Traffic News
Rate hike is coming for Dallas North Tollway and other toll roads
There's a rate increase coming from North Texas Tollway Authority (NTTA), the agency in charge of turnpike projects in North Texas.
According to a release, toll rates will increase an average of a penny per mile, from 19 to 20 cents, effective July 1.
The agency says that it will help them repay the $9.5 billion they've borrowed to construct, operate, and maintain toll roads.
They also say they are spending nearly $2 billion to widen and improve our existing toll roads. Maybe instead of spending that money on widening, they should consider using it to pay down the $9.5 billion they've borrowed. Just a thought.
The NTTA oversees more than 1,089 toll miles in the region including the Dallas North Tollway, President George Bush Turnpike, Chisholm Trail Parkway, Addison Airport Toll Tunnel, Mountain Creek Lake Bridge, Sam Rayburn Tollway, Lewisville Lake Toll Bridge, and 360 Tollway.
It's composed of member counties Dallas, Denton, Collin and Tarrant. It also serves Ellis and Johnson counties.
This increase is part of a biennial toll rate schedule approved by NTTA's Board of Directors. Their last increase was in 2019, also a penny per mile.
Their release re: the rate hike uses some next-level doublespeak, starting with the headline: "ASK THE EXPERTS: WHY ARE TOLL RATES ADJUSTING?"
"Experts." They know more than you do. Also, "adjusting," a nicer word to use than "increasing."
A penny per mile translates into 10-15 cents extra to go from downtown Dallas to the Galleria, and an extra 25 cents to go from downtown to Plano.
Using their Trip Rate Calculator Chart, it's currently $1.65 with a Tollag to go from downtown to 635 ($2.48 without). Downtown to the Galleria is about 12 miles, so the new rate will be about $1.77 or $2.60 without a TollTage.
New rates will take effect July 1. Crews will be updating toll rate road signs in the coming weeks.