Here's What's Hot On CBS11TV.COM:
Jun 15, 2009 9:47 pm US/Central
Area Tollway Prices Could Increase Soon
Reporting
Jack Fink
DALLAS (CBS 11 / TXA 21) ―
Poll
Would higher rates keep you from driving on North Texas toll roads?
You need the latest Flash player to view our Poll.
Click here to download.
Click here to
bypass this detection if you already
have the latest Flash Player.
You could soon be paying more to drive on North Texas toll roads and the North Texas Tollway Authority says you can blame it on the slow economy.
The NTTA says because of the recession, fewer people are taking the toll roads than they projected. To make up for the lower revenue, Tuesday NTTA staff will urge board members to raise rates.
Staff will reportedly propose raising rates by 3 ½ cents per mile, or by 30 percent, in September.
NTTA officials say they didn't have a choice, because their projected revenues have plummeted by $30 million this year.
The agency says the economic downturn has meant fewer paying customers. The agency is also having a difficult time collecting tolls from people traveling on State Highway 121 who don't have a toll tag. The system on the highway is electronic, so people without toll tags are mailed a bill; the NTTA says many of them aren't paying.
"We projected a number that we'd start out at what is arguably an unrealistic rate, and then that we'd grow over a very short period of time to a very high level, and those just haven't panned out," said Janice Davis, NTTA.
The decrease in toll money is also delaying work on a variety of projects including the proposed Trinity Toll Road.
A lot of the people who are paying say they're not happy about the idea of shelling out more money.
"The rates are high enough as it is and my paycheck's not going up," said NTTA customer Laura Herman.
Tuesday the NTTA board committee will consider the toll hike, and the full board may vote to raise the rates by the end of the month.
The NTTA has already delayed electronic tolling on the tollway until 2011. The agency is also delaying a number of other projects, including adding a lane on the tollway from Addison to Plano and redoing the entrance and exit ramps near Park, Plano Parkway and the George Bush interchange.
The agency has also pulled millions of dollars from work on the proposed Trinity toll road.
The George Bush turnpike Will go electronic starting next month.
(© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
Hollywood Hair
Click to enlarge
Stumble It!
