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View Full Version : Texas' 85-MPH toll road opens weeks ahead of schedule




aGameOfThrones
10-26-2012, 08:01 PM
While it takes some municipalities months just to fix a pot hole, apparently all you need is a little revenue stream to get road construction done at a rabbit's pace. After years of work, the final portion of the Texas State Highway 130 toll road has been today weeks ahead of schedule. The newest segments have gotten this new toll road national attention over the last several months for having a posted speed limit of 85 miles per hour along its 41-mile length from just south of Austin to I-10 near Seguin, Texas.

The road was constructed with no cost to the taxpayers by the SH 130 Concession Company, but almost as an added gift to local residents for finishing early, the tolls for the new portion of Texas SH 130 are being waived until November 11. After that, passenger cars and trucks will be charged $0.15 per mile, which adds up to a little over six dollars to drive the length of the new 41-mile, 85-mph stretch. The entire SH 130 toll road now spans 91 miles and acts as a bypass of Austin. Even better, the toll road uses a cashless system that can read either the TxTag decal or the car's license plate, which eliminates pesky toll booths and makes speedy transit even more convenient for motorists.

http://www.autoblog.com/2012/10/25/texas-85-mph-toll-road-opens-weeks-ahead-of-schedule/

tangent4ronpaul
10-26-2012, 08:08 PM
So TX bailed on federal Hwy funds to do this? The fuds have threatened every state with loosing them for any speed limit over 70mph.

six bucks for driving less than 100 miles? Are you serious??? and I bet all or almost all of that "fee" goes into a private corporations pocket...

WTF???

-t

nobody's_hero
10-26-2012, 08:17 PM
If public funds were used to build a toll road that private companies will collect on, then yeah, I could see good reason to oppose this.

But it is kind of cool if Texas told the Feds to go screw themselves so they could raise the speed limit.

matt0611
10-26-2012, 08:49 PM
So TX bailed on federal Hwy funds to do this? The fuds have threatened every state with loosing them for any speed limit over 70mph.

six bucks for driving less than 100 miles? Are you serious??? and I bet all or almost all of that "fee" goes into a private corporations pocket...

WTF???

-t

Meh, 6 bucks isn't too bad considering it costs just as much here in massachusetts to drive the mass pike and that's in addition to taxes used to pay for its construction and its current operating costs.

mad cow
10-26-2012, 09:44 PM
The Chesapeake Bay Bridge/Tunnel will run you $12 for 23 miles.

aGameOfThrones
10-26-2012, 09:51 PM
The Teodoro Moscoso Bridge (7,382 ft) cost $6.00 round trip

Ronulus
10-26-2012, 10:43 PM
6$ isn't bad at all for the amount of time you will be saving. Austin can get pretty backed up with traffic.

jay_dub
10-26-2012, 10:51 PM
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=y_0von_5SRk

Bman
10-26-2012, 10:52 PM
So TX bailed on federal Hwy funds to do this? The fuds have threatened every state with loosing them for any speed limit over 70mph.

six bucks for driving less than 100 miles? Are you serious??? and I bet all or almost all of that "fee" goes into a private corporations pocket...

WTF???

-t

I'm charged something like $1.50 to drive 13 miles on the PA turnpike when I go to visit family.

Bman
10-26-2012, 10:54 PM
Oh yeah, btw to the private business' and investors that built that highway...


You didn't build that!

fr33
10-26-2012, 10:58 PM
They tax us on gas AND charge a toll. Fuck Rick Perry and his cronies. I wish Perry would have stuck with his Trans Texas Corridor plan. He wouldn't be governor today if he did.

tangent4ronpaul
10-26-2012, 11:02 PM
Oh yeah, btw to the private business' and investors that built that highway...


You didn't build that!

Eh? I've never heard of a roadway in the US that was built with private funds. The normal process is that a corporation bribes donates generously to a candidates re-election fund and is given the rights to "maintain" and charge drivers on a stretch of road that was built at public expense as a payback. Is there really a road in this country open to the general public that was privately funded?

Did I misread your reply? I was kind of reading into it Obama's statement that small businesses rely on their livelihood what government has done to make their existence possible. Taken at face value - your statement means 180deg something else.

-t

Anti Federalist
10-26-2012, 11:07 PM
Two things:

I'm not keen on the license plate readers tracking your moves.

And somebody, somewhere, lost their property through an eminent domain taking to enrich a private company.

truthspeaker
10-26-2012, 11:14 PM
Oh yeah, btw to the private business' and investors that built that highway...


