Population increases and associated development have resulted in traffic increases that have created congestion in the study area and across the region. 

Under House Bill 3588, TxDOT was instructed to evaluate all controlled-access highway projects as possible candidates for tolling. This effort would include projects that are currently under construction and those in the planning stages involving new lane construction.

By partnering together, state and local officials can leverage additional state transportation funds, freeing existing allocations for critical, but otherwise unbudgeted, safety, capacity and air quality projects.

This shift allows new projects that were originally budgeted through gasoline tax revenue to be built or opened as toll roads to generate revenue.  This revenue will be used to build additional transportation facilities.

The most important point for this new funding policy is that toll revenue can be used as a source to fund and accelerate future transportation projects. 

SH 161 is needed to help improve the transportation network and level of service in the study area and region.  The proposed highway is an integral part of the Mobility 2025 - 2004 Plan Update.  The plan is recognized and endorsed by the North Central Texas Council of Governments (NCTCOG).