This is theft at the highest levels of state government. I-35 was initially built with public funds and, over its lifetime, it has been bought and paid for several times over. It can no more be given away to someone than it can be abandoned, the road belongs to we, the people!! The gas taxes we pay for every gallon we pump are supposed to go toward building, maintaining and updating these roads.
If Texas wants to build toll roads, there isn't anything in the world to keep them from doing it. However, there is a huge trick being played on us before our eyes. For Texas to commission toll roads at the expense of the interstates AND to keep the gas taxes, is theft and fraud. Texas is trying to have its cake and eat it, too.
Keeping the gas taxes and NOT applying them for the purpose they were intended amounts to a hidden tax increase. To charge the gas tax and fail to maintain the public roads AND to charge tolls on roads that the public's input is being ignored to build is theft, fraud and malfeasance.
Folks, we're being had - and so are our children and grandchildren.
I-35 is and will be in the future a public Freeway that TxDOT will continue to maintain and expand. The TTC-35 is a parallel highway off in no mans land.