Posting this in the D&D because the federal gov't is cutting back on these funds. I wonder what the fed is spending money on. link Lack of funds threatens road projects, Texas officials say By PATRICK DRISCOLL Copyright 2007 San Antonio Express-News State transportation officials cried "uncle" Thursday, saying federal and state lawmakers have raked so much money from the highway department that it's running out of funds to build roads. Lawmakers had help from rising construction costs, which jumped 62 percent in five years. But federal cutbacks, state diversions of gas-tax funds and new restrictions on hampering private investments in toll roads have delayed projects and could cancel others. In this fiscal year, the Texas Department of Transportation will delay or scale back $965 million worth of road construction work. "People need to understand that, within a very short time period, there will be no new capacity added," Texas Transportation Commission member Ned Holmes said. Barring some new revenue, TxDOT will reach that point in a few years, when it'll be much more difficult to add to lists of projects to widen roads, but cuts are starting now. In 2009, officials will remove $225 million in maintenance funds from rural areas in West Texas, where most roads are in good shape, and shift the money to coastal and metropolitan regions, where one in five roads needs repairs. A bigger hit would take place in 2011 and 2012, when officials cancel $865 million set aside for new road lanes and stick it into maintenance. Regular maintenance is cheaper over time because it staves off costlier reconstruction, said Amadeo Saenz, an assistant director who later in the day was promoted to head TxDOT. "You might say we're taking from Peter to give to Paul," Saenz said. "In the long run, we will lose less ground." Options look grim, officials said. TxDOT can double the $5.6 billion in bonds that will have been sold by the end of this year, but officials said more debt could start eating into maintenance funds. One hope is Proposition 12 on the November ballot, which would allow $5 billion in bonds backed by general revenue funds instead of gas taxes, giving TxDOT a new source of money. But officials said getting any of that money could be several years away. Transportation Commissioner Ted Houghton said the agency needs to slim down, maybe enact a hiring freeze and use fewer outside consultants. "As we ask the citizens of this state to buck up and be prepared, I think we internally need to look at our own house," he said. TxDOT sounded the warning months ago, starting in the waning days of a legislative battle over Senate Bill 792, which strangled the agency's ability to lease toll projects. "I'm convinced most (legislators) truly don't understand the long-term impact of tapping on the brakes," Transportation Commission Chairman Ric Williamson said. "Logic and civility command that we calmly talk through how we're going to deal with this." pdriscoll@express-news.net
I want accountability, but the best thing that could happen for this country is for the Federal Highway Funds to go away. The federal funds are simply bribe money to force the states into infringing on freedoms that the darn Constitution won't let the Federal Government touch. Oh yeah, and a hint for the states: When you have to make this up, do it on a dollar basis and not a gallon basis.
Yep. Our new roads are somewhere in central Iraq. We would even promise to not create potholes with explosives...
yup, its all iraq... I like the part about taking 200+ mill from West Texas roads, which "most roads are in good shape". Yeah, better let them get into bad shape and then fix them rather than steady maintenance. That philosophy works well in houston. But at least some lazy hoochie momma will get her govt check for her 5 illegitimate kids
& that amazing widening and repaving of Hwy 6. I can't figure out if it is for hurricane evacuation over-reaction or to make it easier to go see an Aggie football game. considering the state of Aggie football I guess it must be the first one. I drove that road not too long ago and simply couldn't believe resources were being spent there. But then, I did work for the State a couple of times so I guess I can understand the rationale behind being irrational when spending tax dollars. Cheers, brock
In a lot of cases, money spent to pave more roadways is returned in the increased taxable value of the lands served by the roads. However, that tax revenue is for the most part, put into the coffers of the county not the State. The tax revenue for roads both federal and state needs to come from taxes on gasoline and deisel. The corrolation is direct and it would encourage conservation.
A very predictable result of poor planning by the Republican controlled Texas Government... cutting taxes without any regard to the consequences. You have one of the top 2 or 3 largest states in the country in population and one of the fastest growing. The largest in size in the Lower 48, with vast distances to travel compared to where most of the population of the US lives. (who don't have a clue about how far we have to drive to go to other cities and towns in the state, unless they've spent time here) People, we have had several years of bad state government. It's not the fault of state employees, who have scarcely seen a raise in pay worth mentioning for years, make less than they could in the private sector, have seen their benefits slashed, which has always been one of the main reasons people work for the state for lower pay... that, along with job security and, believe or not, a desire to serve the public. The sad thing is that we used to have a highway and road system the envy of the world. Instead of maintaining it and expanding it, we have seen highway funds cut because of cuts in state taxes, highway funds cut because of highway money diverted to other uses, to cover the cut in taxes, those cuts in taxes going, in the main, to business interests who make large contributions to the GOP members of the Lege, the Governor, and the Lt. Governor. We have seen countless hundreds of millions of dollars of Federal matching funds, our own tax dollars (we send out to Washington more than we get back), going to other states due to GOP incompetence. That is money that could have been freed up to use on roads and highways. And the whole "Perry Plan for Toll Roads and Money in My Pocket" is a farce. Many of the highways being built as toll roads were already funded by your tax dollars. In other words, you paid for them already, and you will pay again in tolls to use them. Some of them are tiny stretches of roads that are being built purely to raise tax money. Several of those are in Austin. In Southwest Austin, to give an example, an overpass on Mopac (or Loop 1, for those from Pasadena), an overpass, already paid for, was going to be made into a toll road. A pure, blatant money machine, one of many, so Perry, Craddick and company could free up money for more of their "tax cuts." The people out in Circle C, a huge subdivision that used to be mostly a GOP area, but now is getting more moderate, do something everyone should do... they vote. Along with others in the area, we raised hell about this rip-off and they backed down. Others in the city don't have that clout, so they're getting the shaft. If you look at a map of toll roads in Austin, which used to have none, not long ago, that are proposed, being planned, or being built, they make no sense at all. They are scattered all over the city. A short stretch here, a short stretch there, with few being the long highways traditionally planned and built as toll roads, something I don't have much of a problem with, in the main. I'll add one other thing. There is more money available for roads and highways, despite the howling from TexDOT, then is being bandied about. And Perry's Trans Texas Corridor? A complete rip-off of the taxpayers of Texas, being used to get political contributions and, in my opinion, money under the table for those, mostly Perry, who are pushing it. An environmental disaster that will destroy some of the best farm land in the state. Why Perry didn't get his ass whipped in the last election is a travesty. Had the votes not been divided between one candidate running because he thought it would be fun, and another running because her ego is the size of Texas, the clown would be out of office. D&D. Impeach What's His Name. (fill in the blank)
damnit! i thought they would just about start fixing west bellfort from eldridge to 59 but i guess not.... stupid bush!
most people around here would agree to disagree, with their large pickup trucks and soccer mom SUV drivers. just ask traderjorge
