By BJ Austin, KERA News
http://stream.publicbroadcasting.net/production/mp3/kera/local-kera-857938.mp3
Dallas, TX –
It costs MORE today to drive the Dallas North Tollway, plus the President George Bush, and 121/Sam Rayburn Turnpikes. But, you may drive FASTER on them in certain places. KERA's BJ Austin reports.
New, higher speed limits on sections of the Dallas North Tollway, the George Bush Turnpike, and Hiway 121-Sam Rayburn Turnpike are in effect - up to 70 miles an hour on some stretches. And, TOLLS are 32% higher, from an average 11 cents a mile to 14.
But Sherita Coffelt with the North Texas Tollway Authority says with the rate hike comes a switch to "distance tolling". She says that mean a more consistent per mile charge throughout the system.
Coffelt: There are areas where the toll rate is actually going to decrease, like on the Belt Line Toll Plaza gantry on the President George Bush Turnpike. But there are areas that the toll rate is going to increase more than at other locations because of the distance it is from the next main lane gantry.
Gantries are the electronic toll monitors overhead.
The cost at Belt Line on the G B T will drop from 70 to 46 cents for toll tag customers. But at Wycliff on the Dallas North Tollway, it jumps from 70 cents to a $1.26, CASH customers pay an average 50% more system wide.