President George Bush Turnpike

My only problem with the thing is, couldn’t we have come up with a better name for a toll road? Yep, I know!

It’s a toll road. That we already paid for. And now they charge you to use it. That is a ripoff.

Well, the President George Bush Turnpike (affectionately known as the PGBT, Highway 41, or the Read My Lips Tollway to some of us) is the road operated by TxDot that goes east and west through Plano & North Dallas. Usually three lanes of road for nearly 40 miles, it cuts across the logjam of many of DFW’s roads at a cost. For those of you new to the DFW area, this cost is assessed through the North Texas Tollway Authority (NTTA) or the popular TXTag systems.
While not like I-​635 (the LBJ freeway) that doesn’t cost any money, the PGBT is actually less of a headache than most roads. You’ll find the speed limit at 70 MPH, but c’mon. This is Texas. Do you really think that the average Joe & Jane do 70 MPH, particularly on this road? Nahhh! Don’t be surprised if you see folks on the far left exceed speeds of 90 and 100. The safe bet is to set your speed on cruise control at 75 MPH and enjoy the ride. And yes, you may encounter traffic during the regular traffic hours. Just be patient. And don’t be surprised if you get passed on the shoulder. More than likely, that’s a driver with Oklahoma plates.
For those of you that are new to the DFW area’s tollroad, please don’t look to stop and pay a toll. Your car’s plates will be photographed faster than a Facebook selfie! Texas will put a bill you later by mailing you a bill that you’ll receive in 3 – 4 weeks. Unlike the Houston area where you do pay at some tolls, the PGBT is more like Austin’s 183 toll road, yet double the cost.
Highly advisable to get a TXTag to be billed at much less of the cost. Most of the cost is actually spent in administrative fees & postage. Travel safely!

37 miles in one hour. yep I pay for that. sometimes I wish I could stab my eyes out from the waiting in traffic. maybe one day I will be able to drive on a road that allows me to get to my destination quickly if I pay for it.

Move to your right for exit. No left exit. Since 2006, TxDOT has opened new toll roads in Central Texas as well as they put their hand in my pocket. You have to pay for the privilege to use it. This turnpike is operated by the North Texas Tollway Authority (NTTA). No exit strategy without paying toll. Overall, if you are a demon on wheels, this road will get you to your destination quickly than 635. I just wish they would add some damn trees to make it a little more attractive and green. The term turnpike originated from pikes, which were long sticks that blocked passage until the fare was paid and the pike turned at a toll house.

Charge several times per use, are expensive, difficult to read bill and understand what toll you are being charged for

HORRIBLE!!! I just got a new job in Irving so I figured I would do a test run today to see how long it would take me to get to work before my first day next week. I live in the Plano area and left my house one hour before my start time. It took me an hour and a half to get from Plano to Irving. Im glad I did this today or I would have been late on my first day of work. Most of the time I didnt even get over 5 miles an hour and there were frequent periods of completely stopped traffic where I sat still for minutes on end. If this is what im paying for I might as well take 635 and its free. My spouse also has to take the George bush and he has to leave an hour early to get to his job as well. Not worth it and i dont see where all these positive reviews of no traffic are coming from unless they go to work in the middle of the day.

Okay, now I’m reviewing a «turnpike.» I’m either a really good Unilocaler, need to get a life, am absolutely insane — or a bit of all of the above.
No, actually maybe this will help someone if they’re not familiar with the area.
GBT is a toll road. Can either use an NTTA ot TXTag to pay or they will take a photo of your vehicle’s license plate and mail you an invoice (just drive right through). You get a slight discount with Tags.
GBT does run east and west like 635 (or LBJ; for those of you not familiar with Dallas area, almost all highways have more than one number or name; e.g., 75 is also Central Expressway — can be confusing if you don’t know), BUT it is NOTHING like 635. 635 is GRID LOCK! If you’re in the area and need to travel E or W it is well worth it to pay the tolls.
GBT is well-​maintained, traffic is rarely unbearable (even during rush hour), and it will get you to your destination. The only way that it would merit the 5^th star is if it were free, but then it wouldn’t earn the first 4 stars because it would be a pothole ridden dump of a road like most of the other highways in Dallas.

I used to commute from Grand Prairie to Carrollton for work and the PGBT cut my 45 minute commute down by about 15 minutes if I don’t run into traffic after Irving. I really how it cuts straight through to the north from my neck of the woods.
My biggest gripe are the prices! The tolls keep getting higher and higher. I know a bunch of people probably use the turnpike to commute to work and I have first hand knowledge of how the expense can add up.
It’s super convenient, but I wish it wasn’t so expensive. Especially with how gas prices are now.

Goddamn scam. Socialized funding, privatized profits. Nobody should drive on this crap. Even though it takes me 20 minutes longer driving local each day I will not take this toll road. Vote with your pocketbook and drive these fools out of business.
Creeping incrementalism folks. That’s how the government steals your money. One day it’s PGBT, the next day North Central is going to be a toll road, and then LBJ. Bit by bit…

PGBT Oh how i love and hate you at the same time! I drive on you every single day to work!
P. s. If you’re traveling westbound toward the airport sometimes the 35 ramp gets clogged up. So take denton tap road and make a left and then a right onto sandy lake road. You’ll get onto 35 in no time.

I was initially upset when my job moved headquarters from Dallas/​North Addison to Plano, but it was ultimately for the best.
I don’t have to deal with 635 anymore, which is a blessing in itself since construction has gotten so bad. I’ve found the President George Bush Turnpike to be a very relaxing drive home. It’s pricey, so I can’t afford taking it both ways, but it’s worth it. In about four months, I’ve NEVER had major traffic.
Basically, if you’d like to pay for less traffic, this is the way to go.

