ALLEN – Motorists may have to pay higher rates on a future State Highway 121 toll road in Collin County than local officials had hoped, regional leaders said Monday.

Officials in Collin County and its four largest cities had hoped to create their own toll road operating agency, known as a local government corporation.

That agency would charge about 12 cents per mile, only enough to pay back construction and operating costs.

With the anticipated demise of that option, the North Texas Tollway Authority or one of four private companies that bid could take on the 10-mile project, from Central Expressway to the Dallas North Tollway.

But in those cases, state officials said, Highway 121 is viewed as an asset that could produce revenue for other road construction with tolls. And in most cases, those tolls would need to be set at about 15 cents per mile. At that rate, the road could raise an estimated $345 million over 30 to 40 years.

If Collin County leaders stick with the lesser toll rate, regional and state officials said they may think twice before devoting highway construction money to an area that chose not to charge higher tolls to help pay for other Collin County road projects.

"How does TxDOT and the Regional Transportation Council look at all the requests from Collin County in the next 25 years to fix roads?" Michael Morris, director of transportation for the North Central Texas Council of Governments, asked during a meeting of the four cities and the county Monday at Allen City Hall.

"This is the spot we're all in," he said. "Congress and the Legislature won't pass new gas taxes; the Regional Transportation Council and local officials are at the end of the funding pipeline."

The key to the 15-cent-per-mile toll is whether local officials will agree to the vision of Highway 121 as a revenue generator, said Frisco Mayor Mike Simpson.

"We're just trying to get the road built," said Mr. Simpson, who with the Frisco City Council will discuss the matter at their meeting tonight. "If the money comes back goes to the four cities and the county, that's why we started with the local government corporation idea. My recommendation will be to work together as a team to try and get this resolved."

McKinney Mayor Bill Whitfield and others pointed out the need for future road funds in a region that by 2025 is expected to grow to the current size of Tarrant County.

A county-run toll road could be formally dismissed by today, Collin County Commissioner Jack Hatchell said.

County officials were scheduled to outline their local alternative to the Texas Transportation Commission in December, but that presentation may not occur. Instead, local officials will meet again in coming weeks to discuss their options.

While local officials could oppose a toll road in all forms, it appears more likely that some tolls will be placed on the road.

If the North Texas Tollway Authority builds and runs the Collin County toll road, some officials questioned whether the agency's bond agreements would prevent them from using toll revenue on nontoll roads. The private bidder option could allow for some toll collection help from the tollway authority.

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