North Texas unity showing cracks as LBJ East waits another month — and costs another $5 million

(By: Ray Leszcynski - https://www.dallasnews.com/news/transportation/2018/03/12/north-texas-unity-showing-cracks-lbj-east-waits-another-month-costs-another-5-million)

ARLINGTON — North Texas' elected officials and transportation planners have always stood unified to make improvements to LBJ East, the 10.8 miles of Interstate 635 deemed the region's top highway priority.

But now that the $1.8 billion mega-project seems destined to put three other regional freeway upgrades on hold, that solidarity is starting to show signs of cracking. 

Dallas officials this week said they would not back the plan that is on the board for the stretch of LBJ freeway that runs through their city, Garland and Mesquite. That plan has no tolls for LBJ East — instead moving money away from improvements to Interstate 35E, Interstate 30 and U.S. Highway 80.

"At this time, Dallas is opposed to moving forward with 635E without having the managed lanes as a part of it," Dallas City Council member Sandy Greyson told the RTC on Thursday at its meeting here. 

Building LBJ East with two tolled, managed lanes in each direction instead of affecting I-35E, I-30 or U.S. Highway 80 was also supported by residents at a community meeting in Lake Highlands last month.

'Heading into troubled waters'

Both the Regional Transportation Commission, which doles out local highway dollars, and the Texas Transportation Commission decided this week to wait until April to vote on LBJ East — knowing that every month without action, the eventual cost of the project rises about $5 million.

A month ago, Lee Kleinman, the Dallas City Council's transportation chairman, told the RTC he didn't like the idea of threatening the projects of regional partners who had faithfully stood unified behind LBJ East. Others echoed that sentiment at Thursday's meeting and to Michael Morris, transportation director for the North Central Texas Council of Governments.

Michael Morris, transportation director for the North Central Texas Council of Governments.(Jeff Woo/DRC)

"Lots of communities have weighed in [to say], 'It sure would be nice if you don't cash in the already approved project on Interstate 30, on 80, on 35,'" Morris told the RTC. "In my experience here, we have never cashed in a project to fund another project."

Denton County Commissioner Andy Eads called the idea of shifting money from approved projects "cannibalizing." He said it endangers the RTC's ability to work for the benefit of North Texas as a whole.

"We're heading into troubled waters with this practice. It's a paradigm shift," Eads said. "We are going to have to be a divided region looking out for each individual project."

'This ship is ready to sail'

The Texas Department of Transportation's governing board passed on the $1.8 billion LBJ East project in January and won't bring it back to the table this month. (Staff/Ray Leszcynski)

When pressed by the TTC in Austin in January, Morris did not want to name the highways that might be delayed. The commission oversees the Texas Department of Transportation and passed on LBJ East at that meeting. 

Citing a $1 billion gap between available funds and the cost of LBJ East, TTC has continued to ask for the naming of specific projects to be held so that LBJ East can be built.

"I have asked that the RTC address the remaining funding gap and I have asked that the RTC demonstrate alignment with the non-tolled direction for the project," J. Bruce Bugg, Texas Transportation Commission chairman, said in a March 6 letter to RTC chair and Cedar Hill Mayor Rob Franke.

Bugg's letter also took issue with an email sent by Morris on March 2 with "several dozen questions to TxDOT that appear to question the non-tollroad policy of the commission."

Morris said it is at the direction of the RTC and residents that long-term planning continues to incorporate tolled highway lanes and roads to help build projects faster. 

Later in Thursday's meeting, RTC members noted a large number of toll-financed projects in the 2045 Mobility Report. The 60-day public input period for the 2045 Mobility Report starts April 2.

"This ship is ready to sail, and there's no way we can design a new ship between now and April 2," Morris said.