Montgomery County Removes Tolls on SH 242

[Elderberry]

Texas Scorecard By Reagan Reed May 30, 2019

This is one of the few times an existing toll road has ever become a freeway.

Drivers can now use the flyovers at the SH 242 exit north of The Woodlands for free after Montgomery County Commissioners Court voted unanimously this week to remove the tolls. The vote is the culmination of a year-and-a-half-long battle waged by conservative activists.

“This is the first time I can recall a toll road ending a toll, and I couldn’t be more proud of today’s court action,” said County Judge Mark Keough. “The people of Montgomery County win today with this vote, and the traffic at this intersection is surely to improve now that the flyovers can be utilized as they were designed.”

Keough cited statistics showing that only 3 percent of drivers who exit I-45 at the 242 intersection actually use the tolled flyovers, with the majority opting to sit in traffic at the congested intersection rather than pay the fee.

The construction cost for the flyovers was paid off in January 2018, and since then, the commissioners have used the tolls as a cash scheme to bring in more revenue. The county judge at the time, Craig Doyal, supported the tolls, and the court voted 3-2 to keep them.

More: https://texasscorecard.com/local/montgomery-county-removes-tolls-on-sh-242/

[IsailedawayfromFR]

Texas Scorecard By Reagan Reed May 30, 2019

This is one of the few times an existing toll road has ever become a freeway.

Drivers can now use the flyovers at the SH 242 exit north of The Woodlands for free after Montgomery County Commissioners Court voted unanimously this week to remove the tolls. The vote is the culmination of a year-and-a-half-long battle waged by conservative activists.

“This is the first time I can recall a toll road ending a toll, and I couldn’t be more proud of today’s court action,” said County Judge Mark Keough. “The people of Montgomery County win today with this vote, and the traffic at this intersection is surely to improve now that the flyovers can be utilized as they were designed.”

Keough cited statistics showing that only 3 percent of drivers who exit I-45 at the 242 intersection actually use the tolled flyovers, with the majority opting to sit in traffic at the congested intersection rather than pay the fee.

The construction cost for the flyovers was paid off in January 2018, and since then, the commissioners have used the tolls as a cash scheme to bring in more revenue. The county judge at the time, Craig Doyal, supported the tolls, and the court voted 3-2 to keep them.

More: https://texasscorecard.com/local/montgomery-county-removes-tolls-on-sh-242/

I recall Connecticut stopped the toll on I95 and made it a freeway.

The only reason was that over the course of a few weeks 2X truck drivers with a rig failed to stop and plowed into cars waiting in line, killing car occupants.

Years after that memory faded, I believe I read they re initiated them.