The Texas Department of Public Safety will stop patrolling North Texas toll roads after deciding not to renew its law enforcement contract with the North Texas Tollway Authority, which expires later this year.
According to DPS and NTTA, the Interlocal Cooperation Contract is set to expire on August 31. DPS notified the tollway authority that it would not extend the agreement, citing changing statewide operational demands and a need for greater flexibility in deploying personnel.
In a letter to NTTA leadership, DPS said the decision was final and tied to the agency’s broader mission across Texas.
“This communication reflects a final decision by DPS. It is not part of a negotiation and should not be viewed as an invitation to reconsider or reverse contract terms. While we appreciate NTTA’s engagement and the perspectives offered in prior discussions, DPS determination is grounded in its broader statewide mission requirements,” the agency stated.
DPS Director Col. Freeman Martin said the department must be able to move resources where they are needed most.
“DPS must maintain full flexibility to deploy personnel and resources in response to an ever-changing threat environment and to meet our duty to serve and protect all Texans,” Martin wrote.
The change will affect several major North Texas toll roads, including the Dallas North Tollway, Chisholm Trail Parkway and the Lewisville Lake Toll Bridge, among other NTTA-operated corridors that carry thousands of drivers daily.
Despite ending the contract, DPS said motorists should not experience service interruptions. Troopers will continue handling traffic enforcement and crash investigations on NTTA roads at no cost until replacement agreements are secured with other law enforcement agencies.
Agency officials said DPS leadership is already coordinating with local police departments and other law enforcement agencies whose jurisdictions border the tollway system to assume patrol responsibilities after the contract ends.
NTTA confirmed it was informed that DPS no longer believes the service-for-fees arrangement aligns with the department’s statewide mission.
“NTTA will work to ensure a smooth transition in the interim,” the authority said in a statement, Fox 4 KDFW reported.
DPS also confirmed that troopers currently assigned to tollway patrol duties will be reassigned to other posts across the state.
The transition marks a significant shift in law enforcement coverage on some of North Texas’ busiest roadways as NTTA works to establish new policing arrangements before the contract expires at the end of August.
