HCTRA And E-470 Toll Systems Became Interoperable
The Harris County Toll Road Authority (HCTRA) announced that effective Sunday, March 30, its EZ TAG system can be used to pay tolls on the E-470 tollway in metro Denver, and E-470 customers can use ExpressToll to pay tolls on all HCTRA facilities.
HCTRA has had interoperability agreements with most other Texas toll agencies and with the state toll authorities in Kansas and Oklahoma for several years. In March, it announced that the EZ TAG and SunPass systems became interoperable through agreements it reached with Florida’s Turnpike Enterprise, Lee County, the Greater Miami Expressway Agency, and the Tampa Hillsborough Expressway Authority (THEA).
Ohio’s $11.5 Billion Transportation Budget Funds Study Of Possible Toledo-Columbus Tollway
On Monday, Ohio Governor Mike DeWine (R) signed an $11.5 billion two-year transportation budget bill that becomes effective on July 1. Highlights cited in a DeWine news release include:
- highway funding is maintained at current levels for the next two years
- more than 90 percent of spending is dedicated to maintenance, preservation, and improvement of existing road and bridge infrastructure
- an additional $6 million is provided for ODOT’s Highway Safety Improvement Program, which is funded at $191 million over the two years
- $150 million is allocated for the study and construction of additional truck parking space on state-owned land
- ODOT received funding to create a new Division of Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) that will be co-located with the department’s Uncrewed Aircraft Systems Center
The Blade reported on the new budget, noting that the governor did not veto any part of the bill. That means a late-stage amendment that requires Ohio DOT and the Ohio Turnpike and Infrastructure Commission (OTIC) to collaborate on an engineering feasibility plan to improve the highway connection between Toledo and Columbus passed muster. The budget directs the agencies to adopt one of five options, two of which involve construction of new tolled infrastructure. They received up to $500,000 in FY 2026 funding for the planning process.
CTRMA Will Consider Studying Williamson County Highway Project
Community Impact Newspaper reported that the Cedar Park, Texas, City Council recently voted to support a proposal that the Central Texas Regional Mobility Authority (CTRMA) conduct a study to determine the feasibility of widening and tolling Ronald Reagan Boulevard, a major Williamson County artery. The county government, which is already developing plans to turn a 30-mile segment of the boulevard into an eight-lane, controlled-access highway, had asked the city to join it in supporting a CTRMA assessment of the project.
A CTRMA spokesperson told TRN the authority is aware of the feasibility study proposal. Although it hasn’t had substantive discussions with Williamson County about next steps, it is looking forward to “entering into those conversations in the near term.” The spokesperson added, “We have not been formally asked to move forward at this time.”
With respect to the tolling of a widened facility, the spokesperson stated that “the project as outlined by Williamson County and Cedar Park lays out the addition of tolled managed lanes, while retaining the existing free, general-purpose lanes that are there today. Those plans have not changed, as far as we have been made aware.”
These are a few of the toll industry developments TRN covered last week. If you’re not a subscriber to Daily News Briefs, click here for a free, 14-day trial. Read the news as it happens every weekday.
Virginia DOT Seeks Public Input On Proposed 11-Mile Extension Of 495 Express Lanes
Last week, Virginia DOT started a public information and comment process on its proposal to extend the I-495 Express Lanes by 11 miles, WJLA reported. The plan would add tolled managed lanes east from Springfield, where I-95, I-395,and I-495 converge, across the Woodrow Wilson Memorial Bridge, and into Maryland’s Prince George’s County, ending at the SR 210 interchange. VDOT’s public meetings showcase three alternatives — no-build, one lane, and two lanes. The department’s I-495 Southside Corridor Study, which began in early 2022, has cleared some administrative hurdles despite pushback by some smart growth advocates. An environmental assessment is pending.
