Tolled road first of its kind in Texas
Tx DOT - July 3, 2006
The wait is over for Dallas-Fort Worth motorists traveling through Denton County on SH 121. The Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) will officially open the SH 121 Corridor as a toll road on Thursday, July 6, and Friday, July 7, in Lewisville and Coppell. Tolls will be waived as a trial offer to the public until Sept. 1, 2006.
SH 121 is the first toll road in Texas to open under Governor Rick Perry’s HB 3588 legislation, which authorizes the financing of roadways with toll revenue.
“We are very excited to open this project,” said Claud Elsom, P.E., area engineer of the Denton County Area Office. “Our traveling public has been anxious to use this road, and we are glad to have opened the roadway ahead of schedule.”
NEWS RELEASE
Sections that will open to motorists include SH 121 from north of Denton Creek to east of I-35E and SH 121 from west of Hebron Pkwy (FM 544) to east of FM 2281 (Old Denton Road). The six-mile toll road was built for more than $117 million. Contractors who worked on the projects include Balfour Beatty Construction, Inc., and Mario Sincola and Sons, Excavation.
During the trial run of the opening, crews will continue to finish miscellaneous work on SH 121. Minor work will include pavement markings, placing additional signage and installing toll equipment on the roadway. Promotional billboards also will be placed adjacent to the new toll road.
Motorists traveling on SH 121 after the trial period will be charged electronically on their respective TxTag® stickers, the North Texas Tollway Authority’s TollTag or the Harris County Toll Road Authority’s EZ TAG. Drivers without an electronic toll tag can still use SH 121, however the toll rate is a little more and there is a $1 statement fee.
TxTag® stickers can be purchased online or by calling 1-888-GoTxTag (888) 468-9824.
Striping work on SH 121 will need to be done in order to open the roadway Elsom said. However, if there is inclement weather, he said striping work will not take place. In this event, the opening of SH 121 will be rescheduled.
