Austin American-Statesman transportation reporter Ben Wear, who was the first paying customer to use the first segment of the northbound MoPac Boulevard express lanes over the weekend, gives credit to Central Texas Regional Mobility Authority officials “who somehow have retained a sense of humor despite battles with their construction contractor and a project more than a year tardy. . . .” Wear writes, “The initial toll transaction figures won’t provide a complete answer about how Austinites will react to what is sometimes called ‘dynamic’ tolling. But, given some weeks or months to settle out, drivers’ use of the lane will shed at least some light on that question. And, MoPac aside, this answer matters because variable tolling is under consideration for new lanes on South MoPac, Interstate 35 and U.S. 183 in Northwest Austin between MoPac and Texas 45 North.”
