TxDOT

TxDOT's three month-long 90%-amnesty program on outstanding toll penalty fees garnered about 1.25% of scofflaw debt - $767k out of $61.6m. The recovery of unpaid tolls was much higher - $265k out of $3.2m or 8.3%. Recovery of violation fees was $501k out of $58.4m or about 0.9%.

10,580 people who took advantage of the 90% forgiveness program represented just over 7% of about 150,000 people with serious toll and penalty debts.

Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) officials plan to announce Wednesday that, in response to citizen comments received during the environmental review of Trans-Texas Corridor-35, the department has recommended the No Action Alternative on the TTC-35 environmental study to the Federal Highway Administration

TxDOT closed on a 52 year toll concession today with a Cintra-led group on the North Tarrant Express project, a busy complex of expressways I-820 and SH183 on the northwest side of Dallas Fort Worth Airport.

North Texas Tollway Authority (NTTA) chairman Paul Wageman is quoted: "There is very little or no credit out there right now and the access to the credit markets are almost non-existent." So they are being innovatory.

Norman Wartman one of the original members of Miami Dade Expressway Authority is back. This guy was a non-stop generator of ideas, a one-man thinktank, an unabashed enthusiast for tollroads, scourge of the rail fantasists, impatient with more timid no-can-do timings-not-right colleagues, and talk about outspoken!

Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) chief counsel James D Ray has written again to TxDOT detailing how the toll concession bill HB1892 contains provisions that put federal support for Texas highways in jeopardy. The procurement process for a SH121 concession detailed in HB1892 providing NTTA with topping rights "seems to directly contradict" the requirements of US law requiring fair and open competition.

CORRECTION: LBJ holes

HOT IN TEXAS

Dallas Plans 6-HOT lanes in new 14-lane LBJ fwy