Krier Elected Chair of SH 130 Board
Longtime transportation advocate to lead state’s first PPP
MUSTANG RIDGE, Tex. – Longtime transportation advocate Joe Krier of San Antonio is the new chairman of the board for the SH 130 Concession Company, LLC, the business operating the southern section of the State Highway 130 toll road in Central Texas.
“Joe is the perfect choice to lead the board and the company,” said Mary Peters, former US Secretary of Transportation and SH 130 Concession Company board member. “He understands the role the private sector can play in helping solve our transportation challenges, and he cares deeply about the future of Texas. This is great news.”
On February 5, Krier took the helm from Nicolas Rubio who remains a member of the board.
“I’m excited to take on this important role,” said Krier, a board member since April 2011. “SH 130 provides a critical congestion relief for the Austin-San Antonio Corridor. Our company operates the southern portion of a historic transportation project. We are combining the innovation of the private sector with the state’s longstanding commitment to mobility to provide a reliable and safe alternative to I-35 in Central Texas.”
Joe Krier is currently a Principal of Krier Consulting Group in San Antonio. He served as President and Chief Executive Officer of The Greater San Antonio Chamber of Commerce from 1987 to 2007. Krier chaired the Public Issues Management Group at Bracewell & Guiliani LLP and a partner with the law firm of Groce, Locke & Hebdon as a member of the firm’s corporate and commercial litigation section. In addition to the SH 130 Concession Company, he serves on the board of Humanities Texas. Krier previously served on Texas Department of Transportation and State Legislative Committees dealing with transportation. He was one of the founders of the San Antonio Mobility Coalition and Texans for Safe Reliable Transportation.
About SH 130 Concession Company
State Highway 130 Segments 5 and 6 form a new toll road that provides drivers with a better way to travel through Central Texas. It is the first public private partnership toll road in Texas. The project spans approximately 41 miles, beginning in Mustang Ridge, travelling through three counties (Travis, Caldwell and Guadalupe) and connects with Interstate 10 in Seguin. The southern portion of SH 130 is a public-private partnership that has supported more than 3,600 jobs and has invested more than $1.4 billion into the state of Texas. This new toll road is a project of the SH 130 Concession Company, LLC, an independent company formed by Cintra US and Zachry American Infrastructure. For more information, please visit www.mysh130.com<http://www.mysh130.com/>. Customers may also contact the SH 130 Concession Company by calling (toll-free) 877-SH130TX or 877-741-3089.
41-Mile Extension of State Highway 130 Opens Ahead of Schedule in Central Texas
Public-private partnership completed at no cost to the State Highway Fund, more than 150 Texas-based firms employed
LOCKHART, TX – Former U.S. Secretary of Transportation Mary Peters joined state and local leaders Wednesday to celebrate the opening of State Highway 130 Segments 5 and 6, weeks ahead of schedule.
The new roadway spans approximately 41 miles from Mustang Ridge to I-10 in Seguin, and was also designated as the Pickle Parkway by the Texas Legislature in 2007 in honor of Congressman J.J. “Jake” Pickle. With this new road, motorists can travel 90 miles of toll road and bypass I-35 congestion between Seguin and Georgetown for about $12.
“SH 130 is an outstanding highway and a great example of how transportation solutions can be realized when government and the private sector work together on behalf of all Texans,” said Ted Houghton, chairman of the Texas Transportation Commission. “Commuters and business people traveling through Central Texas no longer have to deal with congestion and best of all; taxpayers did not get the bill.”
The pubic-private partnership (PPP) toll road project was financed, designed and built by the SH 130 Concession Company, LLC, an independent company formed by Cintra US and Zachry American Infrastructure. SH 130 Concession Company will also operate and maintain the roadway for 50 years at no cost to the state.
“Transportation is essential for states to stay economically vital,” said Peters, who also serves on the SH130 Concession Company Board of Directors. “SH 130 demonstrates Texas leaders’ commitment to economic development.”
Under the contract, SH 130 Concession Company invested a total of $1.4 billion in the project, including $140 million in concession payments to the state for investment in the Texas Department of Transportation’s Austin and San Antonio Districts.
“We are very proud to have worked alongside not only visionary state and local leaders, but also more than 150 Texas-based firms during the construction phase of this historic project,” said Rafael del Pino, chairman of Ferrovial, the parent company of Cintra. “By combining our collective talents in partnership, the citizens of Texas are realizing a world class roadway where all can be proud for many years to come.”
“Together with our partners, Zachry and the SH 130 Concession Company are committed to Central Texas,” said David Zachry, Zachry Corporation president and CEO. “We’ve been a part of this community for a long time, and we look forward to helping this region grow in the future.”
At the ribbon-cutting Wednesday in Lockhart, guests celebrated trips by a ceremonial first car and first truck. The first passenger car on the new roadway was driven by Lockhart resident Martha Carson who will use SH 130 regularly to commute to her job as a teacher at Gonzalo Garza High School in Austin. The first truck was driven by Lennon Davidson for the Serta Mattress Factory located in Lockhart, which relies on SH 130 to bypass congestion on I-35 through Central Texas.
“SH 130 benefits Lockhart’s residents and businesses by providing an alternative to congestion on I-35,” said Lockhart Mayor Lew White. “The economic development this roadway brings will help ensure Lockhart’s economy remains vibrant and thriving.”
“This roadway connects our Central Texas communities, gets folks out of traffic, and creates new opportunities for Texas businesses and families,” said Seguin Mayor Betty Ann Matthies.
Motorists may drive Segments 5 and 6 of SH 130 for free until November 11. Beginning November 11, the toll rate will be set at $0.15 per mile for passenger vehicles using TxTag. Cars and trucks without a TxTag may also use the road and will be billed via TxTag’s Pay-By-Mail service.
Tolling to begin November 11th on Segments 5 & 6 of SH 130:
Toll Rates Announced for SH 130 Segments 5 and 6 – Enjoy a free period from October 24th – November 10, 2012.
Cars with TxTag Accounts to Pay 15 Cents per Mile
Beginning Sunday, November 11, 2012, drivers will pay tolls to drive the main lanes of Texas State Highway 130 Segments 5 and 6. The new road spans approximately 41 miles, from Mustang Ridge to Seguin.
The base toll rate for a light vehicle (such as a family car or pickup truck) will be 15 cents per mile or $6.17 to travel the entire 41-mile length of the new roadway. The base toll rate for an 18-wheeler will be 60 cents per mile or $24.58 to travel the entire 41-mile length of the new roadway.
These base toll rates will be charged to vehicles using a TxTag device. TxTag is an electronic toll collection sticker applied to the inside windshield of cars and trucks. Drivers can open a TxTag account at www.TxTag.org.
Users of the North Texas Tollway Authority’s TollTag and the Harris County Toll Road Authority’s EZ TAG can also pay the base rate to drive on the southern portions of SH 130.
Drivers who do not own a TxTag, TollTag or EZ TAG, will receive a bill in the mail and will pay a rate no more than 33 percent higher than the base rate.
Drivers can view a map of the new toll road including entry and exit points and a complete toll schedule at www.mysh130.com.
The toll rates for SH 130 Segments 5 and 6 were set in the original Facilities Concession Agreement contract between the SH 130 Concession Company, LLC and the Texas Department of Transportation. Once per year, the rate may be adjusted based on the performance of the state’s economy as determined by the state’s gross domestic product per capita.
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