Why it matters
Originally formed in 2006, MCTRA has served as the leading agency overseeing the development and maintenance of toll roads in the county. There is only one toll road in Montgomery County—the Tomball Parkway, otherwise known as Hwy. 249—which opened in March 2020.
The MCTRA board is composed of the Montgomery County Commissioners Court, alongside six staff members. This board is responsible for setting toll rates along the county’s portion of Hwy. 249 and determining the use of funds collected from the toll road.
What’s changing?
During the MCTRA meeting held on Aug. 27, the board approved adding five additional staff members, which include:
- Three customer service staff
- One public information/special operations officer
- One safety/inventory officer
According to county documents, the increase in staff is needed due to population and traffic growth in the county.
What else?
The board also approved a new $0.25 fee for drivers who use Hwy. 249 without a toll tag, which will be used to offset administrative costs associated with mailing and billing drivers.
All toll road operations are funded through the toll collections; however, during the first years Hwy. 249 was open, Montgomery County funded some operation costs which will now be reimbursed by MCTRA. A total of $300,000 is expected to be reimbursed from MCTRA to the county in 2025.
