New penalties await toll violators

Link to article here.

New Penalties For Toll Road Violators Await Gov. Perry's Approval
By Shelley Kofler
May 28, 2013
KERA News.org

Thousands of North Texas drivers could have their vehicles impounded or their registration blocked under Senate Bill 1792, legislation Governor Perry is expected to sign.

The North Texas Tollway Authority (NTTA) says there are at least 75,000 vehicles that have each traveled the area’s toll roads without paying 100 or more times.

That adds up to some real money for the NTTA, about $45 million dollars a year that’s not available to use on road projects or to factor into the rates all toll road users pay.

In the past the NTTA has tried to shame the chronic violators, who they call scofflaws, into paying. They’ve published their names.

Judge in VA rules tolls are taxes

Link to article here.

Virginia judge rules tolls are taxes
By David Tanner
Land Line Magazine
May 2, 2013

A circuit court judge in Virginia has ruled that the state DOT cannot impose tolls on two existing tunnels to pay for construction of a third tunnel or freeway improvements that accompany the Elizabeth River Crossing Project in the Hampton Roads region.



Portsmouth Circuit Court Judge James Cales Jr. ruled in favor of a group of individual plaintiffs on Wednesday, May 1.

The group consists of business owners and area residents, including numerous truckers and small trucking companies who filed a lawsuit in July 2012 against the Virginia Department of Transportation and a contractor hired to complete the Elizabeth River Crossing Project.



Maine may reverse toll road secrecy

Link to article here.

Maine: Legislation Would Reverse Toll Road Secrecy
Maine Joint Transportation Committee votes to make all toll road documents and proposals public.
May 14, 2013
TheNewspaper.com

The Maine state legislature's Joint Transportation Committee on Monday reported a bill that would lift the veil of secrecy from a major toll road project and force private developers to pay for their own feasibility studies. On April 5, 2012 Governor Paul LePage (R) signed a bill ordering the state transportation department to conduct an economic feasibility study of a $2 billion, 220-mile toll road cutting across the state from east to west, connecting the Canadian provinces of New Brunswick and Quebec. The new bill repeals that provision.

"We should not be using public funds to conduct a study for a private project," state Senator Edward J. Mazurek (D-Knox County), the bill's sponsor, testified. "We have a range of existing state transportation projects waiting for funding, and siphoning limited public funds to private projects is not acceptable."

Toll 'managed lanes' bring greater credit risk

Link to article here.

Toll express lanes can get investment grade ratings but it will be tough - Moody's
May 13, 2013
Toll Road News

The New York investment rater Moody's says in a new report that toll express or managed lane projects can achieve investment grade ratings, but it will be tough. They call the service provided by toll express lanes (TELs) desirable but discretionary and hence difficult to forecast. TELs can be expected to have generally greater risks  than regular toll projects, the rater says.

In their favor TEL projects are generally located in corridors with an established and known traffic demand and performance. And while they cater to a minority of trips they should be able to reach their full potential quite quickly - appealing to those in a traffic stream with low tolerance for delays and unreliable trip times: "Ramp up could be faster due to location next to already existing lanes."

Cintra puts squeeze on DFW commuters, closes one lane

Link to article here.

Anyone who thinks the private toll operators in public private partnerships don't call the shots on PUBLIC mobility and transportation needs, hasn't been paying attention. Spain-based Cintra is clearly in the driver's seat and has closed an existing lane of traffic on LBJ, further congesting one of the most congested roads in the country, before the project even opens!

Lane shift puts the squeeze on LBJ traffic
by JASON WHEELER
WFAA
Posted on May 21, 2013

DALLAS — A huge change is coming to LBJ Freeway at the end of this month. As we first reported, the lack of shoulders in the construction zone has raised safety concerns.

But the fix means that instead of four lanes in each direction, we'll soon have only three.

In much of the Interstate 635 construction zone, there are no emergency shoulders, which leaves no room for error.

"Right now there's no space... there's just no space," said LBJ Express project spokesman Andy Rittler. "If there is an accident — a fender-bender &mdsh; it's a three-hour ordeal."

North Carolina bill would allow tolls on existing roads

Link to article here.

N.C. House passes bill addressing I-95 tolls
The Associated Press
HamptonRoads.com
May 17, 2013

If North Carolina ever puts toll booths on an existing interstate, the House still wants to give motorists the option to drive the route for free.

