LTAWACS

Never said that. Actually, I've said multiple times I don't like tolls. I just understand that they're simply the only option for TXDOT in this economic climate.

Option to do what?

I've seen this said a few times before but I've never seen a source. Maybe they did, but I just don't buy it. They wouldn't willingly give up a source of income as big as this. They're a business, and they need more income to expand and continue to operate. Making this free just because it seems like a nice thing to do isn't a good enough reason.

Government agencies are not "businesses" that need to grow and expand. They exist solely to serve the public/taxpayers.

Why does the hctra need to collect tolls? To pay the construction costs of building MORE toll roads? So they can erect toll booths in order to collect revenue to fund even more toll roads so the can erect toll booths in order to collect revenue to fund even more toll roads??????

Where does this nickel and dime robbery end????

I don't *think* so. I seriously doubt it.

I don't have the hctra analysis in front of me but I'm certain the large number of commiters from the far flung suberbs had something to do with it.

That's a brochure. Id like to see a direct quote from a HCTRA official. If this WAS true it would've been advertised a lot more than a simple brochure.

Come on Bigfootsocks, who woul WANT to pay extra to drive on a freeway? Especially around here?

I think the anawer to that is no one.

Crappy strips from crappy "developers".

Well I think most of us so do not want to pay additional fees to drive on the bloody freeway.

No one is protesting it.

TxDOT's outreach has already concluded like 4 years ago:

http://www.txdot.gov/inside-txdot/get-involved/about/hearings-meetings/houston/elysian.html

HCTRA is building this and TXDot is rebuilding the Elysian Viaduct as the downtown drop off for the Hardy.

http://www.houstonchronicle.com/news/transportation/article/Hardy-Toll-Road-years-away-but-already-under-4854990.php#/0

https://www.hctra.org/about_construction/hardy-downtown-connector

http://blog.chron.com/houstonpolitics/2012/06/hardy-toll-road-downtown-connector-making-progress/

http://blog.chron.com/houstonpolitics/2011/08/see-the-hardy-downtown-conenctor-and-other-project-plans/

How can the get away with this? This is robbery pure and simple!

Did the hctra hold their meetings/outreach in the middle of the day, when decent ppl are at work?

Obviously I didn't mean it like that, I meant that toll revenues would obviously go towards paying off construction and future maintenance as it would seem highly unlikely the planners or HCTRA wouldn't have thought of something as simple as that.

The tolls weren't supposed to be used for maintenance, as far as I understand the situation. I understand that once construction costs were paid, the roads would be "free" - or at least as "free" as the interstate.

They are soon building the Hardy Tollway from 610 to Downtown.

So... where are the letters of protest? How can we stop this? Who approved this?

That doesn't make sense. They wouldn't find just construction without thinking of the additional maintenance costs there would be. That's just poor planning.

In my limited accounting and finance experience, there is a difference. The two can be and usually are separated on the books.

Perhaps but there is a difference between construction costs and maintenance costs.

If I understand this whole scam correctly, the tolls were to fund construction costs. Not maintenance costs.

Looks like construction is proceeding slowly.

Yeah I can't stand him... I have special disdain for his sidekick, maria todd.

One of my coworkers named his boy Austin and his girl London.

Always love to see articles talking about Houstonians/Texans not paying taxes.

Have they seen our property tax rates?

What are the property taxes in philly?

Is this some hoax? Ppl in that part of town usually have connections that would tell them about something like this.

Interesting.

It will blend into bland surroundings.

Lets hope this spurs another 4 or 5 towers.

There are studies questioning the reliability of eyewitnesses...

(for the skeptics - did I put in enough links?)

I'm liking this post solely because I lile certain mollusks ... on my plate! :-)

About time...

Southwest Fwy is also titled Lloyd Bensten highway. I'm not sure how long this has been the case but I recently noticed brown signs indicating this designation. Personally I'm not a fan of naming highways after people because the name is arbitrary to the direction. In a huge fan of naming based of direction or major city/town in the path (I.e. Katy). Naming after senators and the like seems very chicagoish

I believe it's been called that since the mid 80's.

Looks nice!

It's funny though ... the name translates in Spanish to "we have a place"... :-)

I wonder how many units ...

Looks good, thanks for the update.

I must protest the location.

Reminds me of the anadarko tower.