Thread: Cintra & TxDOT lose to NTTA...for now

Commissioners OK deal with NTTA for 121 project 1:00 PM CT

01:00 PM CDT on Thursday, June 28, 2007
By JAKE BATSELL / The Dallas Morning News
jbatsell@dallasnews.com

AUSTIN – State transportation commissioners voted 4-1 Thursday to give preliminary approval to local leaders' selection of the North Texas Tollway Authority for the State Highway 121 toll project.

The Texas Transportation Commission upheld a 27-10 vote last week by the Regional Transportation Council, the 40-member body of local leaders that sets transportation priorities in North Texas.

Earlier this year, the state reached a tentative agreement with the Spanish company Cintra to build and run the prized toll road in Collin and Denton counties. But state lawmakers said they were wary of selling a private company the rights to collect tolls on Highway 121 for the next 50 years, and asked that the NTTA be allowed to re-enter the bidding.

Today, commissioners gave their conditional approval to the NTTA’s Highway 121 proposal, which includes $3.3 billion in cash payments. But the commission’s vote is contingent upon working out the finalized business terms over the next 60 days.

The NTTA proposal would be terminated if the project does not close within 45 days after reaching that agreement. If that were to happen, commissioners said, they would accept the Cintra deal.

Commissioner Ted Houghton, who has frequently tangled with the NTTA during the Highway 121 bidding process, cast the sole dissenting vote.

Anything but foreign control of our roads. I'll take pot holes over that.

Dixie