I’ve decided that the new Austin toll roads don’t suck. Not one bit. I know there’s a heated debate going on about Texas’ implementation of Toll Roads, especially around Austin. I’m not sure I fully understand both sides, but I was like “eh” (insert shrugging of shoulders here) for a while.
I went ahead and got TxTags for both our cars a few months back because I knew someday I’d need it to save me some time, at least to not have to go through the change booth at some point in the future. Plus, I think it’s a 10% discount by using the tag, so what’s not to like?
The first time I loved the Toll road (I’m talking about Toll-45 here) was when I needed to go to south Round Rock to visit a friend. WOW! I’m used to 20 minutes or so, maybe 25m depending on the lights. I got there in under 8 minutes.
The second time was when Caitlin “graduated” from UT Band Camp this summer, and the whole family went out to eat as a celebration. We decided to go to Cheddar’s in Pflugerville and I happened to take I-35 to Toll-45 home. We were almost home about 10 mins later and my wife looks up and “where are we? How’d we get here so fast?”. We agreed the Toll Road was awesome then. This trip, going our normal route, would have been a good 25-30 minutes.
Just this past week I was on my way home from work and I stopped by North Austin Medical Center, near work. Family called and asked that I pick up pizza. I decided to try going “the long way around” by taking the toll roads 1 and 45. I was home WITH the pizza less than 20 minutes later, and this would have been something that at that time of day would have easily taken 40-50 minutes going the way I normally go.
So here’s my new commute. It’s more miles but I got to work in about 15 mins vs my normal 25-30. I can take those minutes back any day!
You know, I’ve always heard “as you get a busier life, set aside a few minutes each day for yourself.” I always thought - “hey, you’re right! Then I and save them up and then later I’ll have a few weeks saved up!” Using the toll roads of Austin helps me save towards that goal.
Ok, it’s 5:07 on my blackberry. I’m in the car and will try the toll road way home. In my mind it seems that it’s _so_ much further. We’ll see.
Just passed 620 and 183. 5:20. Not bad.
Ok I’m at the walgreens near my house (3-4min away) and it’s 5:27. Not bad.
It’s nice to see that Austin has finally come into the 1980’s. And no, you can’t blast me because I am a native Austinite. I am all about tollways and turnpikes. There is NO WAY you could handle any large city like Dallas, LA, Atlanta or NY state without tolls and turnpikes. It’s totally worth the cost to have the state/city outsource the building of the roads and let them reap millions because the roads will get built as fast as the number of mexicano amigos you can hire daily.
So Austin, welcome to the real world of metropolises. It’s about damned time.
Don’t be a sucker. Additional toll roads they are talking about are our freeways. Can you say UNACCOUNTABLE TAXATION SCHEME?
Sal Costello
http://salcostello.blogspot.com/
I definitely don’t like unaccoiuntability and I hate taxes. But I have much bigger beefs about how much I pay and where it all goes than the toll road system. For me personally, if it gets me where I want to go 10-30min earlier per trip, I’ll pay per use.
Some of the other things more worthy of our attention is pork barrell spending, money wasted in our education system, social programs, etc.
As long as there are always non-toll alternatives, I’m fine w/toll roads. I also would prefer non-corrupt oversight on the mgmt of such a systme but toll roads don’t have a monoply on that market - I want non-corrupt oversight on *all* gov’t jobs, programs, spending, etc.
Oh and to me, the biggest unaccountable taxation scheme is the IRS, federal tax, and withholding. That’s why I support the Fair Tax.
Sal, hey, I heard you on the radio this morning! I was confused a little about how you didn’t mention my blog…
Are you kidding me??? These toll(excuse me tax roads) are a complete scam!! Idiots do you not see that selling off Texas roads to private interests is political corruption of the first degree?? You are now being taxed by FOR PROFIT companies!!! Does not this disturb you idiot!! Its called TAXATION WITHOUT REPRESENTATION!!! WHY ARE PEOPLE SOOOOOO STUPID to allow this complete fraud to accur?? Rick Perry and his bought and paid for croneys should be thrown out of OFFICE. People are just to stupid to see what is going on here!!
