DFW: North Tarrant Express toll lanes nearly open

[MaxConcrete]

I drove through the project zone today and it looks like it is complete. It looked like the toll signs were being tested today. So I'm anticipating an opening very soon, although I have not heard any official reports.

What really strikes me about this project is the complexity of the access and connections to the center toll lanes. A very substantial expense was incurred with all the structures, and a lot of space was taken(/wasted) which could have been used by regular lanes in a non-toll design.


This is the entrance to the toll lanes going westbound on SH 183, just east of the SH 121 merge point.


Here is an example of the many crossover access ramps which provide access to the toll lanes


Looking east near Hurstview. There is space set aside to add a third toll lane in each direction.


Looking west at Hurstview. The pickup trucks on the toll lane appeared to be working on some final details.


At Loop 820, connections for the toll lanes were built above the existing interchange on long elevated structures.




This view is going eastbound, underneath the elevated structure for the toll lanes at the Loop 820 interchange

[Brian556]

What the hell? The route markers say "EXPRESS" where they are supposed to say "TOLL".

Also, this sign does not have the yellow "TOLL ROAD" banner like the BGS's on I-35E NB for the SRT.

Because of these two facts, this sign does not adequately inform drivers that this is a toll road. The two logo signs at the top are the only clue.

[Scott5114]

That's sort of shitty. A motorist might think it's a HOV lane or Ontario-style express/local setup.

[wxfree]

It should be noted that before the entrance there will be a sign showing the price of using the lanes.  The "Express Lanes" banner should say "Toll Express Lanes" or something like that, but drivers will have signs showing that use of the lanes requires payment, and what the price is, before the entrance.

[US81]

I thought the I-820/TX183/TX121 intersection was already high. Wow!

What the hell? The route markers say "EXPRESS" where they are supposed to say "TOLL".

Also, this sign does not have the yellow "TOLL ROAD" banner like the BGS's on I-35E NB for the SRT.

Because of these two facts, this sign does not adequately inform drivers that this is a toll road. The two logo signs at the top are the only clue.

The blue shields and the TollTag/TxTag logos are more than sufficient for the profiteers to claim adequate notification. 

~Welcome to Texas~

[longhorn]

Surprised they used pavement and not concrete in the rebuild.

[MaxConcrete]

Surprised they used pavement and not concrete in the rebuild.

Yes, that is surprising and was a point of controversy with cities along the route. The cities felt they were not getting high-quality, first-class due to the asphalt pavement. Almost surely the use of asphalt was a to reduce initial construction cost, although long-term maintenance will cost more.


Hurst, Euless object to plans to use asphalt on North Tarrant Express
Posted Monday, May. 16, 2011

By Terry Evans tevans@star-telegram.com

Hurst and Euless officials were surprised to learn that all lanes and frontage roads of the North Tarrant Express reconstruction project will be built with asphalt rather than concrete.

Hurst City Manager Allan Weegar said he doesn't understand why the Texas Department of Transportation would allow use of a road material that his city has discontinued in favor of concrete because of maintenance issues.

"From a city manager's perspective, what I've seen in nearly every urban project ... is that there's a reason TxDOT is putting concrete on streets," Weegar said. "Why should it be different with this project?"

Euless Public Works Director Ron Young was also puzzled when he heard this month that the contractor will use asphalt on the 13.5-mile makeover of Northeast Loop 820 and Texas 121/183.

"I had assumed all along that it would be concrete," Young said. "I thought TxDOT built all-concrete roads."

Officials with the department and NTE Mobility Partners, which is overseeing the $2.5 billion project, declined to discuss which material is more durable.

But department spokesman Tony Hartzel said the project's contract doesn't stipulate what material is used.

"We stipulate the ride smoothness and ride quality," he said. "Asphalt is smoother, it's quieter."

Robert Hinkle, spokesman for NTE Mobility Partners, said engineers chose asphalt because it's cost-efficient at the outset and it's easier to maintain.

"The engineers are telling me that asphalt is not as expensive to put down as concrete in the beginning," Hinkle said. "In the operations and maintenance, it's a lot easier to deal with asphalt than concrete."

Steve Hankins, the company's design and construction director, said that before the asphalt is laid, the road base will be rebuilt using crushed concrete from the old lanes. Road bases will be up to 3.5 feet thick, with asphalt 6 to 8.5 inches thick, depending on whether they're frontage, general-purpose or managed lanes, Hankins said.

"The total thickness is similar to a concrete-paved road," he said.

The North Tarrant Express contract specifies that the project be finished in five years, which is another good reason to use asphalt, Hartzel said.

"If they're doing it with asphalt, they can do it quicker," he said.

Still, city officials say they are concerned because roads that will eventually become their responsibility may not be rebuilt to city standards.

Terry Evans, 817-390-7620

Read more: http://www.star-telegram.com/2011/05/16/3079742/hurst-euless-object-to-plans-to.html#ixzz1MaFQgllG

[jrouse]

If you look at the latest edition of the Texas MUTCD, you'll see that it looks like they phased out the "TOLL LANE" terminology on signs and are now just sticking with the federal standard of "EXPRESS LANE".

[MaxConcrete]

Today the Fort Worth Star Telegram is reporting that the toll lanes open Saturday (October 4).

Here is the link, but it is available to subscribers only

http://www.star-telegram.com/2014/10/02/6170058/north-tarrant-express-toll-lanes.html

[longhorn]

The debate of concrete vs asphalt is typical Texan ignorance.

Please explain.

[rantanamo]

The debate of concrete vs asphalt is typical Texan ignorance.

are you saying this is out of date?

http://www.brighthubengineering.com/concrete-technology/45858-concrete-roads-vs-asphalt-roads/

I know the NTTA  and TxDOT are using a much more temp resistant substrate of asphalt, but they are also using a stronger new concrete mix on newer projects.

[dfwmapper]

NTE isn't a TxDOT or NTTA project, it's Cintra. Same as LBJ Express and segments 5/6 of SH 130, both of which are also paved in asphalt. Driving on SH 130 today, I noticed that the Cintra segments are already in pretty crappy shape despite the fact that they have only been open for a bit shy of 2 years. For all their claims of a smooth ride, there are a lot of little dips and bumps, which are really noticeable when you're traveling at 85mph. The other segments which were built by TxDOT (and paved in concrete) are still in pristine condition.

[rantanamo]

NTE isn't a TxDOT or NTTA project, it's Cintra. Same as LBJ Express and segments 5/6 of SH 130, both of which are also paved in asphalt. Driving on SH 130 today, I noticed that the Cintra segments are already in pretty crappy shape despite the fact that they have only been open for a bit shy of 2 years. For all their claims of a smooth ride, there are a lot of little dips and bumps, which are really noticeable when you're traveling at 85mph. The other segments which were built by TxDOT (and paved in concrete) are still in pristine condition.

Cintra and Meridiam are the main investors and will run the mobility operation of the NTE , but the LBJ Express is a joint TxDOT, NTTA, Farmers Branch, NCTCOG project with a number of investors including Cintra, Meridiam and Dallas Police and Fire Pension, who are investors in both projects.  Cintra is the main financier and contractor, but the NTTA will be running the mobility portion of the project.  TxDOT awarded the contracts and did the initial planning.