Perry claims the voters approved this wholesale shift to public-private partnerships, called CDAs in Texas (see toll glossary here). Here’s what the voters approved….

Prop 15 – Mobility Fund/Toll Equity Act of 2001 that appeared on the November 6, 2001 ballot:
“The constitutional amendment creating the Texas Mobility Fund and authorizing grants and loans of money and issuance of obligations for financing the construction, reconstruction, acquisition, operation, and expansion of state highways, turnpikes, toll roads, toll bridges, and other mobility projects.”

The voters passed this with 67% of the vote, and it was sold to them as allowing the State to sell bonds and borrow future gas tax revenues in order to speed up highway projects (versus simply pay as you go funding). See anything that says we want to hand over our public assets to private foreign corporations to gouge us for a lifetime toll tax on top of GAS TAX and many other taxes we pay for roads? Shame on the Governor. His nose ought to be growing like Pinnochio for that one….

Perry also perpetuates the myth that the choice for taxpayers is $1 hike in gas tax or a lifetime toll tax. A dollar hike in gas tax is equivalent to quadrupling the State’s current gas tax of 20 cents per gallon (18.4 cents federal, total of 38 cents a gallon). What on earth do they claim they need quadruple the money for? We’ve already built the entire federal interstate highway system and the entire state highway system. We should be cutting our road taxes! TxDOT’s own survey conducted by UT Austin states most Texans believe we should cut TxDOT’s budget a little not quadruple it!!!

Perry also states they built these tollways at a lower cost to taxpayers. How is a whole new tax on driving a lower cost to taxpayers? How is 15 cents a mile up to a $1 a mile (found in Comptroller Strayhorn’s investigation of the tolling authorities) lower than the 1-3 cents per mile we pay in gas taxes? How is charging us nearly double the price to build toll roads versus free roads a lower cost to taxpayers (see original $48 million cost for 281 expansion as a free road versus the $83 million cost as a toll road)? Perry’s nose is growing again…

See Perry’s press release below. Warning: nausea may ensue as result of viewing:
Link here.

Gov. Perry: Turnpike Will Open Nearly Year Early, $400 Million Under Budget
Press Release
Published in Texas insider: 06-08-06

PFLUGERVILLE – Gov. Rick Perry today announced that 40 miles of the Central Texas Turnpike will open nearly a year ahead of schedule and more than $400 million under budget.

“If that’s not reason enough to celebrate, Texans trying to get from Georgetown down to 290, up the Mopac Extension, or across the new Texas 45 can look forward to faster commutes with fewer accidents,” Perry said.

The governor attributed the state’s ability to complete these roads in less than four years to the public-private partnership funding mechanisms that the legislature authorized and voters approved in 2001.

“With new and innovative ways to pay for transportation, we can build needed roads sooner and at a lower cost to taxpayers,” Perry said. “Had we used the old transportation funding model and relied on gas taxes to finance this expansion, it would have taken an estimated 25 years to complete these roads.”

Joining Perry at the announcement were U.S. Secretary of Transportation Norman Y. Mineta, Texas Transportation Commission Chairman Ric Williamson, and State Rep. Mike Krusee.

“Texas is showing the rest of the country how to expand major parts of its highway system by leveraging private capital,” said Secretary of Transportation Norman Y. Mineta. “That is why more states need to follow Texas’ lead and pass legislation allowing the private sector a broader role in funding and operating transportation systems.”

The roads are being financed with a combination of funding sources, including a loan from the U.S. Department of Transportation, bond sales, local government contributions of right-of-way, and tolls.

“If state and local leaders hadn’t embraced this modern vision for transportation funding, Central Texans would have only two options: Pay at least a dollar more at the pump for each gallon of gas or waste even more time in a rush hour parking lot that gets filled with more trucks and vehicles with each passing year,” Perry said.

Perry also noted that drivers will be able to order the TxTAG, a windshield sticker that will allow motorists to pass through toll booths at posted speeds. The TxTAG, which will save motorists 10 percent off the regular toll, can be used on every toll road in the state. Texans can visit www.txtag.org to get a TxTAG account.

Link to the BBC article here.

NOTE: The tollers continually try to say we don’t offer alternatives to tolling. We have and continue to, they simply refuse to acknowledge them because their agenda isn’t congestion relief, but raising a slush fund for roads that will line the highway lobby’s pockets. Alternatives to tolls interferes with the cash cow profits the road builders, the bond companies, and politicians campaigns stand to make off of toll roads. The article below lists several VERY AFFORDABLE ways to manage traffic congestion WITHOUT TOLLS!

