AUSTIN — A trio of local leaders is asking state transportation officials for at least $268 million to prevent tolls from becoming a reality on U.S. 281 and Interstate 10 in Bexar County, one of the last urban areas in Texas without them.

The local officials, spearheaded by Bexar County Judge Nelson Wolff, made the request in a letter Monday to Texas Transportation Commission Chairman Tryon Lewis, a former state representative and former state district judge.

A nearly identical letter also was sent to state Sen. Donna Campbell, R-New Braunfels, and state Rep. Lyle Larson, R-San Antonio, in an effort to recruit their backing for the funds.

As part of a broad strategy, state and local officials have unveiled plans to spend $825 million on highway projects. That includes some toll lanes on U.S. 281 and I-10, both north of Loop 1604.

But Wolff says in the letter that the dynamics of state transportation funding have changed after the Legislature made progress to secure more dollars for roads in the legislative session that wrapped up two weeks ago.

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Lawmakers gave their blessing to a proposal that could generate an additional $2.5 billion annually for Texas roads. It is pending voter approval in November, and Wolff said if that happens the state should allocate at least $268 million to keep toll lanes out of Bexar County.

“If we can’t get it, we’re stuck with having to do the tolls,” Wolff said in an interview Monday.

The request for new money comes just weeks after a federal environmental study was released on the plan to add toll lanes on an eight-mile stretch of U.S. 281. A public comment period ends next week, and federal officials are expected to approve the study.

County Commissioner Kevin Wolff and John Clamp, chairman of the Alamo Regional Mobility Authority, also signed onto the letters, which were copied to the five-member transportation commission and the Bexar County legislative delegation.

San Antonio is the last big city in Texas without toll lanes, though the region’s population is expected to soar to 3.4 million by 2040, highlighting the need for highway expansion.

A mix of solutions has been proposed.

Current plans include converting U.S. 281 north of Loop 1604 to an expressway with a mix of free and toll lanes. On I-10, toll lanes will be added in the center between 1604 and Ralph Fair Road, and tolled connector ramps will be built to link I-10 and 1604, expanding the capacity of that interchange.

Local officials have noted that the proposed toll lanes, dubbed “managed lanes,” would differ from traditional toll roads. Solo drivers would pay but people riding public transit and carpoolers travel for free, while the price to use a managed lane would vary for other drivers, depending on time of day or the number of vehicles on the road.

The letter sent Monday says as part of the $825 million plan agreed to by local and state leaders, $38 million has been designated for toll lanes on I-10 and $230 million for toll lanes on U.S. 281.

Wolff said Monday that the state would need to provide money to cover the two projects.

“It needs to be both to treat people fairly,” he said.

Wolff penned a similar letter in 2014, asking lawmakers to allocate money to minimize proposed toll lanes on U.S. 281 just months before voters approved passage of a constitutional amendment that provided an additional $1.7 billion for state roads this year.

Wolff wrote that letter with Campbell and said he is seeking support from the state senator along with Larson because they have been key players in local transportation issues. Campbell and Larson did not immediately return calls requesting comment.

drauf@express-news.net