Toll-jacked on the Chisholm Trail

[Bob Of Burleson]

By William L. Humm
Special to the Star-Telegram

Have you been toll-jacked on the new Chisholm Trail toll road in Tarrant County?

You have if you have entered the toll road at McPherson Road and exited at Farm Road 1187. Or if you have entered at Sycamore School Road and exited at Alta Mesa Boulevard.

And there are other places where this could happen to you.

The North Texas Tollway Authority advertises a tolltag rate of 16.16 cents per mile on the new road. But a drive from McPherson Road to Farm Road 1187, a distance of 3.2 miles, will get you a toll charge of $2.08 instead of the advertise rate, which would be 52 cents.

A drive from Sycamore School Road to Alta Mesa, about one mile, will get you a charge of 74 cents instead of the advertised 16 cents.

The NTTA designed the Chisholm Trail such that there are three “mainlane toll gantries” strategically placed on the 27.6-mile road, along with 24 ramp gantries.

However, there are about 19 locations on the toll road where drivers can usually enter or exit it in both directions. If the NTTA really wanted to charge for use of their toll road based on the distance you actually drive on the road, they would need to have about 70 ramp gantries instead of only 24.

NTTA calls their tolling policy and practice “influence-distance-based tolling,” which is jargon for the longest distance you can travel between main tolling points determines the toll charge.

Read more here: http://www.star-telegram.com/2014/07/17 ... rylink=cpy

[Trixie]

I've just now received a bill from the NTTA, and my bill was $10.42. This is my route: I gained entrance at the Overton Ridge Blvd. entrance, drove to Cleburne, got off at 67. Took a back road to my destination. I got back on the toll road at 67 and travelled north to Fort Worth and got off at (I think) University Drive. Since I don't travel on any toll roads on a daily basis, I'll just stick with paying the bill instead of getting a toll tag.

[Bob Of Burleson]

I'm glad to see a "real-life" Chisholm Trail experience. We haven't traveled the toll road yet and were wondering how much a round trip would be.

[knotlazy]

I have a toll tag.

I drive 161 north to I 30 weekly to get to my Mom's house. It cuts at LEAST 10 minutes from my commute which is precious time in the early morning for me. I drive it to 114 to get to Little Longhorn's apartment when I need to...I don't even know how many minutes it cuts from my commute if I had to drive up loop 12..

Time is money.

[Trixie]

I'm glad to see a "real-life" Chisholm Trail experience. We haven't traveled the toll road yet and were wondering how much a round trip would be.

I did, however, find it difficult to pay on line, as I'm under the assumption they want to you to purchase a toll tag. I got frustrated and wrote a check. I don't use the CTP often enough to warrant me paying $40 for the tag.

[GRANDPA]

I was surprised it is only 2 lanes at the far south end