Creative ways to beat congestion
November 26, 2004
BBC News

CONGESTION IN ENGLAND
Congestion has risen 14% since 1995
Traffic volumes on motorways rose 26% in that period
But average traffic speeds at peak times have improved slightly

Congestion on England’s trunk roads and motorways could be cut with a little creative thinking, according to a new report. How? Drivers brace yourselves: congestion on England’s major roads is increasing while plans for tackling the problem remain up in the air.

As government strategists return to the drawing board for the third time in four years, seeking to revise targets for cutting congestion, measures to cut jams have suffered, according to a new report.

Traditionally, governments have sought to build their way out of the problem – expanding roads to cope with the rise in cars. But a new report, drawn up by the National Audit Office, has highlighted a number of simple, but more creative alternatives.

TIDAL FLOW
A fancy name for reversing the flow of traffic in one or more lanes during peak periods. Signals above the carriageway indicate which lanes are in use and the direction of traffic in those lanes. For example, a four-lane carriage way – two lanes in each direction – could be altered to allow three lanes in one direction, with just one going the other way.

Introduced in the 1970s, the system is well used in Holland and Germany as well as the US, Canada and Australia. So far, it is only found on a handful of trunk roads in England. Officials claim it is most effective on busy urban roads, to cope with morning and evening rush hours, but there are safety worries about fast traffic running in opposite directions without barriers to divide it.

VARIABLE SPEED LIMITS
Speed limits are adjusted depending on traffic volumes and weather in order to smooth flow, cut accidents and so reduce congestion. Traffic flow is monitored by electronic devices buried in the road and limits are signalled by displays on overhead gantries. It works by reducing heavy braking, stopping cars bunching together and so forming jams.
Compulsory variable speed limits currently operate on 30km of the western section of the M25 – London’s orbital motorway – while advisory limits are found on 30% of the wider motorway network.

Results from the M25 have been positive, reporting a cut in serious accidents of 10-20%, but England still lags behind other European countries. Half the motorway network in Holland uses variable speed limits.

DYNAMIC LANES
Currently being trialled in the Netherlands and Germany, this measure aims to reduce congestion during peak periods by increasing the number of lanes. Lights, similar to cats eyes, are set into the road and can be turned on or off to mark out lanes. Thus three normal lanes could be turned into four narrower lanes at the flick of a switch.

DEDICATED LANES
Although bus lanes are a common sight on Britain’s urban roads, they are rare on motorways. The M4 bus lane, which opened in 1999 and runs close to Heathrow airport, did not go down well with motorists although studies later showed it made car journeys slightly quicker during peak times. Off-peak journey times increased slightly, and there was a 20% cut in accidents.
Another sort of dedicated lane, pioneered in the United States, is the HOV – high occupancy vehicle – lane, in which only cars with two or more people can travel. The idea is to reduce congestion with commuter car sharing and, in places such as Washington DC, it’s taken off so well that commuters line up to hitch rides with lone drivers, in a practice known as “slugging”.

In the Netherlands HGVs can’t overtake on the vast majority of the motorway network, in effect making the inside lane a dedicated lorry lane.

RAMP METERING
Again, common in the US, ramp metering involves traffic lights on slip roads that lead on to motorways. By controlling the rate cars joins a carriageway, traffic surges can be ironed out, cutting congestion and accidents. It was introduced on parts of the M6 almost 20 years ago and cut journey times by up to 20 minutes.

However, the technique was not rolled out. Officials said the junctions in question were unique and ramp metering would not be as effective at other junctions. There have also been trials on the M27 and M3.

HARD SHOULDER RUNNING
In effect widening the road by opening up the hard shoulder to normal traffic. The Dutch and Germans have used this technique since the 1990s but in England it has been resisted by the emergency services which have concerns about how they would reach an accident site.
Where this works on the continent, speed limits are cut and frequent refuge areas are provided for motorists in trouble. Research has found that accident rates have fallen where this scheme is applied and the Highways Agency has recently embarked on a trial.

Story from BBC NEWS:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/2/hi/uk_news/magazine/4044803.stm

Read Driscoll’s blog here.

