Toll roads in Austin: A breakdown of who owns what

AUSTIN (KXAN) -- Commuters in and around the Austin area have likely encountered their fair share of toll roads. They are a common staple here in Central Texas, with 10 toll roads primarily overseen by two operators: the Central Texas Regional Mobility Authority (CTRMA) and the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT).

Here's a breakdown of where those toll roads are and who's responsible for their operations and maintenance.

Central Texas Regional Mobility Authority

CTRMA has six toll roads currently open as part of its system. Those are:

• 183A Toll: 11-mile toll running north from Ranch-to-Market 620 through Cedar Park and Leander in Williamson County
• U.S. Highway 290 Toll: 6-mile toll extending from U.S. Hwy. 183 to State Highway 130 (SH130)
• MoPac Express Lane: 11-mile tolled express lane that travels between Cesar Chavez Street to Parmer Lane; toll rates vary
• State Highway 71 (SH 71) Toll Lane: 4-mile toll from Presidential Boulevard to SH 130
• State Highway 45 Southwest (SH 45SW) Toll: 3.6-mile toll linking Loop 1 and Farm-to-Market 1626 in southern Travis and northern Hays counties
• 183 Toll: 8-mile toll linking U.S. Highway 290 to SH 71

Texas Department of Transportation

TxDOT is responsible for maintaining four tolls in the Austin area. Those include:

• State Highway 45 North (SH 45N): 13-mile toll road running from U.S. Hwy. 183 to SH 130
• Loop 1: 4-mile toll road segment running from Parmer Lane to SH 45N; south of Parmer Lane, the Loop 1 toll road becomes the MoPac Express Lanes, overseen by CTRMA
• SH 130: Segments 1-4, overseen by TxDOT, offer an alternative to Interstate 35 on the east side of Austin; segments 1-4 run approximately 49 miles from north I-35 in Georgetown to U.S. Hwy. 183 southeast of Austin
• State Highway 45 Southeast (SH 45SE): 7-mile toll connecting SH 130 in southeast Austin to I-35 near Buda

Regarding SH 130, TxDOT is responsible for the first four segments. Segments 5-6 -- from just north of Mustang Ridge at SH 45SE to I-10 in Seguin -- is operated by the State Highway Concession Company, per TxDOT.

Why are some tolls overseen by mobility authorities and not TxDOT?

TxDOT's Toll Operations Division is responsible for building and operating toll roads across Texas. However, the Texas Legislature passed in 2001 legislation allowing for the creation of regional mobility authorities, or RMAs.

"This legislation enabled RMAs to construct, maintain, and operate a turnpike in areas of the state that at the time did not have regional tollway authorities," experts at the Texas A&M Transportation Institute wrote in a 2016 policy analysis.

What toll tag options are there in Texas?

There are a handful of toll tag options in Texas. TxDOT entered into an agreement with the Harris County Toll Road Authority in November, with HCTRA now responsible for overseeing billings for customers using Austin toll roads.

TxTag customers are able to transition those accounts to EZ TAG via HCTRA.org, instead of TxTag.org. Other toll payment options can be found by visiting EZ Tag stores in Houston and Austin, along with some retailers, such as Walmart and H-E-B.

Elsewhere in Texas, the North Texas Tollway Authority's TollTag can be used on toll roads throughout Texas.

"All toll road lanes designated with an EZ TAG or TxTag sign will also accept your NTTA TollTag for payment, provided your account is in good standing and the vehicle’s license plate is on the TollTag account," NTTA officials noted online.

How are rates determined?

For CTRMA-operated toll roads, the following rates are effective as of Jan. 1, 2024. Rates vary depending on the number of axles on a vehicle as well as whether the toll user is paying via a toll tag or by mail.

However, CTRMA also employs variable toll pricing. The idea behind the strategy is "to keep traffic in the express lanes moving, giving drivers who choose to use the express lanes a faster and more reliable trip," CTRMA officials said.

In practice, variable toll pricing means tolls will be more expensive when traffic is heavy and cheaper when traffic is lighter.

Looking at TxDOT, the state department's toll rates are dependent on how far toll users are driving as well as what kind of vehicle they're traveling in. Similar to CTRMA, these rates vary by the number of axles on a vehicle and whether a customer is paying via a tag or by mail.

A complete breakdown of 2024 TxDOT toll rates in the Austin area is available online.