By: Zaffirini S.B. No. 1253

(In the Senate - Filed March 6, 2013; March 13, 2013, read first time and referred to Committee on Transportation; April 8, 2013, reported adversely, with favorable Committee Substitute by the following vote: Yeas 9, Nays 0; April 8, 2013, sent to printer.)

COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE FOR S.B. No. 1253 By: Paxton

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to the relationship between Texas Department of Transportation toll projects and adjoining nontolled roads.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:

SECTION 1. Subchapter A, Chapter 228, Transportation Code, is amended by adding Section 228.014 to read as follows:

Sec. 228.014. PROHIBITION ON DISINCENTIVES FOR ADJOINING NONTOLLED ROAD USE. (a) The department may not take any action in designing, constructing, or operating a toll project under this chapter that incentivizes the use of the project and discourages the use of adjoining nontolled roads by violating sound engineering judgment in applying traffic controls on any adjoining nontolled roads, including by timing traffic signals to unnecessarily disrupt traffic flow on the adjoining nontolled roads.

(b) If existing nontolled lanes are reconstructed and operated as an adjacent road to a toll facility under Section 228.201(a)(5), the reconstructed nontolled lanes must have access, function, and traffic control devices similar to those the lanes had before being reconstructed.

SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2013.

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