The chamber voted unanimously Thursday for a measure that targets potential tolling on Interstate 95 but would apply to all current interstates.

The bill says the state can't collect tolls on these interstates unless it maintains the same number of non-toll lanes before the tolling.

Rep. Jeff Collins of Rocky Mount is an I-95 toll critic and bill sponsor. He says the bill envisions toll lanes in which users would pay to drive at a higher speed limit than in non-toll lanes.

The bill now goes to the Senate. The state Department of Transportation is holding public hearings seeking comment upgrades to I-95.
__________________________________________________________________

Link to article here.

Toll road bill survives second vote
By Mark Binker
May 21, 2013
WRAL.com

Raleigh, N.C. — The Department of Transportation would be able to add toll lanes to highways under a bill that cleared the state House Tuesday.

All existing highway lanes would have to remain free under the measure. But if highways were expanded, the department could toll them in order to pay for the construction. In order to entice people to drive on the tolled lanes, the department could offer limited access and higher speed limits.

The measure was thought to have passed the House Thursday. But it is a "roll call" bill, meaning it could potentially raise money. Such bills must be voted on two separate days. So it was back before the House Tuesday.

Texas legislature fails to fund roads despite surplus and 26% spending increase

Link to article here.

It’s a wrap: Legislature drops boom on taxpayers with more tolls, fees
By Terri Hall
May 30, 2013
Examiner.com

Despite high hopes that lawmakers would address the chronic road funding shortfall at the outset of the 83rd session of the Texas legislature, Texas taxpayers only saw $534 million of $1.2 billion in diversions of gas tax returned to roads (for the next two years) with a reliance on more toll roads to fill the remaining $4 billion annual funding gap. That’s only one-eighth of the money needed.

While Texas Governor Rick Perry, Lt. Governor David Dewhurst, and Speaker of the Texas House Joe Straus promised to end gas tax diversions and make transportation funding a priority, the Texas legislature went home without addressing one of the core priorities of state government - funding the Texas state highway system - in spite of an $8 billion surplus heading into the session. Indeed, the legislature spent it all and increased spending 26% for the biennium spurring grassroots watchdog groups like tea parties to ask Perry to veto the budget and supplemental spending bill, HB 1025.

Putting lipstick on the P3 pig - 'availability payments'

Link to article here.

New tricks? 'Availability payments' a public private partnership in sheep's clothing
By Terri Hall
May 8, 2013

The Texas legislature is considering another 'tool in the toolbox' to build roads, without the controversial concession public private partnership (P3) model, called ‘availability payments.’ House bill 3650by Rep. Linda Harper-Brown opens the door to this type of P3 where the private sector pays for the road and gets paid back as money is ‘available.’

The argument by proponents is that payments to the private entity are only made if money is appropriated or 'available,' and that it does not constitute a debt to the state. However, this 'tool' puts ALL Texas taxpayers on the hook for repayment of the project. Whether it’s a toll project and revenues are inadequate to repay the obligation or debt to the private company, or a non-toll project, taxpayers are obligated to re-pay the private entity, presumably with interest. Just because the debt is off the balance sheet, doesn't mean taxpayers are not obligated to pay it.

Loop 1604 could be handed to private toll operator for 50 years

Link to article here.

A common myth believed by elected officials who foist these bad deals on taxpayers comes from the idea that the private entity brings all the money to the table for the project and hence takes on the risk if the project fails. That would be how a true private road project would be financed. However, that's NOT the case with public private partnerships (P3s) or CDAs as they're known in Texas.

Here's what the excerpt from the article says:
Hall suggested Loop 1604 isn't even toll viable, and no for-profit company would want to take that risk.

As an example, in its initial months of operation, the Texas 130 extension, which at 85 mph has the highest speed limit in the nation, drew only half the number of drivers originally expected on the toll road.

But Judge Wolff said, so what?

“That's what a concession agreement does, it puts the risk on the concessionaire,” Wolff said. “Seems like the state was pretty smart.”

TX lawmakers vote to sell-off 20 roads to private entities

Link to article here.

