Tollway fees resume as the state reopens
Harris County is back in the toll collection business.
At the behest of Commissioners Court and facing the reopening of many businesses, the Harris County Toll Road Authority resumed charging tolls at 6 a.m. Wednesday.
The county maintains tolls on the Sam Houston Tollway, Hardy Toll Road, Westpark Tollway, Tomball Tollway along Texas 249 and the Katy Managed Lanes in the center of Interstate 10.
Tolls were waived shortly before noon on March 24, as the county’s coronavirus disaster declaration took effect.
HCTRA often suspends tolls, usually for weather emergencies, and typically does not seek disaster money to recoup lost tolls, the toll agency’s interim director Peter Key told Commissioners Court on Tuesday.
Based on HCTRA’s 2019 revenue, the agency collects about $69 million per month in tolls.
To alert drivers, HCTRA placed advisories that tolls were back in effect at booths, on changeable message signs on the tollways and on social media, HCTRA spokeswoman Roxana Sibrian said.
Even with tolls returning, HCTRA will continue to refuse cash payments where allowed. Drivers who need to pay cash should continue to use the cash lane, but proceed and pay the toll online. No fees will be assessed for using the “missed toll” option on the agency’s website for tolls incurred during the cash refusal.
If a driver does not pay the toll online, a bill for the tolls will be mailed to the registered owner of the vehicle, toll agency officials said.