PGBT is the best highway in DFW IMO. It is like the Dallas Autobahn. Huge, wide with tons of lanes and is rarely congested. It used to not be congested at all but I feel like people are slowly catching on. It doesn’t always go exactly where I need it to go (I seem to more often be driving North and South then East and West, but I have often found myself driving out of the way a little bit to use PGBT if it is at all helpful in getting me where I am going because i know that I won’t be stuck in traffic. It has especially helped make the drive from Plano to Irving and vice versa 100% easier than it used to be when you had to take 75 or the Tollway down to 635 (the seemingly most crowded highway in the country) and over.
Yes, you have to pay tolls, but the way I look at the tolls is that the PGBT provides me another highway that I wouldn’t have had and I can choose to pay the tolls and use it and if I choose not to pay the tolls and want to save the money then the other roads and routes are less congested because other people are using the tollway who would otherwise be on the alternate routes.

Celebrating the completion of the 190 Eastern Extension — from Hwy 78 to I30!!! The new 10 mile section of the tollway opened on December 21^st and what a treat for those of us living in the immediate area who have waited patiently for three YEARS for the additional convenience and endured the construction. The highway not only provides easy access to and from I30 in Garland/​Rockwall, but locally in the area of Hwy 78 it has helped to relieve major congestion for the small town of Sachse by providing additional on/​off ramps to other sections of that city. For me personally, I can now access the quiet, low traffic volume, backside of my neighborhood without going through Sachse’s busy town center!!! And, jumping on/​off the tollway is now quick and easy.
The PGBT is the BEST addition to the city of Dallas and it’s lovely suburbs! I can get from my home to The Ballpark or Grapevine in 40 minutes and that is a miracle in this town of millions!
But…as well all know… all great things still come with some cons and my two are… 1) the cost and 2) the name — for obvious reasons :) But, regardless, I’m so thankful to live near such a well-​constructed and convenient method of travel in a town known for it’s agonizing long commutes.
Many thanks to the engineers and staff who also endured many long days and hours in the crazy Texas weather to make this new addition possible! In the heat of Summer, during our record-​breaking days of 100+ temps, staff had to shift their work hours to after dark and through the night to stay on schedule. Their sacrifice is greatly appreciated today by the residents of the Eastern Extension! Thank You!!!

I use this in the morning when I’m in a rush and take it from Midway all the way to Renner. Every time I look and see westbound jam packed and thinking WTF! Sucks to be getting on the Dallas North Tollway! It’s also slow just west of 75. I always think why…
For me though, I’m blazing by in the morning no problem. It just hurts to see how many toll booths I pass…
I rate this 5 stars because it serves a great purpose for me when I really need it!

One time this pickup truck in front of me had a poorly secured full-​sized mattress in the truck bed. Yes, it went flying out. Yikes! Fortunately it was well ahead of my car and flew to the left and landed on the road. No one was in the way.
Outside of this one incident, the Bush Turnpike has been good to me over the years. Less crowded than the Dallas North Tollway in my opinion.

It’s 5:15pm and I’m stuck in traffic on 635 and Preston trying to head west to DFW Airport. I have a 6:30pm departure to go to a wedding where I’m best man. Missing my flight means missing the rehearsal dinner and my expected best man toast. I’ve gone half a mile in 20 minutes, my traffic map on my phone is pulling up nothing but red and my road rage has reached Defcon 6.. .what do I do?
I see a glimmer of hope on the tollway, I hop on, ride the exit lane and pay tolls out the wazoo to skip that traffic jam until I see the access road for the Turnpike. Suddenly I’m transported. I’m no longer in a world of traffic congestion, 2mph speeds and mounting frustration. I’m on a clean, well maintained stretch of highway with a 70mph speed limit and I now have direct access to the airport. I make my flight with time to spare, nail the speech, everyone is happy.
I regularly take the turnpike to get to the airport, to see my family in Southlake (especially when the ¹²¹⁄₁₁₄ merger is a mess, to get food from Central Market and to really go just about anywhere in West of the North Dallas Parkway. The tolls are a bitch, but I don’t mind paying them when the toll in question means I can consistently get from Point A to Point B practically problem (and traffic) free.

W00T On the tollway bandwagon too. I’ll add a 5^th star when they open it up from 78 to 30, but for now it’s a 4 star review for
1) getting me to work faster;
2) upping the speed limits to 70;
3) me only getting ONE speeding ticket for doing 80 in a 65 a few years ago (thankfully 5 – 0 was slow on the trigger because I was doing 90 when I saw him).
I can get from my house in Sachse to Central Market in 18 minutes.

Bush, can I be so bold as to call you Bush. I just wanted to express my feelings for you. I know you know I had a relationship with your money-​grubbing sister highway, DNT, but that’s over. She’s just too slow and prissy for me.
You’re everything she’s not. You’re slightly dirty and while some people don’t like that, it really gets me going. I like the fact that you’re fast and easy!!! Please don’t take that the wrong way!!! Those qualities are what separate you from the rest!!!
I get off at 5:00, maybe if you’re not too busy we’ll see each other…

So now you can review a highway on Unilocal?Alllll right.
For someone who lives in Plano and worked in Irving for about 3 years, the Bush Turnpike is a huge timesaver. Hundreds of times I’ve passed over the «North Dallas Tollway» or I-​35 during the morning commute and seen a parking lot in the southbound lanes. No, 190 isn’t completely without its congestion/​construction headaches and the tolls do add up but all things considered it makes the ride easier.
But the afternoon drive can be a bit of a pain — fairly often its a quicker ride home taking the Old Denton exit and using roads with … traffic signals the rest of the way.
Just one suggestion — I think we’re still allowed to have highways that are more or less a straight line …