CATC Mobility Headlines

The 40-mile extension of SH 130 from Mustang Ridge to IH-10 in Seguin could be complete by November 2012 if all goes according to schedule.  TXDOT Engineer Ben Engelhardt told the Seguin City Council on Mar 3 that TXDOT hopes to being construction within the next 60 days.  Groundbreaking on the interchanges could begin in August.

The project, developed as a public-private partnership between TxDOT and the S.H. 130 Concession Co, will charge a toll of 12.5 cents per mile.

SH 130 construction to begin soon

http://mysh130.com/

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.

Gov. Rick Perry signed SB 792, the only legislation significantly affecting toll road policy passed in the 80th Legislative Session. The bill places a two-year moratorium on comprehensive development agreements (CDAs) with private companies.

The bill’s direct effect on Central Texas is that it prevents TXDOT from being able to sell the Central Texas Turnpike Project tollroads (SH 130, SH 45, and Loop 1N) to a private entity. For additional details on the bill, see the Governor’s press release.

The second Distinguished Transportation Speaker Series (DTSS) will be held May 4 at 11:30 AM at the Hyatt Regency in Austin at 11:30 AM. The Distinguished Transportation Speaker Series’ objective is to provide top notch speakers to educate the regional business, community and political leadership though a series of lunches. Our first luncheon in this series, featuring noted congestion expert Alan Pisarski in October 2006, was well-attended and received.

The second event in this series will focus on public-private investment in transportation infrastructure. The event’s main speaker will be Leonard Gilroy, Senior Policy Analyst at the Reason Foundation and a nationally recognized expert on public-private partnerships.

Gilroy is the managing editor of Privatization Watch, a newsletter on privatization, and is the editor of the Annual Privatization Report, which examines trends and chronicles the experiences of local, state, and federal governments in bringing competition to public services. His articles have been featured in The Wall Street Journal, The Weekly Standard, Washington Times, Houston Chronicle, Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Arizona Republic, San Francisco Examiner, and Rocky Mountain News.

Gilroy’s presentation will be followed by a panel discussion of local and state leaders weighing in on the issue. We have invited Texas State Senators John Carona and Robert Nichols to participate on this panel. We’ll have additional information on the panel’s makeup soon.

The luncheon will be from 11:30 AM – 1:00 PM at the Hyatt Regency in Austin (208 Barton Springs Road) and the cost is $40 per person. Seats are limited so please RSVP by May 1 to catc@catransco.org or 512-587.6625. Cash or checks will be accepted at the door.

On Mar 22, TXDOT and Cintra-Zachry signed the final contract for the private consortium tobuild and operate SH 130 Segments 5 & 6 (Mustang Ridge to Seguin) for the next 50 years. Under the agreement, Cintra-Zachry will cover design, land and construction costs and TXDOT retains ownership of the land. TXDOT will receive $25 million upfront and a minimum of 4.65 percent of the road’s toll revenue, with a potential increase of up to 50 percent.

The lease contract signing exempts the project from a proposed legislative two-year moratorium on concession agreements.

State Highway 130 (Segments 5 and 6) - TXDOT

State Highway 130: A Model For Public–Private Partnerships - Keep Texas Moving

Cintra-Zachry to finish 130 - Taylor Daily Press