Tarrant County elected officials and business leaders met at the county's annual transportation summit at the Hurst Conference Center on Friday to talk about how to handle the transportation needs of a growing population.
"I think what we've accomplished, and 'we' is a big word that includes a lot of people, is remarkable," Tarrant County Commissioner Gary Fickes said.
He said the conference brings together people from different levels and branches of government so they can hear from business leaders about their needs and work with the private sector to develop solutions.
Located outside the conference center, State Highway 183 was the first road in the metroplex to expand with managed toll lanes. NTE Mobility Partners can collect tolls in exchange for fronting money for the construction 10 years ago.
The tolls are adjusted based on demand to guarantee the average speed remains at least 50 miles an hour. The company's Robert Hinkle says projects in North Carolina and northern Virginia, near Washington D.C. have used the same model as states' gas taxes bring in less revenue.
"We're seeing the same results. People are able to move from point A to point B quicker, more efficiently, and when they want to," he said.
As the area's population has grown, Hinkle said NTE Mobility Partners is moving up plans to expand State Highway 183 and Interstate 820 again. He said the expansion was written into the original contract, but they are starting construction this spring, eight years earlier than expected.
"Our TxDOT friends, our engineers, the folks at [North Central Texas Council of Governments] who watch traffic all the time, they were able to project what we were going to need on 820 was a general purpose lane. What we were going to need going east through the Mid-Cities was an additional managed lane," Hinkle said.
The expansion is expected to cost $414 million, and construction is expected to last about three years.
Fickes said the transportation summit aims to ensure a reliable network that can help the area's economy keep growing.
"When you start talking about what we've been able to accomplish, it's kind of remarkable. You think of government as a group of people who don't get a whole lot done. I think you can say we've gotten some things done that are significant," he said. "That's been the key to our success: we've been able to collaborate and work together."
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