San Antonio: apparent action to untoll planned US 281 north project

[MaxConcrete]

The item below appears on the agenda for the September 24 Texas Transportation Commission meeting.

In July, the San Antono newspaper reported that if proposition 7 passes in November as expected, San Antonio officials plan to dedicate funds toward building US 281 north of Loop 1604 as a freeway.
http://www.expressnews.com/news/local/article/Feds-OK-plan-to-convert-part-of-U-S-281-to-toll-6391860.php

"Everything we do from now on is going to be done under the idea if the money becomes available to us, we can easily remove the toll component of this road,"  Green said.

http://ftp.dot.state.tx.us/pub/txdot/commission/2015/0924/agenda.pdf
Removal of Toll Designation
Bexar County
-
Approve the removal of the toll project designation from the tolled mainlanes of the US 281 North Project from Loop 1604 to the Bexar/Comal County line, including the direct connections to and from Loop 1604, and rescind Minute Order 111257, which will rescind the transfer of the US 281 North Project, comprising the roadway and associated right of way from Loop 1604 to the Bexar/Comal County line, to the Alamo Regional Mobility Authority, and the removal of that roadway from the state highway system (MO)

Commentary in the agenda
In Minute Order 110111, dated June 30, 2005, the commission designated the tolled main lanes on US 281 from Loop 1604 to Marshall Road, including the direct connections to and from Loop 1604, as a toll project on the state highway system, and in Minute Order 110301, dated November 17, 2005, the commission designated the tolled main lanes on US 281 from Evans Road to the Bexar/Comal County line as a toll project on the state highway system.  After consultations between the department and the Alamo Regional Mobility Authority, and in accordance with the desires of the region evidenced in a resolution by
the Alamo Area Metropolitan Planning Organization, it has been determined that the interests of the state are better served by not constructing the US 281 North Project as a toll project, as had been originally planned, but as a nontolled project. Moreover, the conditions in Minute Order 111257 to transfer of the US 281 North Project, including that the project was being transferred for the purpose of designing, financing, constructing, operating, and maintaining a turnpike project, have not been met.

[Anthony_JK]

This is awesome news. Public projects need to be funded publicly, and accessible to everyone.

[MaxConcrete]

Official announcement on the untolling of the US 281 project

http://www.txdot.gov/inside-txdot/media-center/statewide-news/040-2015.html

According to the press release, US 281 will have two regular lanes and one HOV lane in each direction. I think that's because they have environmental clearance for three lanes each way. My concern is that two regular lanes will not be enough, and I'm thinking a widening will be needed sooner rather than later.
 

[rte66man]

Official announcement on the untolling of the US 281 project

http://www.txdot.gov/inside-txdot/media-center/statewide-news/040-2015.html

According to the press release, US 281 will have two regular lanes and one HOV lane in each direction. I think that's because they have environmental clearance for three lanes each way. My concern is that two regular lanes will not be enough, and I'm thinking a widening will be needed sooner rather than later.
 

Bad choice IMHO.  You should make both HOV lanes go in the same direction and switch the direction according to the flow. 

[Roadster]

Public projects need to be funded publicly, and accessible to everyone.

I couldn't agree more with this statement!   

Thanks for posting! 

Every time I stop and pay for gas along with the tax added or when paying for our vehicle registration(s) and see on the form what is taken out for road & bridge tax, I know that we're (Texan's) getting screwed because where is all that money going too or used for?!
Instead those state government agencies start claiming (always crying) not to have money (or enough!? WTF!) for road improvements, new roads & highways, bridges, etc. and are quick to point out the necessity for "Toll Roads" to cover the cost. BS!