austin is now going to toll roads

the dickhead lawmakers got clearance by a public vote a few years ago where the verbiage of the law was so watered down that no one knew what they were voting on. seriously, it was something to the effect of "if you don't not want our roads to be improved by any means, please click no." i read the law a few months back and it doesn't even mention toll roads

originally, it was stated that new roads (specifically 45 and 130, i believe) would be taxpayer funded, and income from tolltags would be used for upkeep. nevermind the whole double taxation thing, i can at least live with that.

but apparently, that's not all. existing roads that the lawmakers have overlooked for 20+ years - specifically, 183 in Cedar Park and the most congested stretch of Mopac - are now becoming toll only. so is 620, the most popular route from 183 to I35.

basically, it will now cost you money to leave or enter Austin. no matter where you're going - San Antonio, Houston, Dallas, Lubbock, it they have every route in and out as a pay-as-you-go road.

nowhere was it mentioned that existing roads that have been used for years will now cost money. i only learned about it from a taxpayer funded advertisement i got in the mail a few days ago.

yet another reason why our government sucks. instead of dealing with the influx of new residents and the last 20 years worth of population explosion by spending money wisely to improve existing roads, their answer is to tax us for new roads, tax us again for using those roads, and tax us for existing roads our tax dollars already paid for

apparently that's a bid to keep minorities and white trash out of austin

Goddamn that's pissy.

35 is still free... and 290 and 71.

Tollroads are easy ways to relieve congestion, for the exact reason you posted this, people don't want to pay.

Here, right before 161 becomes a tollroad, half of the traffic exits. I love it then, the road is empty.

And I don't mind paying the $1.20 for the convenience.

And it's not the influx of residents causing the problem, it's the outflow of residents who still want to work downtown.

Oh, and what's the road that they are building east of the airport? (in Austin)

there are plenty of toll roads here in Dallas, we've had 'em for years, and they just made 121 a toll road as well. I just don't use 'em. the tolls relieve congestion on those roads, so when I actually do need to use them, i get where I'm going quickly.

Only thing i think that could be done to improve toll road efficiency is to maybe only charge tolls during certain hours, like 5am-8pm or so, business hours.


cities make buttloads off of tolls, it's a good way to tax people. I'm signing up for a tolltag myself once Tollway is finished all the way to 380. (at the rate their going, could be within 6 months. Anyone else seen the progress on that shit?)

wait, so how will it cost money to get from here to San Antonio? Im lost on this one... maybe I just need to look at the toll map again?

so everyone will be on the already congested as fuck road of 35 for me when i pass through shitty ass austin... great.

(im speaking of the road system being shitty of course, any city with no loop should be nuked...)

like 410 is any better.... my god that is the most narrow road I have ever been on. Its scary as fuck because people in the right lane drive 30 and people in the left lane drive 70

Austin doesnt need a loop in my opinion.

I coulda sworn I saw a toll booth on 35 when I was down at Thanksgiving...

This sucks. Sounds like everyway out of my neighborhood to anywhere will involve getting on a toll road.

http://www.txtag.org/centex.html


You can still get in/out of town for free, but yeah, depending on what part you are going to........it'll cost ya

YES austin needs a loop... i'd rather the 6 hour drive to lubbock than the buttfuck that is austin driving. Really all of 35 sucks balls, but it goes through austin when it pisses me off the most so meh.

And while 410 is bad during rush hours (like most cities get traffic at that time), its way better than places like dallas and such. Its just being worked on right now so its narrow, but still not that bad...

The TXTag is probably the best bet for anyone. I have a Dallas TollTag but it works in Houston and should work in Austin but I'll probably switch to the TXTag soon.

so as long as you live north of the roundrock/pfluggerville border then you can get to San Antonio without paying a toll fee.