Category Archives: tollroad

Poll: 2/3 of Texans Support Increased Transportation Funding

The results of the Texas A&M Transportation Institute’s Transportation Policy Research Center transportation poll:

  • Nearly 2/3 support increased funding for transportation statewide.
  • A majority also support increased funding for public transportation.
  • “Of the options offered, respondents favored dedicating the motor vehicle sales tax to transportation needs; they least supported raising the vehicle registration fee from $65 to $115.”
  • From a lis…

4 Transportation Reform Ideas via Empower Texas

Empower Texas has a litany of transportation reform ideas:

  • Before more funds, restrict the impact of Metropolitan Planning Organizations (MPO) to undermine sound policy
    • The problems with MPOs:
      • MPOs are federally mandated
      • Federal government is allowed to indirectly control transportation
      • They are composed of “bureaucrats from transit agencies, toll authorities and TxDOT”
      • MPOs “can hold TxDOT funds hostage”

      • …

Private Public Partnerships- Good. Privately Owned Toll Roads- Bad.

One transportation & eminent domain bill is very popular: HB 565 by Burkett. The bill revokes eminent domain authority from a private toll company. 

Here’s why Burkett says it is important: 

  • The problem is a private company overseeing a project with eminent domain authority (hello, pipelines, are you listening?)
  • If property is taken for public needs, it should be “fair and transparent”
  • Toll roads are wearing out their welcome
  • It will b…

Transportation Funding Reforms Empower Texas Style

How would Empower Texas improve transportation funding? By doing this:

  • reduce motor fuels sales tax diversions, which will trigger:
    • eliminating non-essential programs and agencies
    • dedicating future revenue streams to transportation
    • reforming the budgeting process to prioritize core conservative principles
    • enacting stricter spending growth limits
  • extend 2014’s Prop 1 spending restrictions to ALL STATE FUNDS for use…

Tollroads Are as Popular as Kilts in Texas

Stands to reason that kilts may be more popular than  toll roads based on a recent TXDOT meeting inDallas.  TXDOT proposes toll lanes for portions of Interstate 35E and U.S. Highway 67 in Southern Dallas. People were not pleased.

80 people showed up to voice opposition. including, the Dallas Zoo, which was not thrilled about making it harder for people to get to the zoo, but because TXDOT borrowed the Zoo’s giraffe logo for the project. Reasons for the opposition:

  • harm…

HB 565: No Eminent Domain for Private Toll Corporations

In 2014, a private tollroad corporation proposed new toll roads in North Texas. Town halls were held. Fire Marshals shut them down as too many people turned out against new toll roads. City  councils in the proposed toll areas passed resolutions opposing the plans to use eminent domain. 

Toll road opponents and private property rights supporters united.  

The 2015 Legislature will consider HB 565, which  will stop private toll authorities from exercising eminent domain.