North Tarrant Express

[NThomas]

Project Page: TxDot webpage
Project Brochure: TxDot Brochure
Maps: (pdf warning -->) Overall, Segment 1, Segment 2, Segment 4

The North Tarrant Express is dedicated to improving mobility along North Interstate 35W, Northeast Interstate 820 and State Highway (SH) 121/183 Airport Freeway through a regionally supported managed lane system. This 13 mile corridor, from Interstate 35W to the SH 121 split, is important to the future of North Tarrant County - the fastest growing area in North Texas.

Panel expected to approve contract for work on North Tarrant Express
January 29, 2009
Fort Worth Star-Telegram
By Gordon Dickson
Full Article

The Texas Transportation Commission today is expected to approve a contract with private developers to build futuristic toll lanes on Tarrant County highways beginning in late 2010.

But while the move would add long-overdue space for cars, it would come at a price for motorists. All the new lanes would be toll lanes, at least initially, officials said.

The first phase of the "managed lanes" on Northeast Loop 820 in North Richland Hills and Haltom City, as well as Texas 121/183 Airport Freeway in Bedford, Euless and Hurst, would be completed by 2015, according to the North Tarrant Express project that the commission will consider during a meeting in Austin.

Single-occupant vehicles could use the four new lanes — two in each direction — by paying a toll electronically, with a device such as a TollTag. Buses and vehicles with multiple occupants could use the lanes for free or at a discount. Violations would be camera-enforced.

Supporters say the area is two decades overdue for traffic relief, and they’re willing to accept tolls.

"We’re elated," North Richland Hills Mayor Oscar Trevino said. "We’re OK with the managed lanes, as long as we get some lane capacity. If we don’t start somewhere, we’re never going to get this accomplished..."

[RobertB]

That stretch, especially I-820 from Northeast Mall to I-35W, has been overloaded since I moved here in the late '80s. I can't help but feel like this is a slap in the face -- "oh, yeah, it's crowded, but if you want any change you'll have to pay". Every other construction project has promised, "It'll be worth all this trouble because you'll have a brand-new highway when we're done." This one says, "We're going to make your commute more difficult for a couple of years, and when we're done, you're still screwed."

On the other hand, sometimes a slap in the face will wake up a sleepwalker. Maybe this is just reality hitting home -- that the era of free highways (once known affectionately as "freeways") is over. Nobody will be able to go from Point A to Point B at greater than horseback speeds without paying the piper.

I expect to hear from both sides as the impact of this game-changing concept becomes clearer to those who are directly affected.

One technical question I want someone to ask is this: If that route is where the traffic goes, then WHY DID THEY REBUILD THE I-820/SH-183 INTERSECTION LIKE THAT? They made SH 183 a right-exit, as though the need to keep the I-820 designation on the "main lanes" and avoid "left exits" was the only criteria. It was a boneheaded move that cost millions of dollars in construction of unneeded flyovers, followed by millions more in restriping and resigning to help confused motorists get around the needlessly complex intersection. And now they want to fix their mistake by giving us a toll-only alternative. Thanks for nothing, TxDOT.

[NThomas]

Spanish company picked to build North Tarrant toll road
January 29, 2009
The Dallas Morning News
By Michael Lindenberger
Full Article

A team led by Spanish-based road builder Cintra was hired today to build and finance the North Tarrant Express, North Texas' first private toll road.

The project's first phase will rebuild Interstate 820, which carried 130,000 vehicles a day in 2007.

Cintra will also rebuild portions of State Highway 183 by 2015. Construction is expected to begin late next year.

That work is expected to cost $2 billion, with long-term maintenance and operations estiamted at an additional $450 million.

Cintra and its partners will cover all those costs, minus $600 million in state funds to be contributed by the Texas Department of Transportation.

In return it will be able to collect tolls for 52 years on four new managed lanes it will construct.

The toll on the 13-mile stretch of road would cost about $6.50 each way during rush hour, TxDOT said. Local toll policy, however, would allow rates as high as $9.75 per trip, should Cintra choose to raise those rates...

[RobertB]

Where on Earth did Mr. Lindenberger go to journalism school? Has he even *heard* the term, "passive voice"? As in, "The use of passive voice should be avoided by everyone."

Bad:
"A team led by Spanish-based road builder Cintra was hired today to build and finance the North Tarrant Express, North Texas' first private toll road."

Better:
"TxDOT hired a team led by Spanish-based road builder Cintra to build and finance the North Tarrant Express, North Texas' first private toll road."

What I would expect from a professional reporter:
"With no advance notice or public hearings, TxDOT hired a team led by Spanish-based road builder Cintra, one-time frontrunner for the controversial and ultimately cancelled Trans-Texas Corridor, to build and finance a newly-proposed private toll road in northeast Tarrant County."

This is exactly what I expected when Perry "killed" the TTC. His buddies at the foreign-owned toll road companies are getting the same sweetheart deal. Only the strategy has changed: he's gone from "Sherman's March on Atlanta" to "Death by a Thousand Cuts".

[electricron]

They will be adding free lanes to IH 35W, IH 820 and SH 183/121.

Here's the segments lists.

