Toll Roads To Cost More

[Sonny]

DANG IT! How am I suppose to save up for my MK III now with toll prices on the rise.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/kprc/2007061...FtQkMr9AUE1vAI

[jeffkohn]

Ouch. I take the Beltway to the West Park toll road most days to get to/from work because 290 is so fubar.

[Paulo]

" The increase is expected to bring in about $65 million in extra revenue in the first 12 months " Wow! I wonder where all that money will ACTUALLY go...

So glad I work in The Woodlands.

[ndsimm]

and driving for work, I "live" on the Beltway....ouch indeed

[CobyPhoto]

Damn, I just bought a new EZ Tag. I was PO'ed it was costing a dollar. I sure won't be using it unless it is just absolutely necessary now. They charge too much already. And I have been hearing about "improvments" to Houston traffic since I moved here almost 8 years ago...still haven't seen any yet.
CJ

[Cope]

When they rasied the rate from $1 to $1.25, and di away with tokens, they stated that they were trying to discourage use of the toll roads. What brilliance! Now they have to raise the rate to keep up with expenses.

[loana0320]

ouch... I try to never get on it I will do my best not to get on it now LOL

[JamesB]

Originally Posted by pm-image

" The increase is expected to bring in about $65 million in extra revenue in the first 12 months " Wow! I wonder where all that money will ACTUALLY go...

So glad I work in The Woodlands.

if I remember correctly a co-worker said this money is to replace the federal money the city of Houston/Harris County is not receiving any more because they were not spending the federal money for the highways like they should have. so now they have to stick it to us to get money.

I will be cutting my toll road trips down

James

[Collins]

$2.50 on the Westpark tollway booth?? Good Lord.

And that time range is ridiculous--6a-9a? 7a-9a seems more reasonable.

I hope they don't do away with the $0.25 discount at booths for EZ Tag users...

[dreemes]

They are putting a new loop around Tyler. A toll one at that. And they are taking their own sweet time about it. Right now, it only goes from US 69 S to Hwy 155 S and it is only one lane each way. If you get behind someone going 50 you are out of luck. They call it the loop to nowhere. The charge I think is 50 cents and it doesn't look to me like they are getting enough traffic to pay the maintenance on the toll equipment. Looks like they are getting about ready to open another short section from 69S to FM 756. At the rate they are going they will never get done. They went ahead and started charging a toll on what they did have saying they could sale bonds and go faster. Yea sure. I can't understand why they don't hire more crews and work weekends and setup some lights and work nights. The traffic on Loop 323 in Tyler is already so bad. By time Loop 49 becomes useful it is going to be a real cluster in Tyler. And if anyone thinks it is bad now, just wait till the holiday season.

[jeffkohn]

Originally Posted by Collins

$2.50 on the Westpark tollway booth?? Good Lord.

And that time range is ridiculous--6a-9a? 7a-9a seems more reasonable.

I hope they don't do away with the $0.25 discount at booths for EZ Tag users...

The Westpark Tollway is EZ-Tag only so when they say $2.50 they mean $2.50. And I agree, the "rush hour premium" should be 7-9, not 6-9.

If they really want to solve traffic problems on the Beltway, they should convert it to EZ-Tag only. Heck if they did that I wouldn't even complain about the rate hike.

[darktiger]

Man I use to bat for them too....Raising gas prices, raising tollroad fees, no cost of living increases....Sucks for the future...

[billbunton]

Originally Posted by pm-image

Wow! I wonder where all that money will ACTUALLY go...

My understanding is that, at least in the Austin area, the company that owns/runs the toll roads is in Spain, which is where that money is actually going :-(

[Collins]

Originally Posted by jeffkohn

The Westpark Tollway is EZ-Tag only so when they say $2.50 they mean $2.50. And I agree, the "rush hour premium" should be 7-9, not 6-9.

I was referring to the actual "booths" a la just North of Briar Forest/Westheimer on Beltway 8. Those are the only ones that have ever had a discount to my knowledge.

[carrbowl]

my husband is spending $80 a month now....guess I'll need a job just to pay for his tolls!!