WUSA reported that the extension plan encountered some community opposition during a Wednesday night meeting, the only one VDOT scheduled in Maryland’s Prince George’s County. Opponents of the project reportedly complained that VDOT is prioritizing highway expansion over transit investment, noting that Woodrow Wilson Bridge lanes designed to accommodate rail traffic would instead carry vehicle traffic. They also pointed to “recurring traffic issues whenever toll lanes end and merge into general lanes.” Citizens objecting to the project were joined by a county lawmaker who said the Prince George’s council is opposed to the extension plan. A VDOT Mega Projects Program spokesperson said the new lanes are needed because area travel is unreliable and people have too few transportation options.
By June, VDOT plans to present alternatives and recommendations from its I-495 Southside Express Lanes Study to residents of Virginia and Maryland. A state transportation board vote on the project would follow.
Florida Officials Showed No Inclination To Extend Toll Relief Program
WTSP reported, Florida’s 2024 Toll Relief Program, which expired on Monday, seems unlikely to be revived. Although the state legislature is in session, members “have not renewed the program for 2025, citing concerns over its $500 million annual cost and its impact on funds allocated for highway construction and maintenance.” The program’s chief proponent, Governor Ron DeSantis (R) reportedly stated, “I think it’s been helpful . . . I’d support continuing it,” but he didn’t include the necessary funding in his annual budget proposal.
Florida DOT’s comment on the status quo was: “The Toll Relief Program was authorized to run between April 1, 2024, and March 31, 2025. While final numbers will be calculated in the coming weeks, $450 million in toll relief credits are expected to be issued for the 2024-2025 program. While the program comes to a close on March 31, SunPass customers continue to save an average of 25% on tolls every day just by having a SunPass transponder, making it the most affordable option for traveling Florida’s toll roads. We encourage all drivers to take advantage of the savings. . . .”
A Sharp Drop In Canadian Border Crossings Affects International Tolling, Regional Economies
WWNY reported, a noticeable trend is taking shape at international bridges across New York, where year-over-year data show a decline of at least 15 to 23 percent in crossings from Canada. Ogdensburg Bridge and Port Authority Executive Director Steve Lawrence said, “We believe that Canadians are actively avoiding travel to the U.S. in response to the tariffs and the travel tensions.” The resulting decline in toll revenue could affect facilities’ financial capacity for maintenance and operations, he said.
The decline is apparent at other crossings along the northern US border:
- WXYZ reported, “Both the Ambassador Bridge and the Detroit-Windsor Tunnel saw a noticeable decline in travelers last month, and some local businesses in Detroit also are noticing a decline in Canadian customers.”
- In February, travel from Canada into the US declined to a level not seen since the COVID-19 pandemic, according to CBC News.
- From British Columbia, CBC reported, “Data from the Whatcom Council of Governments — a U.S. regional government agency that is centred along the northwest Washington state border — shows a nearly 43 per cent drop in vehicles with B.C. licence plates heading south via Lower Mainland border crossings this March compared to March 2024.”
CNBC reported on a broader trend of declining border crossings by all modes of travel — particularly air — and the potential hit to the nation’s existing travel deficit pegged at $50 billion. The article attributed the decline to a spectrum of reasons, including an unfavorable currency exchange rate, President Trump’s rhetoric about annexing Canada, and incidents of legal visa holders being detained.
Oklahoma Turnpike Plans Public Meetings On Controversial Alignment Study
KOCO reported, the Oklahoma Turnpike Authority (OTA) told reporters last week it plans to hold public meetings next month on a revised alignment for the South Extension Turnpike project, a controversial part of the multibillion-dollar ACCESS Oklahoma initiative. Work on the project resumed last month after lengthy delays due primarily to litigation brought by area residents. An OTA spokesperson argued there is definite need for a turnpike extension to relieve congestion on a nearby I-35 segment and promised the authority will be sensitive to the concerns of property owners who could be affected by construction.
Oregon Transportation Funding Proposal Includes Tax Increases And RUC, But No Tolling
KGW reported in depth on a “Transportation ReInvestment Package” draft that was released Thursday by the Democratic co-chairs of the state’s Joint Transportation Committee, Senator Chris Gorsek (D-25) and Representative Susan McLain (D-29). The authors describe the document as a framework for discussion of “urgent action” needed to create “a stable, sufficient and accountable transportation system.”
