Judge Nelson Wolff calls for non-toll funding of 281, I-10 in Bexar County.

In a truly amazing turn of events, previously pro-toll County Judge Nelson Wolff has called for non-toll funding of both US 281 and I-10 (both north of Loop 1604) in far north Bexar County.

While this is tremendous progress, it's still NOT final in any official plans either at TxDOT or the MPO. So don't let your guard down just yet...
 
Judge Wolff, who vigorously foisted plans for a vast toll network across Bexar County, said his reason for the about face is that he felt tolls were a necessity if you wanted your roads expanded under Rick Perry, but now that the legislature has finally significantly boosted highway funding (all of it exclusively for non-toll roads), even pro-tollers like Wolff have to abandon their toll dreams in order to access the new money.

Wolff also sent a similar letter along with Sen. Donna Campbell in 2014 asking for some toll lanes to revert back to free lanes on US 281 using Prop 1 money, but TxDOT insisted local officials on the MPO could not use Prop 1 on US 281 since one year's allocations were insufficient to remove ALL toll elements from the project. Since Prop 1 cannot be used on toll roads, it was TxDOT's way of nixing a non-toll US 281 yet again.

My, how things have changed!
But now that the legislature passed SJR 5 to dedicate $2.5 billion/year of existing vehicle sales tax to non-toll roads, TxDOT's perpetual excuse that there isn't sufficient funding to replace all the toll elements on both US 281 and I-10 is no longer valid. SJR 5 is a constitutional amendment known as Prop 7 that be on the ballot for voter approval this November.

But you can submit the short and sweet version below.

Comments are due, July 6, on this web site.

It's essential WE FLOOD THEM WITH THIS MESSAGE: 'I do not want a tolled alternative. Go back to the complete NON-TOLL EXPRESSWAY alternative studied earlier using the new money the legislature has made available to fund it fully without tolls.'

Be sure to include your full name and address and ask for confirmation of receipt of comments.

Our national partners that help us watchdog the federal highway bill, Alliance for Toll-free Interstates, has a super quick way to contact the Senate Environmental and Public Works Committee to tell them NOT to expand interstate tolling.

The Committee will decide on what stays in the final bill this Wednesday, June 24. Expanding interstate tolling is still in the official bill. So contact the committee TODAY and tell them to REMOVE tolls from the bill!

TRINITY TOLL ROAD UPDATE 
Certain public officials are still trying to push the controversial Trinity Toll Road down taxpayers' throats. Be sure to attend one of these meetings to make your voices heard. Considering this toll road would be built in a flood plain and much of Dallas has been experiencing severe flooding in recent weeks, now more than ever this ill-conceived toll road needs to DIE! Our tax money is better spent on replacing all these planned toll lanes with FREE lanes to add adequate capacity to our FREEways. The legislature failed to pass the bills to KILL this toll road. So now it's the hard way...

June 22, 6 to 8 PM - Methodist Dallas Medical Center's Hitt Auditorium, 1441 N. Beckley Ave.
June 23, 6 to 8 PM, Dallas City Performance Hall, 2520 Flora St.