1 I-820 from I-35W to Northeast Interchange including a new I-35W interchange
Existing lanes 2
Proposed Free Lanes 3 (each direction), Tolled Managed Lanes 2 (each direction)

2 SH 183 from the I-820 Northeast Interchange to SH 161
Existing lanes 3
Proposed Free Lanes 3 (each direction), Tolled Managed Lanes 3 (each direction)

3A I-35W from I-820 to I-30
Existing lanes 2-3
Proposed Free Lanes 4 (each direction), Tolled Managed Lanes 2 (each direction)

3B I-35W from I-820 to U.S. 81/287
Existing lanes 2
Proposed Free 4(each direction), Tolled Managed Lanes 2-3 (each direction)

3C I-35W from U.S. 81/287 to SH 170
Existing lanes 2
Proposed Free 3 (each direction), Tolled Managed Lanes 2 (each direction)

4 I-820 from the Northeast Interchange to Randol Mill Road
Existing lanes 2-4
Proposed Free 5 (each direction), Tolled Managed Lanes 1 (each direction)

Source: ftp://ftp.dot.state.tx.us/pub/txdot-...tw/nte_map.pdf

That work is expected to cost $2 billion, with long-term maintenance and operations estiamted at an additional $450 million. Cintra and its partners will cover all those costs, minus $600 million in state funds to be contributed by the Texas Department of Transportation.

TXDOT pays $600 Million, Cintra pays $1,850 Million. Not bad considering the taxpayers are only paying 25% of the total costs for these highways. Cintra is picking up 75% of the total costs.

I wish the NTTA got this contract, but NTTA can't raise all the money needed for every highway project in North Texas, and will not always come in with the lowest bid.

[RobertB]

I wish the NTTA got this contract, but NTTA can't raise all the money needed for every highway project in North Texas, and will not always come in with the lowest bid.

NTTA was prevented from bidding on the contract, as part of the compromise that let them bid on SH 121. That was noted in the original article -- the one immortalized above. But now that link goes to a different story altogether... one which says something completely different:

Two years ago, the commission awarded the company the rights to Highway 121, only to see an enraged Legislature step in and pave the way for NTTA to successfully bid on the project. This time, however, NTTA has its hands full and did not seek to compete for the road. It will, however, be paid a fee to collect the tolls for Cintra.

Someone correct me with a link, but I think the first article was correct. NTTA got 121, Cintra got the rest. The revision is misleading at best. More like deceptive. It's as though someone called up the Morning News and told them to bury the lead even further -- something I didn't even think was possible.

[saxman66]

Wow, all these new names for these road projects I've never heard: The New LBJ, DFW Connector, and now the North Tarrant Express! And sounds like all three of these projects will be built by Cintra and not NTTA or another local entity. Reading the comments on that last DMN article, some of those guys are pretty outraged how Cintra is building it all. I have to say, I agree. Luckily, being a Grapevine resident I can soon take the SW2NE commuter rail for 3 dollars or so and skip all that mess.

[Random Traffic Guy]

The Connector project is not Cintra, it is Keiwit and partners. Cinta was disqualifed just before the final selection.

[NThomas]

Public Muted At Public Hearing On Toll Road
April 15, 2009
WBAP-AM
Full Article

...TxDOT officials did not provide public microphones for a public hearing on the planned expansion of a 13-mile expansion of part of Highway 183 and Northeast Loop 820 in Tarrant County. Instead, three court reporters were on hand to transcribe the public's input. TxDOT spokesman Michael Peters says the agency's intent was to transcribe public comments and have TxDOT officials post their replies on a web site...

[saxman66]

Looks like North Tarrant Express project is about to get underway.

OCTOBER 25, 2010

Loop 820, Airport Freeway construction

If you live in Northeast Tarrant County, or drive through on a regular basis, the $2 billion North Tarrant Express road project is about to become a big part of your life for the next four to five years. But before you curse the impending traffic on Northeast Loop 820 and Texas 121/183, consider attending a public open house 2-8 p.m. Wednesday at the Hurst Conference Center, 1601 Campus Dr.

It’ll be an informal way to learn about how construction will be rolled out along the 13.5-mile corridor from Interstate 35W in north Fort Worth to Industrial Boulevard in Euless. The road work begins in earnest over the next several weeks. Although the contract with the developer, NTE Mobility Partners, places strict limits on closing lanes during the work week, the project will inevitably push additional traffic onto surrounding highways, and even thoroughfares in area cities.

-- Gordon Dickson

Read more: http://blogs.star-telegram.com/honki...#ixzz13mh5tWyS

Apparently there was a public meeting on the project last Wednesday. I'm trying to find some schematics of the project. They have made a website for the project:

http://www.northtarrantexpress.com/

[CTroyMathis]

Accidental find today thanks to NCTCOG:

The North Tarrant Express is dedicated to improving mobility along north I-35W, northeast I-820 and SH 121/183 Airport Freeway through a regionally supported managed lane system. This visualization was presented to the public on Dec. 15, 2011 at the public hearing for I-35W from I-820 to SH 114 (Segments 3B & 3C). It shows the ultimate configuration of the project, however, it has not been fully funded.

[Double Wide]

In all seriousness, I-35E needs more attention at where it I-35 splits. That 2 lane drive past UNT and into Louisville and etc etc etc is a head ache and should be widened.