SOLD: Lawmakers vote to sell-off Texas roads to private corporations
By Terri Hall
Examiner.com
May 1, 2013

Yesterday, the Texas House joined the Senate in voting for SB 1730 (authored by Robert Nichols, House sponsor Larry Phillips) to hand 20 Texas highways to private corporations in controversial contracts called public private partnerships(P3s) or comprehensive development agreements (CDAs) despite public opposition. These sweetheart deals are designed to extract exorbitantly high toll rates, as high as 75 cents per mile, and guarantee profits, using taxpayers to socialize losses and privatize profits.

This crucial vote will effect the next three generations of Texans since P3s grant private, even foreign, entities government-sanctioned monopolies for 50 years. By limiting the expansion of free roads and, in effect, guaranteeing congestion on free routes through non-compete agreements, P3s hamper future transportation needs of the public -- for up to 30 years in Texas. P3s also erode property rights taking land in the name of 'public use,' but turning it into a private purpose for private gain.

Highway Trust Fund needs to be cut 92%?

Link to article here.

How about they start making the trust fund more solvent by ending the diversions of federal gas tax to pay for transit that only an estimated 1% of travelers use?

Just How Screwed is the Highway Trust Fund?
Posted By Ryan Holeywell | April 24, 2013
Governing.com

The Highway Trust Fund won't be able to meet its obligations come 2015, according to a statement by the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) to the House Budget Committee.
Federal lawmakers, the report says, would have to cut transportation spending by 92 percent or raise the gas tax by more than 50 percent in order to bring revenue and spending in line.

The Highway Trust Fund, which gets its money from taxes on gasoline and motor fuels, is the source of money for federal spending on highways, bridges, roads and transit. The fund has struggled for years to remain in the black -- ever since federal transportation spending started exceeding the dedicated taxes used to pay for it.

VA Residents protest toll lanes on I-395

Link to article here.

Virginia Residents Protest Against Toll Roads
Virginia residents protest latest plan to convert freeway lanes into a toll road.
The Newspaper.com
April 8, 2013

About 100 residents of Alexandria, Virginia gathered Saturday to protest the conversion of the Interstate 395 high occupancy vehicle lanes into a toll road. The Concerned Residents of Landmark, a group representing eight homeowners associations in the area, are concerned that the plan includes building an elevated ramp that will raise freeway traffic up to the level of nearby homes, within 75 feet of some buildings.

The Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) chose to end the toll road at the Landmark location instead of running the toll lanes all the way to Washington, DC because the city of Arlington filed a lawsuit that blocked the toll road from extending north through the city.

Reasons to be wary of public private partnerships

Link to article here.

6 Reasons to Be Wary of Public-Private Partnerships
By Laura Barrett

Huffington Post

April 5, 2013

During his recent visit to Miami, President Obama praised Public Private Partnerships ("P3s") and lifted up the idea of a national infrastructure bank. While most Americans support the idea of building a sustainable economy and fixing decaying infrastructure, building up a national system of public-private partnerships is a whole other animal and needs to be carefully considered. The record on P3 agreements is mixed at best.

Legislators pass law to use property tax to build TOLL roads

Link to article here.

DOUBLE TAX: Texas lawmakers vote to use property taxes to build toll roads

By Terri Hall
April 25, 2013
Examiner.com

While the Texas House and Senate are busy competing over which chamber can come up with the most funding for public schools, another top priority of state government has taken a back seat -- roads. Though roads are needed to get to school, work, and make our economy thrive, state lawmakers continue to demonstrate that roads are NOT a top funding priority for state government. Instead, lawmakers are content to push the state’s obligation to fund our state highway system down to the local level by using LOCAL sales tax and property tax to build STATE highway projects.

Senate Bill 1110 that passed the Texas House today will go straight to Governor Rick Perry’s desk. The bill gives local authorities the ability to use property tax and sales tax to build TOLL projects. So the road would be built with tax money, but Texans would be charged a toll to actually use the road.

Trans Texas Corridor update: Hwy 59 gets I-69 designation

Link to article here.

This is the next step in creating a NAFTA superhighway trade corridor through east Texas. I-69 used to be known as Trans Texas Corridor 69 (TTC-69) and was going to fall into the hands of ACS, a Spanish toll operator, who was awarded the initial development rights but eventually found the project to be unprofitable and never entered into a final public private partnership contract.

