AUSTIN (KXAN) — As traffic in Austin continues to get heavier as more people move to the area, and there’s little relief from inflation, we heard from a viewer who commutes on North MoPac every day, who noticed a change in her toll bill.
Jeanne McAlpin has been driving on Mopac for decades. KXAN Traffic Anchor Erica Brennes spoke with her and found out the base price for the MoPac Express Lane will be going up again soon.
The MoPac Express Lane saw an increase of $.07 per segment at the beginning of this year, according to officials.
Portions of the interview transcription below have been edited for grammar and clarity.
Brennes: “Tell me about how your commute has changed. Have you taken that same drive countless times?”
McAlpin: “Yeah, five days a week for, you know, 40 years. Of course, traffic has gotten heavier, and having that extra lane has helped, but I just feel like traffic in general has gotten out of control.
To avoid some of that new traffic, McAlpin said she opts to take the Mopac Express Toll Lane sometimes, but lately, her $30-a-week toll budget isn’t going as far.
“I know that it changes based on how much traffic there is, but the cost has gone up astronomically. The tolls from the river to Far West, that’ll be, you know, between five, six maybe seven dollars. And now I’m seeing that it’s $10-$11, and yesterday was $13 for that one leg and nobody’s saving any time from that,” McAlpin explained.
The Central Texas Regional Mobility Authority, which manages the Mopac Express Toll confirmed the base price has gone up, but it did so back in January of this year.
Each year, the minimum cost can go up based on inflation.
In 2023, it was 50 cents per segment, this year it’s 57 cents per segment, and this December, the authority will announce what the price adjustment will be for 2025.
CTRMA said the price will always be displayed before you enter the toll lane, and it will not change for you. They said drivers should have enough time to make a real-time decision on whether or not they want to spend the money to save time on their drive.
But that daily drive into Austin from Cedar Park is not just a financial commitment for Jeanne, it’s also a time commitment. One that goes through a major construction zone.
“What should be a 30-minute drive, took me an hour. It usually takes, you know, in rush hour, 45 minutes to an hour. Hopefully, it gets better when they’re finished.”
The 183 North Project is expected to wrap up sometime in 2026.
