The following are some of the most frequently asked questions we receive. If you do not see your question addressed below, please feel free to contact us directly to speak with a CCRMA employee.
General Questions
GENERAL Questions:
Who is the Cameron County Regional Mobility Authority (CCRMA)?
The CCRMA is an independent government agency created in 2004 to finance, acquire, design, construct, operate, maintain, expand or extend transportation projects in the region. These projects may be tolled or non-tolled. The mission of the CCRMA is to make significant contributions to the region’s quality of life by providing effective, safe, accelerated mobility improvements that will encourage economic development and job creation for South Texas. The CCRMA owns and operates the SH 550 toll road in Cameron County.
The CCRMA is planning a complete system of transportation infrastructure additions and upgrades for Cameron County that will support economic development and increase safety for the benefit of the entire region. If you would like to know more about the projects CCRMA is working on, visit the Our Projects section of our website..
Transportation Reinvestment Zones (TRZs) are an innovative means of generating local funding for transportation projects by capturing and leveraging the economic growth that results from a project. The legislature initially authorized the creation of TRZs in 2007. Since that time, TRZs have proven to be a valuable tool for Texas communities.
For more information on the Cameron County TRZ, please visit ccrma.org/financials/funding-sources/
How long does it take to complete an environmental study?
The CCRMA is committed to developing projects in an environmentally sensitive and sustainable manner. All projects qualifying for funding with Federal or State funds require compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). In Cameron County you will find many environmentally sensitive areas in which preparing environmental documents can take between 2-6 years, sometimes much longer. Recent steps taken by the Administration have called for expediting the NEPA process, which may help in reducing the time for clearing projects environmentally in the future.
TOLLING Questions:
For information on the SH 550 toll road, visit the SH550 project page.
Why is SH 550 referred to as I-169?
CCRMA, along with its partners, have been working on converting SH 550 from a State Highway to Interstate Standards. The Direct Connector of the SH 550 has already been approved and signed I-169. Once construction on the Gap I and Gap II projects are complete, the entire SH 550 corridor will be signed I-169.
Fuego Tag, developed by CCRMA for the SH 550 toll road is an alternative payment method for passenger and commercial vehicles, with no limit on the number of vehicles that can be registered. Fuego account holders enjoy a 25% discount on the SH 550 toll, online account management, the ability to update payment or vehicle information, and request new tags. As of July 15, 2024, the Fuego Tag is interoperable across toll roads in Texas, Kansas, and Oklahoma. Soon, it will also be acceptable at Cameron County Coastal Parks and Cameron County International Bridges.
What is Cameron County Regional Mobility Authority’s Qualified Veteran Discount Program?
Section 372.053 of the Texas Transportation Code allows toll agencies the opportunity to reduce or eliminate the payment of tolls for vehicles displaying certain disabled veteran licensed plates. The Cameron County Regional Mobility Authority Board of Directors has determined that disabled military veterans are eligible for an exemption from the payment of tolls on Cameron County Regional Mobility Authority toll facilities for vehicles displaying eligible disabled veteran license plates.
Am I eligible for the Mobility Authority’s Qualified Veteran Discount Program?
To be eligible to participate in the Qualified Veteran Discount Program, the Cameron County Regional Mobility Authority requires that at the time of the transaction, the vehicle be compliant with the following:
Standard registration with the State of Texas, Texas Department of Motor Vehicles as the primary vehicle; vehicle must be registered in the name of the qualifying veteran.
Issued a qualifying* specialty plate and have it properly displayed;
*Qualifying Texas license plates are disabled veterans.
What if I’m a veteran but do not have a qualifying veteran’s license plate or an electronic tag?
In order to be accepted into the program and have a toll waived, a qualifying specialty license plate is required. However, CCRMA will honor one vehicle with non-specialty plates provided a letter of disability from the Department of Veteran Affairs that states he/she qualifies as a disabled Veteran is provided
What if I have multiple cars? What about my spouse’s car?
The CCRMA’s Qualified Veteran Discount Program is limited to vehicles which are registered with the State of Texas, in the name of the individual veteran and which display a qualifying specialty license plate, per Texas Transportation Code §372.053, that is associated with an electronic tag account.
What if I am an eligible veteran with a qualifying specialized plate pulling a trailer?
If you are enrolled in Cameron County Regional Mobility Authority’s Qualified Veteran Discount Program and received a statement because you were a trailer, you can initiate a dispute by calling our Customer Service Center (956.621.5571) or emailing your license plate and invoice number to support@ccrma.org
Why is Cameron County Regional Mobility Authority waiving toll charges for select veterans?
The Board Members and staff of the Cameron County Regional Mobility Authority honor and appreciate the service of the men and women of our military forces, past and present. State law allows a Texas toll road entity to offer discounted or free tolls to disabled veterans who qualify and meet the requirements for specialty license plates.
What about other toll roads in Texas?
In Texas, there are multiple transportation agencies that operate toll roads, issue their own toll tags and do their own billing. In Brownsville Texas, the Cameron County Regional Mobility handles SH 550. You can find information about other agencies below:
Austin: Texas Department of Transportation and Central Texas Regional Mobility Authority (https://www.txtag.org/txtagstorefront/en/
https://www.mobilityauthority.com/nt)
Dallas – Ft Worth: North Texas Tollway Authority (https://www.ntta.org/Pages/default.aspx)
Houston area: Harris County Toll Road Authority and Fort Bend County Toll Road Authority (https://www.hctra.org/Home
https://www.fbctra.com/)
Tyler: North East Texas Regional Mobility Authority (https://www.netrma.org/)
What is Fuego Tag and how does it work?
Fuego Tag is an electronic sticker that mounts on the inside of a vehicle’s windshield near the rear-view mirror. The sticker has a small transponder inside that communicates with an overhead antenna at toll facilities, allowing drivers to pay tolls electronically. The toll is deducted from a pre-paid toll account that is set up by the customer.
Fuego Tag customers receive a 25% discount over Pay By Mail rates. Fuego Tag is accepted on SH 550 toll road in Brownsville, Texas. The SH 550 Toll Road is interoperable and accepts electronic tags from Austin (TxTag), Dallas (TollTag) and Houston (EZ TAG).
What other ways can an account be setup to automatically pay my tolls?
TxTag, Toll Tag, EZ Tag, OTA Tag, and K-Tag accounts are alternate methods of payment accepted by CCRMA for the SH 550 toll road.
For more information, please contact the CCRMA’s toll processing department by telephone to 956-621-5571 or in person at 3461 Carmen Ave, Rancho Viejo, TX 78575.
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