It’s amazing what kind of nuts crawl out of the woodwork from time to time. I love it when people show their stupidity. Just another representation of how shallow the water in the gene pool has become.
Don, first of all, thanx for visiting my blog.
Second, please refrain from calling me an idiot if you want to have even a slightly higher-than-juvenile debate. Last I checked, name-calling isn’t high on the ‘I really have a good point to make’ list of good tactics for convincing others.
I think you should look up the word ’scam’. I’m getting a completely elective new service, that is worth what I’m paying. I can choose not to participate. As far as I know, the roads are new, but I clearly haven’t done as much research as you have.
Toll 45 seems brand new to me and means I don’t have to sit and wait on 620.
Toll 183A seems brand new to me and means I don’t have to go through the 20 stoplights on 183 from 620 to 2243 in Leander.
Toll 1 seems brand new to me and means I don’t have to sit and wait between Parmer and I-35.
If I’m too cheap or emotional or politically outraged to take the toll roads, the roads I *do* take have less people than they would have otherwise.
Now, without spouting negative adjectives, can you help me understand, with facts, what I’m missing.
Good examples: (blahblah road is not new) or (we lost $x gov’t funding and put it in this other place and goes into X person’s pockets) or (I have this here memo showing how Perry said let’s scam Texans)
Bad examples: (Perry is crap) or (you are an idiot) or (everyone knows it’s a scam) or (only a complete moron believes X) or (are you so stupid that you can’t see X)
What about this don’t people get. FIgure it out.. spend two billion and put toll roads all around and in Austin. Collect hundreds of billions in TAX REVENUE over the next 50-100 years, no accountability as to were all this money is going. Collect trillions over the next two hundred years from our children and grand children. NO ACCOUTABLILITY AS TO WHERE ALL THIS MONEY IS GOING. No say in what the toll rates will be.. they will only go up and up and up. Taxation without representation, no accountability, bonds were already issued to build these roads so it is a DOUBLE TAX. Oh yea, forgot you get somewhere faster now.. thats a good reason to sell out this and future generations of Texans. These toll roads are a scam anyway you look at it. I’m not just calling you stupid, I’m calling every Texan out there stupid for letting this corrupt Govenor sell them out, their children out, their great grand children out etc etc
Want to know where your money went? Ask Ricky Perry and Jerry Jones. Gas tax revenue was pledged for stadium bonds so Jerry Jones can make more money. They’re BOTH crooks. If you voted for the stadium (in Dallas) you’re part of the problem. However, since most of us aren’t anywhere NEAR Dallas, out tax dollars are NEVER going to benefit us, ergo we must pay toll roads. Texas roads and bridges are collapsing and we build Jerry Jones a new stadium. Fanflippingtastic.
Also, Don, no offense, but MY gas taxes are paying for your road as well, and frankly, I don’t go to Austin much. Now, when they sell the new roads to the Spanish, it may be different. But as of now, gas taxes build toll roads. Gas taxes even built roads that they’re now CONVERTING into toll roads. How’s that fair to me if they’re not in my area? Frankly, I’m very glad you get to where you’re going faster. You might try using that extra time you saved to think about what it’s costing everyone else to make your life easier.
Just curious — if you don’t use the roads, then what difference does it make if they are toll or not? If your gas taxes pay for them in both cases then I don’t see how it makes any difference.
Now, if you did drive in Austin more, and specifically avoided the toll roads, then I could agree that you would have a valid complaint about how your gas taxes are spent. But once you accept the premise that your gas taxes will be spent on roads you do not use, I don’t see how it matters (to you) whether those roads are tolled or not.
In principle, I am not opposed to toll roads of a “bypass” nature, but I do agree that they should not be funded via other tax revenue — or perhaps it is OK to build them from tax revenue but the toll revenue should then pay back the tax expense.
God, why are we STILL talking about this? I LOVE my toll roads in Dallas!!!!