Gary Trietsch, who took over as director of the Harris County Toll Road Authority in early August, spoke to the crowd gathered at the Aug. 20 meeting of the Society of American Military Engineers about the future of the organization.

Trietsch, former district engineer in Houston with the Texas Department of Transportation, is taking over at a time of tremendous growth in the county. He spoke about HCTRA's financial strength, with month-to-month toll transactions up 10–15 percent from last year. There are around 2.6 million EZ Tag customers today, he said.

"That's just huge," Trietsch said. "It's natural, organic growth that tells you how many people are moving into the area. Most other county departments use money. We pay for ourselves and for other things."

Trietsch said toll rates will go up Sept. 6, but only at a handful of individual ramps throughout the county. Ramps along the Sam Houston and Hardy toll roads where the rates are still 75 cents will see a 15-cent increase for EZ Tags and 25-cent increase for cash payers. Rates at main toll plazas will not change. More information on the increase is available on HCTRA's website.

Trietsch identified one of his main objectives as improving safety. HCTRA is accomplishing this through a variety of methods, he said, including increasing the presence of constable officers on the toll roads and adding cameras and emergency buzzers in every toll taker's booth.

"When you drive through the toll road system, there's a lot more going on behind the scenes to keep things running," Trietsch said.

Trietsch also provided updates on the status of several major mobility projects:

• Grand Parkway/Hardy Toll Road interchange—HCTRA awarded Webber the bid Aug. 18 and signed an agreement Aug. 20. They hope to go to work mid-September and finish the project by the time the Grand Parkway segment is open.
• Hwy. 249—The Montgomery County Toll Road Authority is working on collecting the rest if the right-of-way needed to proceed with their end of the project. HCTRA's plans in completing the highway are contingent on when Montgomery County officials start construction.

HCTRA officials have been discussing longer-term plans, including the possibility of selling EZ Tags in convenience stores that could be activated online. Trietsch said this concept is in the early stages of development and no timetable has been set for implementation.

Trietsch also discussed HCTRA toll roads eventually becoming all EZ-tag—a move that other organizations, such as the North Texas Transit Authority and the Texas Department of Transportation, have already implemented.

Roughly 25 percent of the money HCTRA earns is cash, Trietsch said. Officials are being very conscientious of the needs of cash drivers in the process of updating the system, which is still years away, he said.

"We're in the process of changing our whole computer system, but it won't be for a number of years," he said. "We're trying to do it so there are still cash options."