorities, the NTTA and HCTRA.

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Dallas North Tollway South End Construction

The reconstruction of the Dallas North Tollway south of Lemmon Avenue, which is now almost 40 years old, includes pavement replacement, improved overpass bridges, widening of Oak Lawn Avenue as it approaches the Tollway, new ramp access to Oak Lawn Avenue, and the construction of a new toll plaza at Wycliff Avenue.

Southbound lanes at the Wycliff Toll Plaza were reduced to four lanes – two cash lanes and two TollTag lanes in December. The northbound lanes at the Wycliff Toll Plaza were reduced similarly to four – two cash lanes, and two TollTag lanes earlier this month. Vehicles with TollTags should remain in the far left lanes and cash customers should remain in the far right lanes as they approach the toll plaza.

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Lewisville Lake Toll Bridge

The North Texas Tollway Authority (NTTA) will hold a groundbreaking ceremony for the Lewisville Lake Toll Bridge on Wednesday, January 31 at 3:00 p.m. at Lewisville Lake on Swisher Road (west side of the lake). Featured speakers include Denton County Judge Mary Horn, Regional Transportation Council Chairman and Denton County Commissioner Cynthia White, and NTTA Board Director Jack Miller.

The 1.7-mile bridge, scheduled to open to traffic in 2009, will provide a vital link for the 13.8-mile corridor, which is a joint project with Denton County, the NTTA, TxDOT and local municipalities. The four-lane bridge will be the only tolled portion in the corridor. It was designed by Turner Collie & Braden, Inc. and will span the northern arm of the lake.

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Toll Feasibility Studies: The Five Regional Toll Road Projects

The NTTA staff has been working collaboratively with the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) and North Central Texas Council of Governments representatives through the Mobility Project Planning Partnership (MP3) team to define a regional project delivery process, as assigned in the Regional Protocol approved in August 2006 between the NTTA and TxDOT. The NTTA staff is also developing an internal project development process. A presentation was made to the NTTA DNT System Projects and Improvements Committee at their December 18, 2006 meeting regarding the Regional Five Projects [SH 121 – Southwest Parkway/Chisholm Trail Parkway (US 67 to Dirks/Altamesa); Trinity Parkway – (IH 35E/SH 183 to US 175/Spur 310); SH 190 – The East Branch (IH 20 to IH 30); SH 360 – Southern Extension (US 67 to Green Oaks Blvd.); and SH 170 – The Alliance Gateway (SH 199 to SH 114)] and the project development process.

Staff is developing an Implementation Plan that they will present to the NTTA Board at their regularly scheduled meeting in February. For more information on these or other future projects, please contact Kevin Feldt, Director of Project Development and Planning, at (214) 461-2000 or kfeldt@ntta.org.

Toll Rate Increase – Frequently Asked Questions

• Why is it necessary to increase tolls?

• Scheduled toll rate increases improve the NTTA’s capacity for funding more projects, thereby improving the NTTA’s ability to be an active regional partner in solving mobility challenges. The rates are scheduled and necessary to continue NTTA’s mission of “providing a fiscally sound system of innovative toll facilities, services and solutions” to the North Texas region.
• Congestion has increased dramatically on the Dallas North Tollway and the President George Bush Turnpike in recent years. Scheduled toll rate increases provide the funding needed to improve and relieve traffic congestion and safety on NTTA toll roads.
• Costs are rising on many products and services, the rates reflected are lower than the cost of living adjustment.

• When will prices go up?

• Toll increases will not take affect until September 2007 (or until Phase 3 of the DNT is open). The rate increase will coincide with the opening of Phase 3 of the Dallas North Tollway.

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