North East Texas Regional Mobility Authority - Projects - Roadways

Roadways

The first major project of the NET RMA is the East Texas Hourglass, which is a series of toll roads connecting the designed to improve connections and relieve congestion in the cities of Tyler, Longview, and Marshall. The East Texas Hourglass will be built in several phases, including:

• Loop 49 in Tyler, from US 69 north of Lindale to SH 110 southeast of Tyler
• East Loop 49, which will complete the outer loop in Tyler from SH 110 to US 271
• An outer loop in Longview, connecting to Interstate 20
• A connection between the Tyler and Longview outer loops
• An extension to the east of Longview, connecting to US 59 north of Marshall

The first segment of Loop 49, which stretches from US 69 to SH 155, opened in August 2006. The second segment of Loop 49, from US 69 to FM 756 (Paluxy Road) opened in January 2008. Loop 49 features a state-of-the-art all electronic toll collection system that is based on transponder and video tolling. Many cars using Loop 49 have a TxTag, a small, electronic sticker that attaches to a car’s windshield behind the rear-view mirror. When the car drives on toll roads and passes through toll collection points, an electronic transponder located in an overhead toll gantry reads the sticker and automatically deducts the toll from a prepaid TxTag account. If a car does not have a TxTag, then a video camera captures an image of the license plate, and a statement for tolling fees is mailed monthly to the registered owner of the car.

Other roadway projects being planned and/or supported by the NET RMA include:

• Texarkana Outer Loop in Bowie County
• Widening and extending George Richey Road in Gregg County
• Widening SH 149 south of Longview
• Other loops and bypasses to relieve traffic on major highways in the cities of Jacksonville, Henderson, and Texarkana

All roads built by the NET RMA will likely be constructed as toll roads, as funding from the State for construction of new roads becomes increasingly scarce.