SH 130 now open for business

LOCKHART, Texas (KXAN) - State Highway 130 opened on Wednesday afternoon after a ribbon-cutting ceremony near Lockhart.

Gov. Rick Perry spoke at the event and called the opening of the first ever public-private toll road “historic.”

“That time spent in traffic is time away from work, away from family or from other pursuit,” said Perry. “Thanks to Hwy. 130, traffic going north and south along one of America’s most important trade corridors will now have another option.”

Aside from the unique dynamics of the roads ownership, drivers are still very much split on just how much they will use it.

“I’ll use it as much as possible,” said truck driver Kenneth Hargroves. “When you are going through Austin, it is just stop-and-go all the way.”

But the open road with the fastest speed limit in the country at 85 mph will not be worth the price for other drivers.

“I’m not interested in paying anything I don’t already pay with taxes,” said Marcus Rios. He says he will take the free State Highway 183 along the stretch that parallels Hwy. 130 even if it means slower speeds and stoplights.

Hargroves also said that truck driver decisions will depend on personal finances.

“For independent drivers, it costs them a lot of money," said Hargroves.

With a TxTag, driving SH 130 will cost about 15 cents a mile, but the highway will be toll free through Nov. 11.