Sherman Named To NTTA Board Of Directors

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NTTA board of directors
Dallas County Judge Clay Jenkins administers NTTA board oath to Dallas County Appointee Carl O. Sherman Sr.

NTTA Board of Directors Adds Former DeSoto Mayor

DALLAS—It seems that Carl O. Sherman Sr. is a political star that continues to grow brighter. Wednesday Dallas County Commissioners tapped former DeSoto Mayor as their representative on the North Texas Tollway Authority (NTTA) Board.

Sherman will fill the seat left vacant by Matrice Ellis-Kirk who sat on the NTTA Board of Directors since 2011. Ellis-Kirk did not seek reappointment to the NTTA board and steps down after nearly five years of service.

“Matrice has greatly contributed to where we are today and advancing NTTA’s mission to provide a safe and reliable transportation network,” said Kenneth Barr, chairman of the NTTA Board of Directors.

NTTA serves Collin, Dallas, Denton and Tarrant counties and owns and operates the Dallas North Tollway, President George Bush Turnpike, Sam Rayburn Tollway, Addison Airport Toll Tunnel, Lewisville Lake Toll Bridge, Mountain Creek Lake Bridge and Chisholm Trail Parkway.

Carl O. Sherman
Carl O. Sherman Sr.

NTTA raises capital for construction projects through the issuance of turnpike revenue bonds. NTTA toll projects are not a part of the state highway system and receive no direct tax funding. Tolls are collected to repay debt and to operate and maintain the roadways.

“I consider it an honor to be appointed by the Dallas County Commissioners Court and I am looking forward to working with this esteemed group of board members to address the growing mobility challenges in North Texas,” Sherman said. “Business continuity and the future of Loop 9 are of the utmost concern to me.”

The creation of a toll road in Southern Dallas County has been a topic of much conjecture. But Sherman contends that it’s an issue that we can no longer ignore.

“In order to meet the demand we can’t pour enough concrete when we have Dallas, Denton, Collin and Tarrant County growing last year by 20,000 plus in each of the counties,” Sherman said. “The growth has been incredible and we have got to somehow collaborate transportation solutions of rail and highway to address the growth and it has got to be seamless.”

Sherman has a long record of public and private service in North Texas. He’s served as a community advocate, city councilmember and the first African-American mayor of DeSoto. Sherman also served as an executive member of the Dallas Regional Mobility Coalition board. Most recently he served as city manager in Ferris. He currently serves as city manager of Hutchins.

“I have heard from numerous people that Mr. Sherman will be a great addition to the NTTA board,” said. “I know he is very knowledgeable on transportation. We look forward to working with him.”