Texas Rep. Matt Krause (R-Fort Worth, District 93) recently filed House Bill 1951, the Toll Payer Protection Act.
The proposed legislation calls for voter approval for new toll roads, uniform toll bill form, taking tolls off roads once they are paid for and public/private sector partnership on certain road projects.
“We want to do something that gives them a voice, allows them to speak into it and really take control over the toll road process,” said Krause.
Krause, who sits on the transportation committee, said he filed the bill after hearing from constituents. The bill has not yet been referred to a committee in the Texas House, but is expected to be soon.
A committee would have to vote on the bill before it goes to the full house floor.
Michael Morris is the director of transportation at the North Central Texas Council of Governments, the agency that helps plan road projects across North Texas. Morris has a different take.
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"Don't we have voter approval every single day to decide if we get on a facility or we don't. So we vote with our feet," said Morris.
Morris said there is not enough money allocated to fully-fund new roads in the growing Dallas-Fort Worth region. And as for getting rid of toll roads once they are paid for, Morris said money is needed to maintain the roads after they're built.