You didn't build that!

that made me laugh. :D

fr33
10-26-2012, 11:16 PM
Two things:

I'm not keen on the license plate readers tracking your moves.

And somebody, somewhere, lost their property through an eminent domain taking to enrich a private company.Two very important things.

truthspeaker
10-26-2012, 11:19 PM
Two things:

I'm not keen on the license plate readers tracking your moves.

And somebody, somewhere, lost their property through an eminent domain taking to enrich a private company.

I'm also not keen on these Texas tollways not accepting quarters either.

2nd that on eminent domain.

What I'm surprised is that with all of these "Trans Texas Corridor" and "new tollways" that they haven't started a land grab for a road from the Texas Capitol to Dallas.

Indy Vidual
10-28-2012, 08:00 PM
The Chesapeake Bay Bridge/Tunnel will run you $12 for 23 miles.


The Teodoro Moscoso Bridge (7,382 ft) cost $6.00 round trip

Can we walk those for free?

malkusm
10-28-2012, 08:17 PM
Two things:

I'm not keen on the license plate readers tracking your moves.

And somebody, somewhere, lost their property through an eminent domain taking to enrich a private company.

Please explain to me why you wouldn't happily pay this toll, seeing as how you "happily" pay your tolls in NH and the state of Texas is similarly losing "a few million dollars every year in fed extortion money" for having built this road in violation of USDOT's recommended speed limits.


I pay tolls on state roads in NH, partly because we lose a few million dollars every year in fed extortion money every year since we refuse to enact a mandatory seat belt law, among other things.

I pay it happily, knowing every time I chuck change in a NH toll booth, I'm, in a small way, stuffing pepper right up the fedgov's ass.

Anti Federalist
10-28-2012, 08:32 PM
Please explain to me why you wouldn't happily pay this toll, seeing as how you "happily" pay your tolls in NH and the state of Texas is similarly losing "a few million dollars every year in fed extortion money" for having built this road in violation of USDOT's recommended speed limits.

Because I am never in favor of private property being seized by government to be used by another private company for profit.

I am not in favor of private prisons, nor private "police" for similar reasons.

I don't think that profit motive should be attached to throwing people in prison.

Or stealing their land.

malkusm
10-28-2012, 08:37 PM
It's a complicated issue, and I don't disagree with your opposition to eminent domain as a general rule. I was just curious what was different about the NH toll roads - were they not financed either by taxpayer expense or via "private/public partnership" (otherwise known as corporatism), and did they not also require the acquisition of previously private lands?

Anti Federalist
10-28-2012, 08:47 PM
It's a complicated issue, and I don't disagree with your opposition to eminent domain as a general rule. I was just curious what was different about the NH toll roads - were they not financed either by taxpayer expense or via "private/public partnership" (otherwise known as corporatism), and did they not also require the acquisition of previously private lands?

They were financed by taxpayer funds and bond issues.

Many of the roads in NH are some of the oldest in the nation, so the land issue really comes back to whatever land was absconded with or claimed by the earliest of European settlers.

In the modern era, there is, sadly, no way around the fact that if a new road is going to be built, that somebody is going to end up having their land taken by eminent domain.

Market forces are efficient and brutally honest.

Introducing market forces, profit motives and efficiencies into the taking of people's property by force is a bad idea.

Now, I am not at all unhappy that Texas is telling the feds to pound salt WRT to the speed limit issue.

Although I hear from family in Texas that it isn't working out so well.

Seems there's been a number of high speed collisions with feral hogs that have caused some massive wrecks and they may have to lower that limit.

mad cow
10-28-2012, 08:55 PM
Can we walk those for free?

Not on the CBBT,bicycles are not even allowed.They do have some spots where drivers can stop and eat,sightsee and fish.The fishing can be real good at times,but you need a car and it is going to cost you.

Anti Federalist
10-28-2012, 09:05 PM
Not on the CBBT,bicycles are not even allowed.They do have some spots where drivers can stop and eat,sightsee and fish.The fishing can be real good at times,but you need a car and it is going to cost you.

I've made the trip from Norfolk across the CBBT along the DelMarVa peninsula and crossed via the Cape May ferry back to Jersey.

I love that trip.

Pericles
10-28-2012, 09:06 PM
They were financed by taxpayer funds and bond issues.

