Transportation
BY JESSICA SHORTEN & LIZZY SPANGLER
Tomball Tollway revenue increases 56% from 2019-23
County requests barriers on Hwy. 242 Following a petition which gained over 14,000 signatures as of press time, Montgomery County Judge Mark Keough announced a request to the Texas Depart- ment of Transportation to install pedestrian fencing along the Hwy. 242 flyovers at I-45 to provide additional barriers for those struggling with mental health issues. Two-minute impact After losing two classmates to suicide less than one year apart, College Park High School senior Lacy Tinnell began a petition on Change.org for local officials to install some form of preventative barriers. On May 6, Keough confirmed that TxDOT had received the request and is looking into potential funding options to include the project on the 2025 project letting schedule.
The revenue the Harris County Toll Road Authority collected from drivers along the Tomball Tollway increased 56% between 2019-23, accord- ing to HCTRA data. In fiscal year 2018-19, $28.3 million in reve- nue was collected from tolls along the Tomball Tollway, which increased to $44.2 million in FY 2022-23, according to HCTRA data. How we got here The Tomball Tollway spans from Coons Road to Spring Creek, per HCTRA’s system map. The first phase of the tollway opened in 2015, and the second phase opened in 2019, per prior reporting. Also of note Senate Bill 2722 aims to change how HCTRA funds are distributed by having excess revenue distributed to precincts based on the percentage of roads maintained. Harris County Precinct 3 oversees 47% of
Harris County Toll Road Authority collections, Tomball Tollway $50M
$44.2M
$40M
$28.3M
$30M
$20M
$10M
$0
2019 2020 2021 2022 2023
SOURCE: HARRIS COUNTY TOLL ROAD AUTHORITY/COMMUNITY IMPACT
unincorporated county roads, Commissioner Tom Ramsey said, while Precincts 1 and 2 each oversee 15%. Precinct 4 oversees 23%. As of May 23, SB 2722 passed the Senate, and was voted out of the House Transportation Com- mittee, per Texas Legislature Online.
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