How WILL they fund the I 35 E widening project?

That is the big question these days. Just how will they fund it? where will the money come from? Tolls and toll roads. Especially toll lanes on the reconstructed I35E. A public-private partnership: a private operator builds the highway/tollway, and then gets to keep the revenues from the tolls in exchange. At least that is the way it was sold. The state kicks in some money, the county (Denton county that is) puts in funding, and the private firm pays the rest, and gets to operate the toll lanes included in the reconstructed highway. So, you've got your eye on the ball under the cup right?

Not so fast my friends. That surely isn't how the used car salesman gets you. There has to be a bait and switch in there somewhere; and there is. The private equity firms said (and I paraphrase here) - nah, not enough money in it for us. TXDOT says, hey, we don't have the money either. So, let's make a new plan.

Let's build the toll lanes only. Then money comes in, and then over time, maybe some new lanes. Classic. Promise me one thing, then come along and deliver a vastly inferior product. Now, this is not news. This starting blowing up last November (2011).  Since then the story keeps on changing. Originally, I posted about the widening project and the public/private partnership concept. 

So, at this point, Denton county has some amount of money from bonds it sold, as well as some revenue from the toll roads in denton county (specifically the 121 tollway I think). They are willing to put that money into the I35E expansion in Denton County. Private equity seems to be saying, "no, not today". TXDOT has some money it has found to put in. And with that money, well, ok, we can build some toll lanes. Hold it right there...

If 600 - 800 million dollars (the numbers I keep hearing) can be found to add toll lanes; and it will cost 900 million to add matching free lanes; I come to the conclusion that free lanes (without toll lanes) could be added for 600-800 million. No toll lanes. No 11' wide lanes.

So, yes, there is a bigger picture here, and I am going to find out more to let you know what is going on. Stay tuned.

http://transportationblog.dallasnews.com/archives/2012/01/txdot-chief-local-officials-si.html

http://transportationblog.dallasnews.com/archives/2012/03/senate-to-debate-hutchisons-ba.html