Many of the roads in NH are some of the oldest in the nation, so the land issue really comes back to whatever land was absconded with or claimed by the earliest of European settlers.

In the modern era, there is, sadly, no way around the fact that if a new road is going to be built, that somebody is going to end up having their land taken by eminent domain.

Market forces are efficient and brutally honest.

Introducing market forces, profit motives and efficiencies into the taking of people's property by force is a bad idea.

Now, I am not at all unhappy that Texas is telling the feds to pound salt WRT to the speed limit issue.

Although I hear from family in Texas that it isn't working out so well.

Seems there's been a number of high speed collisions with feral hogs that have caused some massive wrecks and they may have to lower that limit.

Pretty much that. An interstate cut though my great grandfather's property and it really messed up some of the agricultural operation. If he had the capital and foresight, the Interstate could have been a boon, but that would require more mental dexterity than he had.

phill4paul
10-28-2012, 09:13 PM
They were financed by taxpayer funds and bond issues.

Many of the roads in NH are some of the oldest in the nation, so the land issue really comes back to whatever land was absconded with or claimed by the earliest of European settlers.

In the modern era, there is, sadly, no way around the fact that if a new road is going to be built, that somebody is going to end up having their land taken by eminent domain.

Market forces are efficient and brutally honest.

Introducing market forces, profit motives and efficiencies into the taking of people's property by force is a bad idea.

Now, I am not at all unhappy that Texas is telling the feds to pound salt WRT to the speed limit issue.

Although I hear from family in Texas that it isn't working out so well.

Seems there's been a number of high speed collisions with feral hogs that have caused some massive wrecks and they may have to lower that limit.

You'd better take the first offer. Cause it is going through. If you fight it then it will be condemned for penny's on the dollar. Outside it is America.

http://energy.aol.com/2012/10/25/texas-keystone-pipeline-critics-resist-use-of-eminent-domain/

Anti Federalist
10-28-2012, 09:25 PM
You'd better take the first offer. Cause it is going through. If you fight it then it will be condemned for penny's on the dollar. Outside it is America.

http://energy.aol.com/2012/10/25/texas-keystone-pipeline-critics-resist-use-of-eminent-domain/

Bullet the blue sky indeed...

Anti Federalist
10-28-2012, 09:25 PM
Pretty much that. An interstate cut though my great grandfather's property and it really messed up some of the agricultural operation. If he had the capital and foresight, the Interstate could have been a boon, but that would require more mental dexterity than he had.

Did you happen to read or hear anything about those hog/car crashes?

Pericles
10-29-2012, 10:41 AM
Did you happen to read or hear anything about those hog/car crashes?

TX has a serious feral hog problem. It is permanent open season, and you can hunt them with anything - helocopters, silencers, you name it. When our "gun group" goes out "camping" property owners even invite us back to go hog hunting. The hunters in the group have a blast .....

Have been reports of vehicles hitting hogs on the roads it is that bad.

aGameOfThrones
10-29-2012, 06:06 PM
Texans go hog wild on first night of 85-mph tollway, four accidents reported [w/video]


The new 85-mile-per-hour toll road in Texas wasn't open a single day before it recorded its first accidents. Four accidents, to be exact, all caused by the same thing: wild hogs crossing the roadway. Though no serious injuries were reported, one of the vehicles was totaled.

The area through which State Highway 130 runs is ranch and farm land, on which packs of these feral pigs live and breed. Local news reports say the animals have become such a problem that Caldwell County offers a $2 bounty for hunting them. Local police officers even suspected the pigs might cause problems on the toll road, having recorded packs of them (video below) crossing the road a couple days before the highway opened.

The problem might also be poised to get worse as night begins to fall earlier and traffic on this new segment of SH 130 increases. Indeed, traveling on the toll road is temporarily free through November 11.

If you're traveling on SH 130, the best advice authorities have if you happen to come upon pigs in the roadway is "grip the wheel and keep going." Trying to avoid an accident can often make matters worse. Traveling at speeds lower than the road's fastest-in-the-nation 85 mph might not help either, as the time to respond may still not be enough to avoid an inadvertent bacon-making incident.

http://www.autoblog.com/2012/10/29/texans-go-hog-wild-on-first-night-of-85-mph-tollway-four-accide/

RonPaulFanInGA
11-13-2012, 07:54 AM
Texas highway with nation's fastest speed limit records first fatal crash

http://usnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2012/11/12/15112206-texas-highway-with-nations-fastest-speed-limit-records-first-fatal-crash