Collin County Engineering
has twice published a proposed delivery date
for the Lavon Lake Bridge Crossing 2018 to 2024. Comments have been made by various
Collin County officials saying that there is no money in the budget
to build this bridge, (or any other road projects. ) It stands to
reason that toll is the only path this bridge can
take. The September 14th Commissioner's meeting discussion confirms
toll is on the minds of the Commissioners
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g9F8Ccaogq8
October 7th, at the Collin County Public Meeting, Judge Self
mentioned that all roads cannot be toll and the bridge
over Lavon Lake will probably not be viable as a toll road for
decades. This is a logical, fact based assumption. The problem:
Judge Self cannot carry the Commissioner's Court vote alone, nor can
he control the "fact gathering" done by Collin County Engineering
that might seemingly "prove the viability" of a toll bridge across
the lake. Judge Self has been a vote of reason in the past, but he
has been the out-voted voice of reason, at times.
In the
video, Commissioner Joe Jaynes states that this project will definitely be a
toll project. If he is correct, your tax dollars will help fund an
unnecessary, unwanted, privately held bridge.
Toll companies
often require non-compete agreements, which force government to
leave other roadways unimproved to allow maximum profit for the
toll roads. Judge Self does not think that the bridge road would be
affected by a non-compete clause, but again we are reminded that he
is only one voice on the Collin County Toll Road Authority.
If Collin County turns its focus and expends its resources toward
this bridge, citizens are left in a really bad place. Will
Highway 78 or any of the other desperately needed "free"
improvements ever be finished? Will the county have any
incentive to add the needed lanes and improvements that would really
take care of the traffic flow on both 380 and 78?
http://www.examiner.com/examiner/x-17954-San-Antonio-Transportation-Policy-Examiner~y2009m9d10-Taxpayers-get-shafted-in-toll-deal-with-Spanish-company
Private Roads Public Costs
The idea of a toll bridge is not new.
Don Dillard, a Hunt Corporation representative, (also Chairman of NTTA from 200-2004)
suggested this bridge might be built as a toll road back in 2005.
In 2005 Don Dillard worked for a real estate subsidiary of the Hunt
Corporation. The following is record of his presentation to Lucas City Council. In this
presentation the bridge funding was discussed as either coming from
toll or federal sources.
MINUTES Lucas City Council - Special Meeting - September 29, 2005
(FYI
- Most recent $5000
campaign donation from Mr. W.M Hunt to Mr. Hoagland
on February 22, 2010)
Countless tax payer dollars are being spent toward these toll
projects BEFORE they are ever offered to the private toll
providers, and toll providers are rejecting them. In
economic times that are so unsure, is
this money being well spent?
Tolling roads bring economic hardship...
Many of the local population say that they will not use the
bridge if it goes toll.
Many of the failed toll projects listed in the above articles
were popular with the citizens but there is no such widespread
support for the Lavon Bridge. The citizens have spoken out
strongly against it.
How much tax payer money will Collin County be willing
to spend just to find out this bridge over Lavon Lake will not
fly?
