TX 255

[US 41]

I was reading on the camino-colombia toll road website. It sounds like if you don't get a day pass or txtag you will be fined $350. Am I reading this right? I always thought that if you went on a toll road without toll booths and you didn't have a pass or what not, they would just send you the bill in the mail for the toll plus mailing fee.

[wxfree]

I don't think the fine would be $350; that's excessive.  If you drive through the toll point without a tag or Day Pass that's considered a violation and they'll charge a violation fee (I don't know how much) in addition to the toll.  This is the only road in Texas that has the Day Pass feature.

On toll roads in the Houston area that don't accept cash payment a tag is required.  If you drive on those roads without a tag they charge a violation fee (I think it's $5) for every toll incurred.  On all other Texas toll roads you are allowed to drive without a tag and it isn't considered a violation; they just send a bill.

Edit: If you have a Day Pass and drive up and down the road more times than you expected and paid for, they don't treat that as a violation.  They send a bill for the unpaid tolls at the Day Pass rate plus a billing fee of $1.15.

[lordsutch]

I believe they have the fine provision in place because of the belief that drivers using the road with non-Texas tags (primarily Mexican tags, but also people with U.S. tags that are doing the annual paisano pilgrimage back home to Mexico over the holidays) will use the road without paying. The fine gives DPS an excuse to pull them over the next time they're in the state or down the road, while I believe the only way ordinary toll violations are ultimately enforced in Texas is by putting a hold on your registration renewal until you pay (and maybe involving a collections agency); obviously the other states and Mexico aren't going to enforce the renewal rule.

[Brandon]

I believe they have the fine provision in place because of the belief that drivers using the road with non-Texas tags (primarily Mexican tags, but also people with U.S. tags that are doing the annual paisano pilgrimage back home to Mexico over the holidays) will use the road without paying. The fine gives DPS an excuse to pull them over the next time they're in the state or down the road, while I believe the only way ordinary toll violations are ultimately enforced in Texas is by putting a hold on your registration renewal until you pay (and maybe involving a collections agency); obviously the other states and Mexico aren't going to enforce the renewal rule.

Then why not just make the road compatible with E-Z Pass, PikePass, K-Tag, and the Mexican system?

[kphoger]

Necro-post!

TxDOT decommissioned FM-255 and added its mileage to SH-255 back on 6/30/2005, barely a year after SH-255 was designated to begin with. 

However, FM-255 signs were never removed between Mines Road and the Mexican border.  What amazes me more is that, when tolls were removed in 2017, the shields for TX-255 were changed from this to this but, as of November 2018 at least, the FM-255 shields were not likewise replaced with SH-255 shields.  So they did work on all of the assemblies at this intersection but left the shields up at all of them for a highway designation that hasn't existed since 2005.

[US 41]

I saw where it isn't even a toll road anymore. When I crossed back into the USA at the Columbia Bridge I drove FM 1472 down to 69W to avoid the toll.

Kphogher have you ever ran into traffic issues at the MX 2 Interchange where the truck only crossing is? I had to drive the wrong way on MX 2 because of all the trucks just sitting around trying to get into the US.

[kphoger]

I saw where it isn't even a toll road anymore. When I crossed back into the USA at the Columbia Bridge I drove FM 1472 down to 69W to avoid the toll.

Kphogher have you ever ran into traffic issues at the MX 2 Interchange where the truck only crossing is? I had to drive the wrong way on MX 2 because of all the trucks just sitting around trying to get into the US.

No, but I've only ever crossed there on a Saturday or Sunday afternoon (northbound), or else on a Sunday morning (southbound).  What it's like outside those hours I don't really know.

And I don't think I've crossed there at all since you did.

[US 41]

I think I crossed on a Thursday evening. I made it to the Road Ranger in Encinal, TX where I crashed for the night and started my day in Cuencame, DGO. I am looking forward to the day I can go back down to Mexico. I was going to go back this winter, but I think COVID ruined that for me. I think I might drive to Teotihuacan and Mexico City my next trip down there. I'll probably use Columbia on the way down and then Allende / Amistad (Acuna) on the way back. I was nervous my first big trip down there, but I am pretty comfortable with going back now that I have experienced it. I'm definitely grateful for the help and advice, you and others gave me.