“The package is presented as essentially a bullet point list of new revenue sources created by hiking existing transportation user fees or setting up new ones, with about 90% of the new revenue poured into the State Highway Fund. . . . The other 10% will go toward ‘honoring previous project commitments in the last transportation package.’” Although the lawmakers don’t specify which “previous project commitments” would receive funding, KGW and other media speculate that the projects would include the Abernethy Bridge renovation and the Rose Quarter Improvement Project. “The committee co-chairs touted their plan as stabilizing current funding streams so that ordinary transportation operations, maintenance and preservation efforts can continue — particularly on Oregon’s roadways. But the plan would also invest in infrastructure for buses, rail, bicycles and pedestrians.”
Oregon Capital Chronicle reported that the Gorsek-McClain plan would “raise at least $1.9 billion in additional revenue per two-year budget cycle for the State Highway Fund,” and it detailed some proposed sources of new revenue, including a series of gas and payroll tax increases, registration and title fee increases, a new vehicle sales fee of one percent, and a new three percent tax on tire sales. The lawmakers also propose enrolling all electric and low-mileage vehicles in the OReGO road use charge program, which is currently voluntary, by 2029.
“Tolls, a tool lawmakers laid the groundwork for in their 2017 transportation package, are nowhere in the framework. Gov. Tina Kotek ordered a moratorium until 2026 on tolls, which the transportation department planned to use on Interstates 5 and 205 in and around Portland in part to pay for replacing the I-5 bridge. . . . , and they’re politically unpopular in Oregon, which has no toll roads.” ‘The governor didn’t say no to tolls in the future, but that is not what is in the package currently,’ Gorsek said.”
Portland’s Metro Council Accepted Funding To Advance I-5 Rose Quarter Project
Metro Council, the Portland, Oregon, regional government board, last week “approved $250 million in Oregon Transportation Commission funding for three pieces of the I-5 Rose Quarter Improvement Project,” Daily Journal of Commerce reported. This brings the controversial delayed project’s secured funding to $863 million. Its total estimated cost is $1.5 billion to $1.9 billion. The state money is allocated for preliminary engineering, right-of-way, utility relocation and other phases ($12.5 million), construction of the Broadway to Weidler Phase 1 ($177.5 million), and construction of Phase 1A and project updates ($60 million). Construction could start as soon as this summer. (TRN inserted a link in quoted text.)
Portland Mercury also reports on this development, but with more attention to the debate surrounding it. There is continuing skepticism about the project’s ultimate goals, its environmental impact, and the adequacy of funding.
The Rose Quarter project is part of ODOT’s Urban Mobility Strategy, which, among other things, encompasses the Interstate Bridge Replacement Program and the ODOT tolling projects put on hold last year.
Competing Washington State Transportation Funding Bills Advanced To Reconciliation
Washington State Standard reported, “Lawmakers in the Washington House and Senate will have plenty of negotiating to do as they try to reconcile competing transportation budget proposals, which both depend on gas tax hikes. The state House approved its $15.2 billion plan Wednesday, setting the stage for the talks. The legislation differs from the Senate version in significant ways,” particularly size: it’s $1 billion bigger. (TRN inserted a link in quoted text.)
Although both proposals rely on funding from fuel tax increases that would take effect on July 1, they each include some additional revenue generating proposals. “In the House, the options include a new highway use fee based on fuel efficiency and an increase in the vehicle sales tax. And in the Senate, they include a hike in electric vehicle fees, a new tax on luxury vehicles costing more than $500,000 and a fee for operators of venues with large-scale events.”
The article added, “Skyrocketing construction costs and slowing gas tax collections have left lawmakers searching for new options for years. They now face a $1 billion shortfall in the next two-year budget. Without new state revenue, they warn of road projects sitting half-built. Even with more money, the House budget would still punt on $1.3 billion worth of projects between 2025 and 2031. That’s meant tough conversations with some legislators who are unhappy work in their districts won’t get done anytime soon.”
The Norman Transcript also covered this story, noting that OTA plans two town hall meetings in Norman, a center of project opposition, to ensure that its residents’ views on alignment are heard.
