The Colony Courier-leader > News
Hearings address SH 121 transfer
By Kim Nguyen, staff writer
The Texas Department of Transportation held two public meetings this week to hear comments about a proposed plan to transfer a segment of State Highway 121 to the North Texas Tollway Authority.
The segment runs from west of Farm to Market Road 2281 in Denton County to just east of Hillcrest Road in Collin County, according to the notification released by the Texas Department of Transportation.
The first hearing was held Monday night at the Christopher A. Parr Library in Plano. The second hearing was Tuesday night at The Colony City Hall. After a brief presentation from a representative from the Texas Department of Transportation, the floor was opened to public comments.
State law authorizes TxDOT to lease, sell, or transfer a toll project or system, including a non-tolled state highway or segment of a non-tolled state highway converted to a toll project, to a governmental entity that has the authority to operate a tolled highway. In North Texas, that agency is the NTTA.
Criteria and guidelines have been established for the review and approval for this type of request by the Texas Transportation Commission. The TTC is a five-member commission appointed by the governor and confirmed by the Texas Senate. The TTC governs TxDOT and provides guidelines and policies on state transportation issues and responsibilities.
The TTC determined that the proposed transfer of the segment of SH 121 meets the best interest of the state and the NTTA, and that the project will not adversely affect the financial viability of the project or regional mobility, said Brian Barth, director of Transportation Planning and Development with the TxDOT District Office in Dallas.
Descriptions, maps and drawings showing the proposed portion of SH 121 to be transferred to the NTTA and other information concerning the proposed transfer are available for viewing at the TxDOT Dallas District Office, 4777 East Highway 80 in Mesquite.
The segment runs from west of Farm to Market Road 2281 in Denton County to just east of Hillcrest Road in Collin County, according to the notification released by the Texas Department of Transportation.
The first hearing was held Monday night at the Christopher A. Parr Library in Plano. The second hearing was Tuesday night at The Colony City Hall. After a brief presentation from a representative from the Texas Department of Transportation, the floor was opened to public comments.
State law authorizes TxDOT to lease, sell, or transfer a toll project or system, including a non-tolled state highway or segment of a non-tolled state highway converted to a toll project, to a governmental entity that has the authority to operate a tolled highway. In North Texas, that agency is the NTTA.
Criteria and guidelines have been established for the review and approval for this type of request by the Texas Transportation Commission. The TTC is a five-member commission appointed by the governor and confirmed by the Texas Senate. The TTC governs TxDOT and provides guidelines and policies on state transportation issues and responsibilities.
The TTC determined that the proposed transfer of the segment of SH 121 meets the best interest of the state and the NTTA, and that the project will not adversely affect the financial viability of the project or regional mobility, said Brian Barth, director of Transportation Planning and Development with the TxDOT District Office in Dallas.
Descriptions, maps and drawings showing the proposed portion of SH 121 to be transferred to the NTTA and other information concerning the proposed transfer are available for viewing at the TxDOT Dallas District Office, 4777 East Highway 80 in Mesquite.
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