That budget will run from July 1, 2021 through June 30, 2022, as the Mobility Authority’s fiscal year begins on July 1. The agency manages several area toll roads, including 183A Toll, 290 Toll, the MoPac Express lanes and SH 45 SW.
The Mobility Authority did not provide a specific budget number for expenses during the meeting, but newly appointed Executive Director James Bass noted that expenses would be $62 million higher than fiscal year 2020-21, which totaled $131.33 million. That increase is largely due to the return to a new normal following the pandemic.
The projected $150.58 million revenue for FY 2021-22 also represents a significant increase over the $118.93 million in FY 2020-21 and $130.37 million in FY 2019-20. The dip in last year’s revenue stems from the pandemic’s affect on road usage.
The 183 Toll south segment, which now runs from Hwy. 290 to SH 71, accounts for the largest share of revenue growth, as the Mobility Authority completed the entirety of the toll project Feb. 24. That revenue is projected to increase from $20.37 million in FY 2020-21 to $35.8 million in FY 2021-22.
“I do think that 183 [Toll] South is a giant component to our overall success, and I'm pleased with where it is,” Mobility Authority Board Chair Bobby Jenkins said. “I'm pleased with the direction.”
The Mobility Authority expects the 183A Toll section, an 11-mile stretch that cuts through Northwest Austin, Leander and Cedar Park, to continue to be the largest revenue generator at $64 million compared to $58.27 million in FY 2020-21.
The meeting was also the first with Bass at the helm. According to his official Mobility Authority bio, Bass started his new role following the end of the 87th Texas Legislative session in June. He previously served as executive director of the Texas Department of Transportation and is the Mobility Authority’s second executive director since it was founded in 2003.
