It's About To Cost A Penny Per Mile More To Use North Texas Toll Roads

NORTH TEXAS (CBSDFW.COM) - The rate to use toll roads in North Texas will increase from $.19 per mile to $.20 per mile beginning July 1.

Some residents in the area say the price change is simply unfair.

"Considering that we're already paying a lot for tolls! We shouldn't even have to pay to drive on the roads, honestly. We should not have to pay," said a frustrated Prosper resident, Sonya Bowser.

But for residents like Bowser, who use the tollways every day, the payments are only getting steeper.

The North Texas Tollway Authority says the increase is going to help repay the $9.5 billion lump sum they borrowed.

Michael Rey, an NTTA spokesman told CBS 11 the higher payments are also because of the driver demand.

"As we know, we are exploding in growth in North Texas and we want to make the roads open and wide enough to make sure people can get to where they're going so we have to take it in value," said Rey.

Rey explained, the new toll rate will be about $2.50 a month extra for a driver who spent roughly $40 a month on tolls.

But Bowser— who spends more than $200 a month on tolls— says any increase is too much.

"They need to decrease the prices! Especially when all that has happened with the economy," said Bowser. "I I mean, they need to give the public and the people a break. I don't think we need to take on more and more responsibility for their actions."

Crews are expected to update the toll rate signs within the next few weeks.