08/11/03  Trinity River Project

I have been reviewing the various consultant reports re: the proposed Trinity River Toll road.  It makes for an interesting reading.    The further I get into these reports, the less I understand why the city of Dallas would spend any money on this project.

The cost estimates vary depending on how many lanes are built; but, the benefits are not that great even if an 8 lane toll road is built.   Were you aware that if this road is built, the average commuter will only save 6 minutes in travel time in the morning and 9 minutes at night.   This savings in time will come at a cost between $540 and 800 million dollars.   

Despite comments to the contrary this toll road will only carry at most 13% of the total traffic in the corridor.  This was assuming an 8 lane toll road.  With the latest proposal, even a smaller % of the traffic going through the Mixmaster will be diverted to the toll road.

I would propose exploring additional alternatives to include 

1) adding additional rail lines between Dallas and Ft. Worth along the Union Pacific rail-line; 

2) accelerating construction of the Northwest and Southeast DART rail lines, 

3) adding a rail line from the Red Line past Westmoreland to the Naval Air Station and thru West Dallas back to town;  and 

4) finally explore the option of paying people and businesses to relocate so they no longer have to drive through the Mixmaster to work.   The relocation program would be less expensive than building this toll road.

Finally with the current air pollution problems facing the city, I am fairly certain that all federal funding for highway programs will be cut off in 2005, since we will have failed to meet the current govt. standards for ozone.   When federal funds are cut off, the Texas Department of Transportation will not be able to complete most road projects in this area since federal funding is 90% of the money for work on Interstate highways. 

This week alone the city reached a purple ozone level on Thursday of 203.  This was the 2nd time this year that ozone has been that high in the area.  It could have reached that level on Friday except for the brief rain storm.  

The ozone problem is getting worse in the Metro area.  If you add 3 million more people I don't see how the EPA can allow any more freeways to be built.