Especially tune into the comments following the blog entry. Mr. Gearhart knocks it out of the park when he rightly states no matter how you look at it, tolls are a MASSIVE tax increase compared to the gas tax system. Even if we raised the gas tax 50 cents a gallon (that’s more than twice the current state gas tax of 20 cents a gallon), that would still be an increase in the hundreds of dollars a year per driver versus THOUSANDS more per year in toll taxes.

US 281 is the most glaring example here in San Antonio of DOUBLE TAXATION, since not only are the EXISTING lanes built with gas tax money (that will be turned into toll lanes), even the IMPROVEMENTS and EXPANSION of that highway are 100% paid for with GAS TAXES. There is no justification for charging us a toll for something that’s already paid for (see the proof here and here). It’s nothing more than a money grab, it’s all being negotiated in SECRET (read about it here and here ), and it’s eminent domain abuse where they take our private Texans’ land for a highway and hand it over to foreign corporations in a 50+ year monopoly! There’s plenty NOT to like about Governor Perry’s and now President Bush’s privatizing and toll tax scheme (see it here)…find out who voted to toll you here and BOOT THEM OUT OF OFFICE come November!

Link to article here.

The real cost of toll roads could be American lives
By Jim Hall
May 25, 2006
USA Today

As you hit the roads this Memorial Day weekend, you might notice that you’re paying more to drive. And no, I don’t mean for gas.

All over the country, state governments are building new toll roads and privatizing existing ones. What’s the driving force? Two factors: worsening traffic congestion and the unwillingness of elected officials to raise taxes to address those transportation infrastructure problems.

Indiana recently auctioned off its Toll Road for nearly $4 billion. In the Washington, D.C., area, lawmakers are considering adding express toll lanes on the Capital Beltway, which has no tolls, in hopes of reducing the gridlock that is paralyzing the loop around the city.

I have heard a lot of public debate over the effect these roads will have on the people who use them. But I have yet to hear elected officials address the very first question that should be answered: How does the movement toward toll roads affect the safety of citizens who, for economic reasons, will be forced onto secondary roads?

Lost in the joy over the prospect of shorter commutes is the plain fact that legislators are selling off their responsibility to provide for public safety. That is inexcusable, for, as Thomas Jefferson once said, the first obligation of government is to provide for the safety of the people. Common sense tells us that those who cannot afford to drive on toll roads will, in many cases, opt to travel on two-lane undivided highways, which are the most unsafe roads in the USA. In fact, less than half as many crashes causing fatality or injury occur on divided roads (a category into which toll roads fall almost by definition) as compared with undivided highways.

As states reap the profits generated by selling roads, and as private corporations recoup their billions one fare at a time, the losers are, as usual, the poor, the young, the elderly, the small-business owner, and the independent trucker. These folks will not be scooting along in the express toll roads; they will be dodging oncoming traffic and fighting to stay in their lane on the undivided and unsafe – but no-cost – highways.

I refuse to belittle the frustration and inconvenience of a bumper-to-bumper commute. If toll roads can help solve that problem, hooray, but I am afraid all we are doing in effect is moving the congestion to roads that are less safe. Not only is this bad news for drivers, it is bad news for the economy. A National Highway Traffic Safety Administration study showed that the cost to the U.S. economy from motor vehicle crashes in 2000 was more than $230 billion. Legislators enamored with the dollars that toll roads can provide must not forget the costs that come when more drivers are relegated to unsafe roads.

Therefore, governments that profit from toll roads – and some states take in more than $1 billion in toll road revenue each year – have an obligation to the people they serve to improve the safety of undivided highways.

Barriers to divide highways, aluminum rails to prevent drivers from running off the road, and rumble strips to alert drowsy drivers are just a few of the relatively simple improvements that could significantly improve safety.

As citizens, we cannot allow our elected officials to continue the “triple threat” in which they are engaged: ridding themselves of their responsibility to provide safe highways, raking in profits from toll roads, and doing nothing to make secondary roads safer.

Now is the time for leadership at the federal and state levels to require a percentage of toll road profits to be used to improve the safety of secondary roads. Otherwise, we will be traveling down a very dangerous road, indeed, creating two classes of safety: safe highways for drivers with money, and unsafe roads for the rest.

Jim Hall was chairman of the National Transportation Safety Board from 1994-2001. He now heads Hall & Associates LLC, a safety and security consulting and government relations firm in Washington, D.C.

Link to article here.

Gas-price impact on toll roads feared
05/24/2006
By Patrick Driscoll
Express-News Staff Writer

Bexar County Commissioner Tommy Adkisson doesn’t care much for toll roads anyway, but now he has a new worry.

