Tolled highway to Greenville could be dead after facing strong opposition

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Bill Frakes

Plans for a tollroad from Garland to Greenville were dealt a major setback Friday.

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Nicholas Sakelaris

Staff Writer- Dallas Business Journal

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After months of protests by residents, plans for a tolled highway from Garland to Greenville hit a major roadblock Friday.

The Northeast Gateway Turnpike will not be part of the North Central Texas Council of Government's recommended mobility plan for that region of North Texas, the NCTCOG announced Friday.

Instead, NCTCOG staff recommended the controversial tollway remain a corridor for future evaluation.

The staff recommendation will go to the Regional Transportation Council for consideration Nov. 13.

More than, 1,200 people attended a public meeting in Rockwall on Sept. 22, many of them to oppose the highway that they feared would disturb their rural atmosphere. Their public comments will be included in the RTC recommendation.

The Northeast Gateway Turnpike was proposed by Texas Turnpike Corp., a private Dallas-based company.

The Texas Turnpike Corp. would have had eminent domain authority to build the 27-mile-long tollroad, which would have connected with the President George Bush Turnpike in either Rowlett or Garland. The highway would have a northeasterly route to Greenville, where it would have connected with Interstate 30.

Nicholas covers the energy, manufacturing, aviation and transportation beats for the Dallas Business Journal. Subscribe the Energy Inc. newsletter