Texas

Texas is abdicating safety to private toll road operators

Published

1 year ago

October 28, 2024

Texas is abdicating safety to private toll road operators

A Dallas Morning News investigation into the deadly pileup on Interstate 35W in Fort Worth three years ago has illuminated a disturbing lack of oversight by Texas’ transportation agency of the private entity that operates the toll road.

Reporter Yamil Berard scoured through thousands of pages of court records, documents from the National Transportation Safety Board, and videos of that tragic day in February 2021 when 130 cars, trucks and semis piled up along a stretch of the North Tarrant Express. Early morning commuters, unaware of the black ice beneath them, crashed one after another along two lanes bound by concrete barriers on both sides. The horrific scene spanned the length of three football fields.

Among the most alarming revelations in the News investigation is that the operator, North Tarrant Express Mobility Partners, or NTE, did not have a final winter maintenance plan in place in February 2021 when the accident claimed the lives of six people and injured scores more.

Even more troubling is that the contract between the Texas Department of Transportation and NTE, a consortium headed by the giant Spanish firm Cintra, apparently did not even require the operator to have such a plan, according to the investigation.

NTE has a winter maintenance plan in place now, the investigation found, but has fought its disclosure in civil court where dozens of plaintiffs are seeking damages. NTE claims that the plan is proprietary and shouldn’t be revealed.

Proprietary? Critical safety information on the maintenance of public roads traveled every year by thousands of Texans shouldn’t be disclosed to all of us?

Not only should state officials require such information be readily available, but they should demand that the operator is adhering to best practices in highway safety. TXDOT simply cannot abdicate its vital responsibility to keep drivers safe by allowing this kind of obfuscation.

An agency spokesperson told Berard that it regularly communicates and coordinates operations with the NTE. But that’s not enough. Any contract between the agency and private toll road operators should omit the non-disclosure provisions that impede public scrutiny, as several experts in the News investigation noted.

Indeed, the News investigation “reveals a lack of general oversight by the Texas Department of Transportation of private toll operators — an issue that also was previously raised in “Toll Trap,” The News’ ongoing year-long investigation into the state’s toll roads,” Berard wrote. In their final report in early 2023, federal investigators looking into the I-35W crash also cited a lack of coordination between TXDOT and NTE, something we raised serious concerns about in 2022.

This is particularly concerning given that Texas, which has more toll roads than any other state, often struck contracts with private entities to build them. Toll roads have done much to alleviate clogged roadways in the state. But Texas must do much better in overseeing these operators.

We welcome your thoughts in a letter to the editor. See the guidelines and submit your letter here. If you have problems with the form, you can submit via email at letters@dallasnews.com

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How to get tickets for #7 Texas A&M vs. #10 Miami in College Playoff 1st round

Published

2 hours ago

December 16, 2025

Press Room

How to get tickets for #7 Texas A&M vs. #10 Miami in College Playoff 1st round

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The 10th-ranked Miami Hurricanes hit the road for College Station for a Saturday afternoon matchup against the No. 7 Texas A&M Aggies in the first round of the College Football Playoff. The game is scheduled for noon ET (11 a.m. CT) with tickets still available to watch live.

How to get Texas A&M vs. Miami tickets for the best prices: Tickets for the Texas A&M vs. Miami playoff game are available on secondary markets Vivid Seats, StubHub, SeatGeek and Viagogo.

The lowest prices are as follows (as of Dec. 15):

Vivid Seats starting at $375
StubHub starting at $388
SeatGeek starting at $315
Viagogo starting at $345

The Aggies own the homefield advantage and are listed as 3.5-point betting favorites to play their way into the second round. Texas A&M won its first 11 straight games of the 2025 season before falling to rival No. 16 Texas (27-17) in its regular-season finale. The Aggies were battle-tested in going 7-1 in a Southeastern Conference that put five teams into the College Football Playoff field. They also join Miami as teams to beat Notre Dame this season, winning a 41-40 shootout back in Week 3.

#10 Miami (10-2) at #7 Texas A&M (11-1)

College Football Playoff 1st round

When: Saturday, Dec. 20 at noon ET (11 a.m. CT)
Where: Kyle Field, College Station, Texas
Tickets: Vivid Seats | StubHub | SeatGeek | Viagogo
TV channel: ABC/ESPN
Streaming on: FuboTV (free trial) | DirecTV (free trial) | SlingTV (low intro rate)

The Hurricanes’ 27-24 win over then-No. 6 Notre Dame was the best line entry on the team’s résumé as the third-place finisher in the messy Atlantic Coast Conference. Miami rattled off four straight wins to close the season and showed the kind of explosive scoring offense required to stack up with Texas A&M, scoring 34-plus points in each of those four wins. The Canes closed the season with a 38-7 blowout win over then-No. 23 Pitt to strengthen their CFP case.