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A Look At Progress On Georgia’s $4.6 Billion SR 400 Express Lanes Project
Daily Commercial News took a deep dive into Georgia DOT’s $4.6 billion SR 400 Express Lanes Project, calling it one of the largest highway projects in the US.
Although design and right-of-way acquisition are still in progress, construction of 16 miles of tolled managed lanes could begin as early as this year, with an expected completion date of 2031. GDOT modeled the project as a design-build-finance-operate-maintain P3 and selected SR400 Peach Partners to carry out the job. The consortium team consists of ACS Infra, Acciona, Meridiam, Dragados, and Parsons. The article looked at its construction and tolling plans and the financing mix, in addition to the scope of work.
According to the project website, GDOT tentatively expects to achieve financial close with SR 400 Peach Partners by August. The parties reached commercial close in mid-November 2024, a step that opened the door to final design and permitting and allowed the consortium to focus on obtaining financing.
Delays In Federal Grant Funds Availability Were Debated During Senate Hearing
Wednesday’s Senate Environment and Public Works Committee hearing was called to give USDOT Secretary Sean Duffy an opportunity to expound on the next surface transportation reauthorization bill. However, most of the questioning and discussion focused on a different issue, the cause of delays in infrastructure projects awarded federal grants, according to Streetsblog USA.
Duffy has recently criticized the Biden administration for leaving a backlog of about 3,200 approved projects that don’t yet have signed grant agreements, and he stuck to that claim when senators queried him about delays. The committee’s ranking member, Rhode Island Democrat Sheldon Whitehouse, offered a different explanation, suggesting USDOT staff reductions and a systematic culling of grants that don’t align with Trump policies on diversity, equity, and environmental protection are at least partially to blame. Duffy acknowledged that a close review of approved grants is underway but denied it is the major cause of delays.
As the Streetsblog article and “Engineering News-Record” reported, the hearing eventually turned to discussion of the transportation funding bill. However, senators and the secretary added little, if anything, to their previous public comments on the matter.
Maine Turnpike Nearly Scrapped Bond Deal Over Economic And Policy Uncertainties
The Bond Buyer (subscription required) reported, the Maine Turnpike Authority (MTA) nearly scrapped a bond refunding scheduled for last week because of market uncertainties and the “turbulent news cycle” traceable to Trump administration schemes. Although MTA hasn’t been materially affected by new federal policies, its CFO, John Sirois, told Bond Buyer, “We are in so much flux right now with what’s going on with the new administration. It’s hard to tell what the impacts will be. What’s going on globally could impact us, whether we go into a recession. There’s so many factors involved.”
In lieu of cancellation, MTA and its advisors made a late decision to move the bonds’ pricing up a day to April 1 to take advantage of a “positive movement in the market.” The authority is issuing two series of bonds — $91.98 million of revenue refunding bonds to refund all or a portion of its 2015 turnpike revenue refunding bonds, and $16.51 million of special obligation bonds to refund all or a portion of special obligation bonds issued in 2014. MTA hopes to achieve $6 million to $7 million of net present value savings.
Mr. Sirois said MTA has no foreseeable plans for additional bond issuances within the next five years, but circumstances could change if the authority accelerates some large infrastructure projects.
Commentary: New Data Highlights Important Trends In US Infrastructure Spending
Commentary from the Brookings Institution finds that even as the Trump administration creates uncertainty about the future of federal government support for public infrastructure projects, Congressional Budget Office (CBO) data reveals the need to sustain the recent growth of US transportation and water infrastructure investment. The research also underscores the importance of state and local government spending on infrastructure.
Brookings explores four trends suggested by the CBO research that “policymakers and practitioners should keep in mind” as they assess national, state, and local infrastructure needs:
- Total public infrastructure spending is up, but as a share of gross domestic product, spending continues to trend down
- As a share of total national infrastructure spending, state and local spending continues to dominate
- Jumps in operations and maintenance spending drive many of these increases, especially at the state and local level
- State and local revenues are increasingly important to keep up with infrastructure spending, as compared to federal grants