Portions of US 59 lined with new IH 69 signs
By Cory Stottlemyer
Ft. Bend News
April 15, 2013

In February, the Texas Transportation Commission designated 28.4 miles of US 59 from the south side of Rosenberg to the 610 loop as part of Interstate 69. This month, signs are being officially planted along the strip of highway to designate it as both I-69 and US 59.

Texas Department of Transportation’s Houston District crews are currently installing the signs. I-69 will ultimately become a 1,600-mile-long highway stretching from Michigan to Texas. The U.S. Congress has already designated three highway segments in South Texas as equal parts of the I-69 Priority Corridor: US 77 route from Brownsville to Victoria, the US 281 route north from McAllen and the US 59 route from Texarkana to Victoria.

Moody's downgrades Cintra's credit rating on SH 130 for foreseeable future

Link to Moody's downgrade announcement here.

Rating Action:
Moody's downgrades the ratings on SH 130 Concession Company Senior and TIFIA loans to B1
Global Credit Research - 12 Apr 2013
Downgrade affects $1.1 billion of outstanding debt

New York, April 12, 2013 -- Moody's Investors Service has concluded the review period for the ratings of the SH 130 Concession Company. The rating on the Senior Bank Facility, which has $686 million outstanding have been downgraded to B1 from Baa3. The Transportation Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act (TIFIA) loan, which has $451 million outstanding to B1 from Ba1. The outlook on both ratings is negative.

NTTA toll collection called 'byzantine'

Link to article here.

More on NTTA driver’s $30,000 debt to the NTTA, this time from her lawyer
By Rodger Jones/Editorial Writer
Dallas Morning News
April 19, 2013

I have heard from a lawyer hired by a woman I’ve written about who was stressed out about a $30,000 debt to the NTTA. She admits to having been out there using the roads while still owing money. At the same time, her beef is figuring out how to deal with the agency and negotiating a settlement — as many do — about the add-on fees.

I asked the woman’s attorney, Thomas S. Howery, to boil his perspective down for me in an email, which follows. The questions he raises are timely, since the Legislature is in the process of passing bills that strengthens NTTA’s hand in dealing with scofflaws.

Texans to pay tolls for out of state, Mexican drivers on SH 130

Link to article here. 

Toll Road Blues--YOU Will Pay for Out of State, Mexican Travelers on new SH 130 Toll Road
WOAI Radio
Monday, November 12, 2012   

They started charging you to drive on that new 85 mph State Highway 130 toll road over the weekend.  It will cost about $12 to drive the 91 miles from Interstate 10 near Seguin to I-35 north of Georgetown, or about 15 cents a mile.

And congratulations, the people who run the highway say you will also be paying for people from Mexico and from many other states in the U.S. to drive on the highway.

"There is no cross country collection mechanism yet," Project Engineering Manager Guy Russell told 1200 WOAI news.

Toll hikes anger citizens in VA

Link to article here.

Greenway Toll Hikes Decried At SCC Hearing
Leesburg Today
Wednesday, April 10, 2013 

In the first of two State Corporation Commission public input sessions held yesterday at Loudoun Valley High School, a number of speakers decried the toll raises granted to Dulles Greenway’s owners, Toll Road Investors Partnership Trip II.

Opposition came on several fronts—slamming Greenway management Australian hedge fund Macquarie Group for excessive and speculative financial practices; the SCC for not taking a firmer line to control Macquarie’s repeated calls for toll raises; the plight of commuters facing ever-rising tolls; and the intention of some Northern Virginia politicians to assume ownership of the toll road through a budget amendment in the 2014 session of the General Assembly next January.

Toll forecasts over promise, underdeliver

Link to article here.

Study Documents Optimism Bias In Toll Road Traffic Forecasts
Study finds toll road industry plagued by inaccurate traffic forecasting.
The Newspaper.com
April 10, 2013

Toll roads around the world are struggling. Moody's Investment Services on March 21 warned of a possible downgrade of the SH130 toll road in Austin, Texas because the 50 percent fewer people used the road than projected. In Australia, toll operator BrisConnections finally went bankrupt in February after its $4.8 billion Airport Link toll road in Brisbane failed to deliver. In Virginia, the newly opened 495 high occupancy toll lanes have continued to disappoint officials.

Subcategories

Eminent Domain

Climate Policy

Page 32 of 102

Latest News

Latest Press Releases