[kphoger]

And, for all I know, something unusual happened the day you crossed there.  I remember seeing your pictures of the queue, but I just don't know if it's normal or not.

By the way, there's no u in Colombia.

[Revive 755]

If I am looking at the correct bridge, the large truck queue shows up on Google's aerial photos.  Not seeing any signs in streetview so far saying the bridge is truck only though.

[kphoger]

If I am looking at the correct bridge, the large truck queue shows up on Google's aerial photos.  Not seeing any signs in streetview so far saying the bridge is truck only though.

Wrong bridge.

He encountered trucks backed up in both westbound lanes of this highway, prompting him and others to drive on the other roadway, opposite traffic.

[US 41]

This is where I had to drive the wrong way to get around the trucks that were just sitting there. https://goo.gl/maps/EPCyDbCoM1YV5f3P9

There were no issues between Nuevo Laredo and the Colombia Bridge. The Colombia crossing was pretty empty and it was very easy to return all my documents. The wait into the US was maybe 5 minutes, but the search was longer since they thought driving to Mazatlan in 3 days by myself was sketchy (I don't blame them).

[kphoger]

This is where I had to drive the wrong way to get around the trucks that were just sitting there. https://goo.gl/maps/EPCyDbCoM1YV5f3P9

There were no issues between Nuevo Laredo and the Colombia Bridge. The Colombia crossing was pretty empty and it was very easy to return all my documents. The wait into the US was maybe 5 minutes, but the search was longer since they thought driving to Mazatlan in 3 days by myself was sketchy (I don't blame them).

Ah, then I totally misunderstood your account of things!  Multiple highways being signed as Fed-2 was a contributing factor to my misunderstanding.  Then, yes, they were all waiting to get across the World Trade Bridge.

No, the only incident I've ever had at that interchange was being pulled over for speeding and bribing the police officer out of a ticket, back in 2011.

[kphoger]

Note:  I have encountered vehicles driving on the wrong side of the highway in that area, but not because of queued trucks blocking the way.  Rather, some business entrances don't have or haven't always had a median crossover.  Therefore, it is/was fairly common to see trucks and vans drive a short distance on the wrong side until/after the nearest opportunity to cross over to the correct carriageway.

example
example
example

[US 41]

This is where I had to drive the wrong way to get around the trucks that were just sitting there. https://goo.gl/maps/EPCyDbCoM1YV5f3P9

There were no issues between Nuevo Laredo and the Colombia Bridge. The Colombia crossing was pretty empty and it was very easy to return all my documents. The wait into the US was maybe 5 minutes, but the search was longer since they thought driving to Mazatlan in 3 days by myself was sketchy (I don't blame them).

Ah, then I totally misunderstood your account of things!  Multiple highways being signed as Fed-2 was a contributing factor to my misunderstanding.  Then, yes, they were all waiting to get across the World Trade Bridge.

No, the only incident I've ever had at that interchange was being pulled over for speeding and bribing the police officer out of a ticket, back in 2011.

Then you have guys like me that get pulled over for going the speed limit. I never understood the point of having the random 40 and 60 km/h zones on the 4 lane highways. I typically just got behind a truck driver and followed them between cities and through the speed zones. If I was all alone on the highway I would slow down for the speed zones.

[kphoger]

Then you have guys like me that get pulled over for going the speed limit. I never understood the point of having the random 40 and 60 km/h zones on the 4 lane highways. I typically just got behind a truck driver and followed them between cities and through the speed zones. If I was all alone on the highway I would slow down for the speed zones.

I thought I was only going 9 km/h over the speed limit (89 in an 80 zone).  But I hadn't noticed the 60 km/h speed zone, and there was a cop in the median running radar.

Generally, though, I don't slow down for the random nonsensical speed zones, and I don't see any Mexican drivers slowing down for them either.  Unless it's in a more built-up area, and then I do.