Gov. Rick Perry appointed local real estate professional Ray Wilkerson as chair of the Central Texas Regional Mobility Authority, replacing current Chair Bob Tesch, who is not seeking reappointment. Wilkerson is the president and CEO of real estate investment firm Ray Wikerson Companies.
Central Texas Regional Mobility Authority (CTRMA) Chair Bob Tesch has told Governor Rick Perry that he won’t seek reappointment. Perry appointed Tesch as head of the CTRMA Board in 2003 and re-appointed him in January 2007.
During Tesch’s tenure, the CTRMA constructed Highway 183A, which was completed in March 2007 on time and on budget, and obtained approval for another $1.5 billion in new tollroads. CTRMA officials say Tesch will remain until Perry appoints a replacement.
CATC awarded Tesch with its “Flying Tigers” Award in 2004 in recognition of his service as the Chair of the state’s first regional mobility authority.
CTRMA Executive Director Mike Heiligenstein has been appointed to the Texas Transportation Institute (TTI) Advisory Council.
TTI is one of the largest university-affiliated transportation research agencies in the U.S.. Its Advisory Council is comprised of a small group of high-level transportation professionals from across the state of Texas and from every sector of the transportation world. The Council provides advice on transportation issues and trends, and supports the institute’s research programs and initiatives.
Heiligenstein appointed to Texas Transportation Institute Advisory Council
Heiligenstein appointed to statewide transportation advisory council
Cashless system on 183A isn’t slowing down growth
With two months of all-electronic tolling data to analyze, the Central Texas Regional Mobility Authority (CTRMA) reports that ending cash toll collection on 183A hasn’t impacted traffic or revenues. January 2009 traffic increased 16% over January 2008 and December 2008 traffic was up 12.2% over December 2007, demonstrating increases consistent with previous month’s trends. The tollroad recorded its most heavily transacted day to date on December 19, 2008 with nearly 76,000 transactions.
Revenues are also increasing at slightly slower pace - 11.8% and 11% up for December 2008 and January 2009 respectively over the same month in the previous year (revenues necessarily lag traffic in a growth period with a billing system). Since the cash booths closed Decmeber 1, 2008, customers now have the option of using TxTAG or Pay-By-Mail. About 5% of tollroad transactions are unpaid, and as the Statesman’s transportation columnist Ben Wear reported last week, the first ten super-violaters (having racked up 600+ toll violations each) have been turned over to county attorneys for prosecution.
Toll Road News reports that the CTRMA is considering another payment option, in which drivers would use an off-road cash facility to pay the toll and provide their license number and car make and model so they will not be billed by mail, but no decisions have been made about this proposal.
The CTRMA implements annual traffic surveys to continual measure the effectiveness of the 183A project as the region continues to develop and grow. The most recent survey is the December 2008 183A Traffic Study.
183A Northern Extension plans underway
In other 183A news, traffic on the tollroad has exceeded projections so greatly that the CTRMA has started survey work in anticipation of constructing a 4.5 mile northern extension of 183A seven years earlier than anticipated. The extension will be built in the median of existing frontage roads froM 1431 to RM 2243. Construction could begin by the end of 2009.
Expressway News - Feb 9, 2009 - Central Texas Regional Mobility Authority
Conversion to cashless produces no drop in traffic or revenue on 183 TR in Austin - Toll Road News
The Central Texas Regional Mobility Authority (CTRMA) Board of Directors has voted to eliminate the cash toll booths on US 183A before the end of the year - perhaps as early as November 2008. As 80% of US 183A users are toll tag users, the agency was spending a disproportionate share of operating expenses to collect cash tolls. The CTRMA expects to save $1 million a year in operating costs.
Drivers without a TxTag, Tolltag or EZ-Tag will be able to use the new “Pay-By-Mail” program, which will use a snapshot of the vehicle license to send a bill to the registered owner. Customers choosing to use the “Pay-By-Mail” program can
expect their vehicle’s license plate to be photographed.
The strategy is not unprecedented - US 183A will be the fourth cashless toll road in Texas. Houston’s Westpark Tollway was the first in 2004 (access is limited to vehicles with toll tags) followed by Loop 49 in Tyler and SH 121 in Dallas (which have their own pay by mail programs). CTRMA’s future toll roads are also expected to be cashless.
US 183A toll tags customers save 25% off the “Pay-By-Mail” rate so it’s the best deal for regular users. Get a TxTag at all mainline toll plazas in Central Texas, online at www.TxTag.org or via phone at 1-888-Go-TxTag.
US 183A to go cashless - CTRMA press release
Toll booths will be eliminated on US 183A - Austin Business Journal
Central Texas 183A to go cashless - KEYE
Texas 183A tollroad in Austin going cashless before year’s end - Toll Road News
The Central Texas Regional Mobility Authority (CTRMA) has chosen JPMorganChase as its financial partner on the outstanding toll road projects. CTRMA expects to develop a combined public/private financing package for under 6%. As construction costs are projected to increase by 10-12%, moving forward expeditiously on these projects should be a net gain financially, as well as as for Central Texas mobility. Financing will be comprised of non-concession, non-privatized lending of public and private funds supported solely by revenue from tolls. Details regarding which roads roads get built and when must still be worked out , but it does portend well for getting things back on track and placing Central Texas on the cutting edge of self-sustaining local transportation funding.
TXDOT has already implemented short-term improvements, including adding water-absorbent pavement and roughening the pavement. In addition, the Texas Transportation Commission reduced speed in the area from 65 to 60 mph.
TXDOT hopes to get environmental approval for the $850,000 barrier project by Jul 1 and have them in place by the end of the year or early 2009. A public hearing for environmental approval is scheduled for Apr 24.
Plan pitches barriers for dangerous part of 71 - Austin American-Statesman
The Central Texas Regional Mobility Authority (CTRMA) is considering five responses to its request for potential financial partners, including Citigroup, Balfour Beatty Capital, Morgan Stanley, JPMorgan Chase, and Goldman Sacs. The CTRMA expects to select one of the firms by April and then must determine exactly how to finance the proposed road projects.
The Austin Business Journal reports that the CTRMA has issued requests for proposals (RFP) for financing of the toll roads recently approved in the CAMPO TIP (SH 45 SW from Loop 1 S to FM 1626, US 290E from US 183 to SH 130, US 183 from Springdale to Patton, SH 71 E from Riverside Dr. to US 183, and the “Y” at Oak Hill). Proposals are expected to be in by April, at which time the CTRMA will also have a better idea of how TXDOT cutbacks will impact the projects. Also still on the CAMPO / CTRMA discussion table is the possibility of the RMA taking over some design projects that could be adversely impacted by TXDOT’s budget woes.
CTRMA looks for funding support for toll projects
In other CTRMA news, US 183A traffic statistics through October 2007 are available on the CTRMA website. Average weekday transactions for July - October ranged from 56,668 to 58,561, well above the projected average of less than 25,000.
With TXDOT budget cuts trickling down to the local levels, Austin District Engineer Bob Daigh predicts that the district could rely on the Central Texas Regional Mobility Authority (CTRMA) to pick up the slack.
The Austin District’s right-of-way budget has been cut in half and the consultant budget was decreased by 57%. As of February, added capacity projects will be halted through the end of the fiscal year. Worse news: budget reductions could remain in place through 2009.
To help ease the burden, the Austin District is negotiating with the CTRMA to begin design work on projects that the District no longer has the budget for, including five toll projects approved in the CAMPO 2030 Plan and MoPac managed express lanes.