March 31, 2008

	Public Hearing Spring 2008 CDA Selection Fall 2008 Construction 2008 or 2009

TxDOT Requests Detailed Proposals

Three private sector teams have been invited to submit detailed financial and development plans for the DFW Connector, the next step in the competitive selection process to select a proposer to develop, design, and construct the project, with the potential for maintenance of the road under a comprehensive development agreement (CDA).

Following submittal of the detailed proposals, which are due by June 13, 2008, Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) staff will conduct a thorough evaluation. A final selection of a best value proposer is expected by this fall. Meanwhile, the environmental process is ongoing. In February, TxDOT sent the draft environmental document to the Federal Highway Administration for initial review. After TxDOT receives notice to proceed, a public hearing will be scheduled.

The DFW Connector is a 16.2-mile project that will reconstruct and expand SH 114 and SH 121 where they converge. The improvements will include five interchanges with seven highways, including express toll-managed lanes. At its widest point, it would include 6 to 7 non-toll lanes plus two managed express lanes in each direction.

The DFW Connector is funded, but TxDOT is seeking a partnership with the private sector to maximize and capitalize on those funds. A public-private partnership would accelerate construction by allowing one contractor to both design and construct the project within a CDA.

The DFW Connector is needed to accommodate the increasing transportation demand in this portion of the region. In addition, the development of this project will greatly reduce congestion, enhance safety, expand economic opportunity, improve air quality and increase the value of the region’s transportation assets.

Financing Tools

As transportation funding sources fail to keep pace with regional needs, the North Texas region is moving forward with an aggressive toll and managed lane system to help address this funding crisis. Local officials and transportation leaders are using tolled managed lanes and agreements with the private sector to accelerate the region's high priority projects including the DFW Connector and the North Tarrant Express.

The North Central Texas Council of Governments (NCTCOG) is the region's metropolitan planning organization. Since 2003, the NCTCOG Regional Transportation Council (RTC) has controlled which mobility projects in North Texas get priority and how they are funded through the Texas Metropolitan Mobility Plan.

The Texas Transportation Commission created the Texas Metropolitan Mobility Plan to give metropolitan areas more flexibility and local control. The plan allows for a set, predictable allocation of Category 2 mobility funds. These funds, combined with new legislative tools, empower the urban areas of Texas to better address congestion and construct more projects sooner. The Dallas-Fort Worth area receives 36 percent of the state's Category 2 funds.

The RTC has identified a $58.6 billion funding shortfall by 2030 for the Dallas-Fort Worth area unless the region pursues innovative financing measures including toll roads and managed lane systems. TxDOT and NCTCOG are working together to address this funding challenge through partnerships of local elected officials, the private sector and the Commission.

DFW Connector Web Site Keeps Public Informed

Want to learn more about the DFW Connector? TxDOT's Web site is a great way to stay informed about the project. Located at www.txdot.gov KEYWORD: DFW Connector, the Web site contains information about progress on the SH 114/121 corridor.

As news develops on the project, subscribers to the DFW Connector e-newsletter will learn firsthand about important news posted to the Web site. Future issues will announce such milestones as the public hearing, environmental approval and selection of a private sector team to develop and construct the DFW Connector.

Visitors to the Web site who are unfamiliar with the DFW Connector can learn more about the scope of each of the project segments including their locations and planned number of lanes. They can also learn about the comprehensive development agreement (CDA) process and track its progress as TxDOT seeks a public-private partnership to move the project forward. Once construction begins, this Web site will evolve into a project information tool that will include schedules, lane closures and other details for each construction stage of the project.

Check our TxDOT Web site for more information and updates as the project progresses.

You are receiving this e-mail as a service of the Texas Department of Transportation to keep you further informed about the progress of the DFW Connector.

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