North East Texas Regional Mobility Authority Presentation To Texas Transportation Commission October 25, 2012 Good morning Chairman Houghton, Commissioners, TxDOT staff and distinguished guests. I’m Linda Thomas, Chair of the North East Texas Regional Mobility Authority. Thank you for granting us the time to visit with you today. I have with me today: (list NET RMA contingents who made the trip to Austin)

NET RMA 12 Member Counties 19 Board Members 2 TxDOT Districts 3 MPO’s Coordinating with 2 TxDOT Districts 3 MPO’s The NET RMA consists of twelve (12) member counties in North East Texas, and is governed by 19 Board Members. We coordinate our activities with two (2) TxDOT Districts and three (3) Metropolitan Planning Organizations.

Toll 49 in Smith County Segments 1, 2 and 5 – Open to Traffic and Tolling Segment 3A – Construction is 93% complete (TxDOT) Segment 3B – Construction is 85% complete (NET RMA) Segment 4 – being planned by TxDOT, with ROW, Design and Construction by NET RMA Our flagship project is Toll 49, a 110-mile long toll road that will serve Smith, Gregg, Upshur and Harrison Counties and the cities of Tyler, Longview and Marshall, plus many other smaller cities. The 32-mile portion of Toll 49 around Tyler (shown here) is progressing very well. Segments 1, 2 and 5 located south of Tyler are all open to traffic and being tolled. Segment 3A west of Tyler is being constructed by TxDOT, is 93% complete, and will be open by the end of 2012. Segment 3B northwest of Tyler is being constructed by NET RMA and is 85% complete, and will be open in the spring of 2013. Segment 4, located west of Lindale and bounded by I-20 on the south and US 69 on the north, was planned by TxDOT and is currently undergoing review by the Federal Highway Administration. As soon as the environmental clearance is received, the NET RMA will purchase the ROW, design and construct the project.

Toll 49 Segment 3B TTC approved SIB and TELA loans for $89.2M on October 28, 2010 Design Build NTP was issued on March 31, 2011. The CDA Developer proposed to construct 10-miles of toll road in 22 months Construction is on schedule and is 85% complete (NET RMA oversight) Estimated Opening Early Spring 2013 As you may remember, you provided the NET RMA with $89.2 million in loans on October 28, 2010. We hired a Design –Build CDA Developer who proposed to build the 10-mile Segment 3B toll road in 22 months. We are pleased to report that the construction in on schedule and is currently 85% complete. Segment 3B is scheduled to open to traffic in early Spring of 2013. Once it opens to I-20, Toll 49 will be a huge benefit to the region. So once again, I would like to say “THANK YOU” to you and your staff for the financial and administrative support that you have given to the NET RMA. I truly believe that we have been good stewards of your money.

Toll 49 - ETHG LOOKING FORWARD Feasibility Planning is underway Segments 6 and 7 are now segmented to allow for easy planning, design and construction Now we are looking forward to the remaining 78-miles of the Toll 49 East Texas Hour Glass (ETHG). The NET RMA is currently conducting feasibility planning for the ETHG, to determine which segments should be planned next. We recently met with the County Judges, and Segments 6 and 7 of the ETHG have been segmented, to allow for easy planning, design and construction. Smith County Judge Joel Baker and Gregg County Judge Bill Stoudt are very excited about this ongoing work, as are the Cities of Tyler, Longview and others. This facility will be a huge advancement to the economic development of the region.

INNOVATIVE FINANCING Smith, Gregg and Upshur Counties are considering a Transportation Reinvestment Zone (TRZ) to accelerate funding for Toll 49. At out last meeting with the counties, Smith, Gregg and Upshur Counties expressed extreme interest in designating a Transportation Reinvestment Zone, or TRZ, to accelerate the funding for all of Toll 49.

Smith County Multi-Modal Facility Site Feasibility Analysis is 95% complete. MMF will combine taxi, local and regional bus, paratransit, airport shuttles, rental cars and future commuter rail services all at one facility. In addition to our toll road projects, this month we are finishing a site feasibility analysis for a proposed Multi-Modal Facility in Tyler. This facility was first promoted by the East Texas Council of Governments (ETCOG)’s Transportation Committee, and has the blessing of the region. This MMF facility would combine taxi, Tyler Transit, regional Greyhound Bus, paratransit medical bus, airport shuttle, rental car, future commuter rail and other forms of transportation all into one facility. This facility will be of great benefit to the region’s low income, disabled, student and veteran communities.

Dallas – Shreveport High Speed Rail NET RMA is coordinating with DART for planning of High Speed Rail from Dallas to Shreveport as the Texas Louisiana Rail Coalition. And, last but not least, the NET RMA has formed, along with DART and numerous county, city, MPO and COG representatives, the Texas – Louisiana Rail Coalition to promote High Speed Rail between the DFW Metroplex and Shreveport – Bossier City. Once again, we appreciate all of the support provided by the Commission and the TxDOT Rail Division regarding this matter.

NORTH EAST TEXAS REGIONAL MOBILITY AUTHORITY 909 ESE Loop 323 Tyler, Texas 75701 903-594-4834 Linda Thomas - Chair And that concludes my presentation. Once again, thank you for your time. I would be glad to answer any questions you may have.