TTC meets, approves tractor trailer restrictions

Tractor trailers are now restricted from driving in the far left lane on several North Texas highways.

The Texas Transportation Commission approved the lane restriction measure at a meeting Oct. 29 in Fort Worth.

Tractor trailers will be limited from driving in the left lane, with the exceptions of exiting the highway or passing other traffic, on Interstate 30 in Fort Worth from west of downtown to Loop 820, on south west Loop 820 from I-30 to Highway 67, on Interstate 45 from downtown Dallas through Ellis County, and on Interstate 20 east of I-45 into Kaufman County.

The Texas Department of Transportation, working with North Texas cities and the North Central Texas Council of Governments, developed the lane restrictions.

In 1997, the State Legislature passed a law allowing municipalities to request lane restrictions. In 2003, the law was revised to allow the Texas Department of Transportation and counties to designate lane restrictions.

The Commission also voted to remove control of a portion of State Highway 121 in Collin County, stretching from Hillcrest Road to the Watters Road overpass, from the Department of Transportation and move the highway segment to the control of the North Texas Tollway Authority.

State transportation officials also spoke to Commission members about Department of Transportation finance expectations in the future.

Revenue expectations from 2009 to 2019 are expected to be $3 billion less than the department’s 2008 to 2018 expectations outlined last year, the Department of Transportation’s CFO James Bass said. Expenses for the Department are expected to rise during the 10 year period by $21 million.

Bass said the Department of Transportation is forecasting less money for maintenance in the coming years. In early 2009, the Department announced it will not have funds for new construction projects after 2012.

The commission also reviewed American Recovery and Reinvestment Act funding for projects statewide, including transportation and aviation projects. So, far 45 projects funded with Recovery and Reinvestment Act funds have been completed, and 5,921 jobs created across the state, officials said.

Fort Worth businessman Bill Meadows, chairman of Hub International Rigg, was appointed commissioner of the Texas Transportation Commission by Gov. Rick Perry on April 30, 2008.