Perennially high gas prices could prove to be a sure damper for growing traffic congestion as motorists flee to buses, double up more often in their cars and move closer to jobs.

And without congested streets, toll lanes are money losers. Drivers won’t pay toll fees if they can get somewhere just as fast on free roads.

So with gas prices expected to remain high through next year and global production of conventional oil projected to peak in two to four decades, if not sooner, what could toll-road planners be thinking, says Adkisson, who sits on the Metropolitan Planning Organization board.

The board has approved plans for 75 miles of toll roads in San Antonio, and those projects could each have bond paybacks of 40 years or so — plenty of time for high gas prices to sabotage good intentions.

“Come on, it’s just a matter of time before it goes to $4,” Adkisson said.

And if that time comes, many toll projects could be doomed.

Adkisson is trying to get the planning board to plan now for those impacts. This week, he asked the rest of the board to consider doing a study on how gas prices could change driving habits and what the implications would be for upcoming highway projects.

“The more we sweat right now, the less we’ll bleed later,” he said. “I don’t think we should immerse ourselves in the more grandiose forms for infrastructure. I think toll roads is pretty grandiose.”

The matter is at least worthy to discuss, said City Councilman Richard Perez, who chairs the planning board. The issue could be on next month’s agenda.

“I’m open to whatever the policy board is interested in discussing,” he said.

Adkisson isn’t just culling numbers off the Internet to feed his fears.

The U.S. Energy Information Administration predicts production of conventional oil could peak in 2037, while a U.S. Army Corps of Engineers report last September said that could be happening now — or about to.

It will take more than a decade to mitigate increasingly short oil supplies, says a study sponsored by the U.S. Energy Department.

Toss in insatiable growth in China and India, tensions in the Middle East and lack of refining capacity and gas prices — now averaging $2.88 a gallon nationwide for regular unleaded, according to AAA — could continue to soar, some say.

“There is good reason to believe that we are at the start of a long, steady climb in the price of gasoline,” said local transportation consultant Bill Barker, who arms toll critics with data. “In fact, we seem to be right on track with a prediction by CIBC World Markets for $100-per-barrel oil by 2010, which should put gasoline at $3.50 per gallon in the near future.”

The Energy Information Administration, which is notorious for low-balling its estimates, is much more positive. Officials project prices will stay high through next year, drop and then end up at $2.19 a gallon by 2030 — in 2004 dollars.

“I wouldn’t bet on it,” one agency official confided.

A better bet, the official said, would be to go with the agency’s high-price scenario, which puts gas at more than $3 a gallon by 2030 — also in 2004 dollars.

That could jeopardize toll revenues needed to pay off bonds for two Austin-area toll projects — Texas 130 and Highway 183A, both slated to open next year.

Bond statements by Vollmer Associates assume gas prices won’t top the U.S. peak set in 1980, which, when adjusted for inflation, would be more than $3 a gallon in 2005. Average daily prices last September reached $2.92 in Austin and $3.06 nationwide, AAA said.

Vollmer officials didn’t return phone calls.

Nevertheless, Cherian George, head of transportation at Fitch Ratings, which rates the creditworthiness of bonds, said he isn’t alarmed.

When gas prices spike, as they did after hurricanes Katrina and Rita smashed Gulf Coast oil rigs and refineries last year, motorists will drive less, but price upswings would have to be much more significant to put toll roads at risk, he said.

That’s because people will cut vacations and other side trips before doing away with their commutes, George said.

“People have to get to work,” he said. “Other discretionary or less essential choices will have to be done away with.”

Results last fall were mixed for toll roads.

Two New Jersey toll roads lost millions of dollars in toll collections because of rising gas prices coupled with a winter storm, the Asbury Park Press reported. But Harris County Toll Road Authority officials said that, aside from a dip in September when Houston was evacuated, toll-road use has grown unabated.

Nearly nine of 10 Americans changed their behavior when gas prices were rising last fall, according to a survey done for the Urban Land Institute.

The most common change was combining stops into one trip, followed by eliminating non-commute trips, buying a fuel-efficient car, bicycling and walking more, considering moving closer to work, sharing more rides and riding buses or trains more.

In San Antonio, people flocked to the buses. From October through March, ridership jumped 12.9 percent compared with the same time the year before, VIA Metropolitan Transit officials said.