Texas has abdicated its responsibility to provide necessary transportation infrastructure in exchange for a vast toll road system controlled by a patchwork of powerful and self-interested organizations, often to the detriment of its residents.
This is why news outlets have been reporting for a year about how Texas has built more toll roads over the past 20 years than nearly every other state combined, with alarming consequences for the nation. That's our conclusion after reading research conducted over the years.
Looking for ways to handle the influx of residents without raising taxes, state leaders approved policies and laws that were too favorable to outside toll operators, paving the way for today's sprawling toll road network and many of the concerns, the newly published “Toll Trap” series reveals.
This document also addresses what many of us have long suspected: unfair pricing, especially during peak driving hours, and overly harsh enforcement that takes advantage of unsuspecting motorists and leads to economic segregation. Practices are also documented.
Some state leaders understandably regret supporting the policies and laws that fueled the toll road construction boom. “We were sold a gift certificate,” state Rep. Ramon Romero, a Fort Worth Democrat, told investigative reporter Yamil Berard. “We were just looking for a way to find money. We now know this was the wrong way to go.”
If that's not a compelling argument to reconsider these decisions, I don't know what is.
We support the efforts of state Rep. Terry Canales (D-Edinburg), chairman of the House Transportation Committee. Earlier this year, he asked House Speaker Dade Phelan to appoint a group of lawmakers to review the state's complex rate system and make recommendations for reform. During the 2025 Congress. We ask Phelan to fulfill his request.
Done right, toll roads are a reasonable and sensible way to raise road funding. They are often privatized and built relatively quickly, allowing entire communities and regions to cope with population growth without burdening taxpayers. North Texas in particular has benefited from these large-scale projects.
But our news organization's investigation highlighted some disturbing aspects of Texas' toll road system. For example, some lease agreements between carriers and the state allow carriers to collect fees for 50 years and earn excess profits that far exceed their design, construction, and maintenance costs. Ta.
The study also found that toll roads sometimes involve entire areas where low- and middle-income people live, making it difficult for residents who cannot pay tolls to access toll roads, and as a result, toll roads often become heavily congested. It became clear. And most importantly, toll road operators don't always demand transparency about their financial and safety records.
Every day, thousands of drivers drive more than 800 miles on toll projects in Texas, and more may be in the works, a concern uncovered by a news organization. Too many people are affected by this. Congress must not turn a blind eye to these issues. It's time to reconsider some of the bad decisions that produced them.
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