The Texas Public Interest Research Group, a consumer advocacy nonprofit, released a report today that names the Trinity toll road one of 11 road projects in America it considers a “highway boondoggle.” What does that mean? Well, in short, it’s a big, expensive project with little potential positive impact, as the lead in the DMN piece covering the report drives home:
By 2035, the $1.5 billion Trinity Parkway is expected to allow motorists on roads and highways in a 34-square-mile area to drive faster than they do today — by about 2 miles per hour. And 47 percent of lane miles in that area will be congested in 21 years regardless of whether the toll road is built or not.
Still, the road has its supporters, including Mayor Mike Rawlings, who seems to believe the project is critical. Not sure how adding 90,000 drivers to the downtown road network while only reducing vehicles on the Mixmaster sections of I-35 and I-30 by 8,000 to 29,000 is critical or worth the $1.5 billion price tag.