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14-year-old suspect in deadly North Texas shooting taken into custody in Dallas, police say

Published

14 hours ago

December 15, 2025

Press Room

14-year-old suspect in deadly North Texas shooting taken into custody in Dallas, police say

Updated on: December 15, 2025 / 10:07 PM CST
/ CBS Texas

The 14-year-old wanted in the deadly shooting of a man in Collin County over the weekend is in custody, police said.

Lavon police said Monday night that the teenage boy was taken into custody in Dallas without incident.

Police say the shooting happened Saturday night, just before 9 p.m. on Wellington Drive in Lavon, when an argument broke out between the 14-year-old suspect and a 24-year-old acquaintance.

Police say that the altercation turned deadly. The teen shot and killed the 24-year-old before fleeing the scene.

“A murder is a very rare thing in our city, so it’s shocking,” said J. Michael Jones, the Lavon Chief of Police. “And it’s even more shocking that this suspect is a 14-year-old.”

Community ISD confirmed the suspect is a student at Community Trails Middle School, where district leaders took extra precautions in case he is still in town.

Earlier Monday, Jones urged the suspect and anyone helping him to turn him in, saying, “I will find you. I will investigate you, and I will put you in jail.”

Lavon police thanked the community and several law enforcement agencies for their help with the investigation, including the Collin County District Attorney’s Office, the Texas Department of Public Safety, the Louisiana State Police, the Collin County Sheriff’s Office, the Dallas County Sheriff’s Office, the Community Independent School District Police Department, the Lavon Fire Department, and many others.

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Texas’ Michael Taaffe Declares for NFL Draft With Emotional Message

Published

1 day ago

December 15, 2025

Press Room

Texas’ Michael Taaffe Declares for NFL Draft With Emotional Message

The Texas Longhorns are officially saying goodbye to one of the faces of their team.

After starting his college career as a walk-on, Texas safety Michael Taaffe has declared for the 2026 NFL Draft as his time on the Forty Acres comes to an end. An Austin native, Taaffe has been integral in bringing the Longhorns back to national relevance over the past few years.

Taaffe, who is already one of multiple Texas players to opt-out of the team’s bowl game against Michigan, posted a long message to social media to thank the university and fans for everything.

Michael Taaffe Sends Message to Texas Fans

Texas Longhorns defensive back Michael Taaffe celebrates with the golden hat after the Longhorns defeat the Oklahoma Sooners at the Cotton Bowl. | Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

Taaffe has become a fan favorite during his time in Austin, and made it clear that the Forty Acres will forever be his home.

“For as long as I can remember l’ve bled burnt orange and white,” Taaffe wrote. “I have given my absolute all to the University of Texas and I am grateful for every part of my journey so far. The highs and lows all played a part in shaping the story y’all have helped me write!”

Forever a Texas Longhorn. 🤘 pic.twitter.com/5nLcFkfDsA
— Michael Taaffe (@MichaelTaaffe4) December 15, 2025

“To Longhorn nation, from the moment I stepped on campus y’all have given me the support system any player would die for,” he continued. “I did everything I could to make this University better than I found it and give y’all something to be proud of every Saturday in the fall. My memories are not my memories without yall cheering on the burnt orange every weekend.”

“I’d like to thank the University of Texas and everyone apart of this journey with me. Though it’s tough to say, but all things must come to an end. With that being said, I am officially declaring for the NFL Draft. I’ll forever be a Texas Longhorn. Hook’ em!”

Michael Taaffe’s Career Stats

Texas Longhorns defensive back Micheal Taaffe answers questions from the media during SEC Media Days at Omni Atlanta Hotel. | Jordan Godfree-Imagn Images

Taaffe played in 53 games while making 36 starts at Texas. In that span, he’s posted 222 total tackles (119 solo), three sacks, one forced fumble, one fumble recovery, 21 pass breakups and seven interceptions.

This season, he missed two games in SEC play after undergoing thumb surgery but still put together an overall productive year, finishing with 70 total tackles (38 solo), one sack, one pass breakup and two interceptions.

He ended the year with a game-sealing interception in Texas’ 27-17 win over then-No. 3 Texas A&M in the regular-season finale. This marked his second pick against the Aggies in as many seasons.

Taaffe and the Longhorns went 6-0 against their three rivals (Texas A&M, Oklahoma, Arkansas) since joining the SEC in 2024.

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