Honkin' Mad

Five years after I-35W collapse, bridges still crumbling

Tomorrow is the fifth anniversary of the Interstate 35W bridge collapse that killed 13 people and injured 145 in Minnesota. With that in mind, I thought I'd repost a story I did back in January revealing poor conditions on 29 Fort Worth area bridges. Despite all the attention drawn to the nation's crumbling infrastructure after the Aug. 1, 2007 tragedy up north, many bridges that are in even worse shape than the I-35W crossing are still being neglected. Here's that story. If you have time, please also click on the link to the video I shot of an actual bridge inspection in Fort Worth.

@gdickson

Wi-fi still not a success on the Trinity Railway Express - but officials are workin' on it

@gdickson

Nearly six years ago, the Trinity Railway Express was among the first passenger rail lines in the United States to begin installing a wireless online system for its customers - but service since that time has been spotty.

The commuter rail line, which is co-owned by the Fort Worth Transportation Authority (the T) and Dallas Area Rapid Transit - may have let the proverbial train leave the station before the technology was ready.

However, officials now say they can fully launch a more reliable wi-fi service by next year, if the agency's board as well as DART leadership agree to commit additional funds to the project beginning in October.

"TRE has been exploring new technologies and has found that they will work," said T spokeswoman Joan Hunter, adding that the TRE partners hope to fully unveil the new wi-fi system in 2013. "Tests have been conducted on TRE trains since March and feedback from rider surveys has been positive."

In the meantime, TRE riders can enjoy wi-fi in selected rail cars, as the partner agencies continue to test their equipment. Regular riders know to look for the logos on the sides of certain trains that read "TRE Wi-Fi Test Car."

The issue could be discussed Wednesday during an overview of the TRE's preliminary 2013 budget at the T's regular board meeting in Fort Worth, although the wi-fi project itself isn't a specific agenda item.

In October 2006, TRE hired 4G Metro to install the wireless system along the 34-mile route. The work was done at no cost to the T or DART, as the vendor was supposed to sell access as well as advertising to the captive audience on the trains.

But technical and other problems plagued the rollout, and the service was ended last year.

This year, TRE brought in a new wireless network, which it has been testing in-house since March. The results are far better, based on surveys conducted with TRE riders.

Full implementation of a wi-fi system that could be used by essentially any TRE rider would cost roughly $100,000 in capital start-up costs, plus about $25,000 a year in operating expenses, according to a report prepared for a TRE committee in June by Hensen Strategies.

"The pilot test that began in March 2012 has been on two cab cars and two coaches which operate primarily during a.m. and p.m. peak periods for on average about 20 to 30 train runs a day," Hunter said. "The car numbers are coach cars 1059 and 1062 and cab cars 1006 and 1009."

 

Transit center planned near Fort Worth's Alliance Town Center

Three years after the Fort Worth Transportation Authority bought land for a park-and-ride lot and transit center near Alliance Town Center, officials say they're a bit behind schedule in getting bus service to the property up and running but they're hopeful it can be done by 2013.

View Planned transit station at Alliance Town Center in a larger map

Tollway authority wants to 'boot' cars of motorists who don't pay tolls

@gdickson

ARLINGTON - North Texas Tollway Authority officials made headlines this week when they released the names of nearly 26,000 motorists who had refused to pay 100 or more tolls. But the agency's crackdown on scofflaws is far from over.

The Plano-based tollway authority also plans to ask the Texas Legislature's permission to begin "booting" cars owned by people who haven't paid their tolls. The system would work much like enforcement actions in many cities with parking meters. If someone gets tickets at expired meters and refuses to pay the fines, a boot order is issued and the next time the vehicle is caught in a parking space a giant, metal object is clamped onto one of the vehicle's wheels - making it impossible to drive away.

The offender then has to go to court and make good on the past-due account before getting the boot removed from his or her ride.

"It's probably a last resort, but for those who have seen 'Parking Wars,' it's probably an effective tool," tollway authority executive director Gerry Carrigan told members of the Regional Transportation Council Thursday during a meeting in Arlington. Carrigan was referring to the A&E television show "Parking Wars," which follows officers along on parking enforcement patrols that often lead to conflicts with stressed-out car owners.

Photo: Philadelphia.grubstreet.com

The tollway authority also plans to ask the Lege permission to block annual vehicle registration renewals of those who refuse to pay their bills on the Dallas-Fort Worth tollway system. Such a practice is already in place in Houston's Harris County, but in North Texas legislative action is required because the tollway authority crosses the boundaries of four counties.

Car owners who repeatedly refuse to pay tolls also would be "banned" from using the tollway system in the future, and the most egregious users could face lawsuits.

Cracking down on those with past-due tolls has become an issue since 2010, when the entire tollway system was converted to all-electronic. Most regular users place a TollTag on their windshield, and deduct tolls through a pre-paid account. Others can then simply drive the tollways, and a camera system takes pictures of their license plates and sends them a bill. But that camera system has left the tollway authority vulnerable to motorists who use the pavement with no intention of ever paying.

An estimated $12.5 million in past-due tolls is outstanding, officials say.

Regional transportation leaders support the tollway authority's stepped-up collection efforts.

Michael Morris, transportation director for the North Central Texas Council of Governments, said his staff recently heard support for cracking down on scofflaws during public meetings in which the need for additional transportation funding was discussed. One controversial topic point was the possibility that annual registration fees might be raised to increase revenue for road work and other transportation projects.

"What we heard was, why aren't you guys enforcing what' s already out there before you ask us for more?" Morris said. "Why don't people have car insurance? How do people drive around with an unregistered  vehicle? Why don't they have driver's licenses?"

Fort Worth Transportation Authority board member Gary Cumbie added: "These are not people just beating an agency out of its money. This is the region's money. This is money used to build our transportation needs. It's our money."

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Pedestrians still at grave risk in DFW and across the U.S.

Car crash-related deaths are at their lowest point since 1949, but pedestrian deaths are on the rise. Transportation planners are still failing to build sidewalks, crosswalks and other walkways that keep people safe.

Berry-University intersection in west Fort Worth opening 3 weeks early

The West Berry Street-South University Drive intersection, which has been closed since June 10, will reopen Monday - three whopping weeks ahead of schedule, the Star-Telegram's Scott Nishimura reports.

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Are you on the list? NTTA publishes list of top toll violators

@gdickson

The North Texas Tollway Authority this morning went live with its online list of top violators. Go here to check whether you're on the list. The Plano-based agency is hoping to capture some of the roughly $12.5 million in past-due tolls.

Amber Young of Dallas holds the top spot on the list. She reportedly owes NTTA $179,596.43 for 8,366 toll violations.

At a first glance, it appears there are no Fort Worth or Arlington-area vehicle owners on the list of top 100 violators. The overwhelming majority of violators live in Denton and Collin counties, as well as far north Dallas County.

There is a pocket of more than 100 violators in Arlington's 76010 ZIP code, however. Those residents are very close to the new President George Bush Turnpike western extension (formerly Texas 161 in Irving and Grand Prairie).

Fort Worth-area residents will become much more familiar with tolls and toll violations in the next few years, as projects such as the Chisholm Trail Parkway project open up in Tarrant and Johnson counties.

Also, the North Tarrant Express and DFW Connector projects in Northeast Tarrant County include the addition of new managed toll lanes as well as rebuilt free lanes, so motorists who use those improved roads will be making a daily choice whether to pay tolls.