Why is the toll $24?
The questions people ask when they see the sign. Short answers, with the source for each.
Why is the toll on I-35W, 820 or 183 so high?
Because the contract allows it. The price on these express lanes changes every five minutes to keep the toll lane moving at about 50 mph. The normal cap is about $1.06 a mile, but the contract lets the operator go past that cap when traffic is heavy. On busy afternoons that produces posted prices of $20 and $24 for a single trip.1213
Who owns the TEXpress lanes in Dallas-Fort Worth?
Texas owns the highways. But the express lanes on I-820 and SH 121/183 (North Tarrant Express), I-35W (NTE 35W) and I-635 and I-35E (LBJ Express) are run by private companies under long contracts with TxDOT. The lead investor in all three is Cintra, the toll-road arm of Ferrovial, a company founded in Spain and now headquartered in Amsterdam. Other investors are Meridiam (France), APG (a Dutch pension fund manager) and, on LBJ, the Dallas Police and Fire Pension System.459 See each road.
Where does the toll money go?
To the private company that runs each road. It uses the tolls to repay the loans and bonds that built the lanes, to run and maintain the road, and to pay returns to its investors. Texas gets a share only after revenue passes set levels. In 2025 that share was about $8 million on the NTE and $26 million on NTE 35W.116
When do the toll contracts end?
2061. The NTE and LBJ contracts were signed in 2009 and run about 52 years. The NTE 35W contract runs to the same year. When they end, the roads come back to TxDOT.4710
Did taxpayers pay for these roads too?
Yes. About $1.2 billion in state and regional money went into the three deals, on top of federal loans that the tolls repay. One stretch of I-35W (Segment 3B) was built entirely by TxDOT, and the private company collects the tolls on it anyway.1610
Can I avoid the toll?
Yes. The regular lanes next to the express lanes are free. The express lanes are a choice, and the price is meant to limit how many people choose them. The problem is that the choice is priced by a private company with no public limit for 35 more years.
Is this legal?
Yes. The Legislature authorized these contracts in the 2000s, and TxDOT signed them. That's also why the Legislature can change the rules. It has stopped approving new deals like these, but the existing ones stand until lawmakers act.1920
What can actually be done?
Four things, all within the Legislature's power: cap surge tolls in state law, require the companies to publish their books, have TxDOT price what it would cost to end the contracts early, and require a vote before any new private toll deal. The 90th Legislature convenes January 12, 2027. Sign the petition and email your reps.
Who runs this site?
An independent North Texas driver. It isn't affiliated with TxDOT, TEXpress Lanes, Ferrovial, or any party or campaign. Every figure links to a government record, a company filing, or a news report. About