TxDOT May Be Unable to Build New Roads By 2012
In response to questioning yesterday by Senator Eliot Shapleigh during the Senate Transportation Committee hearing, TxDOT sent a letter to the committee members outlining the detailed reasoning behind TxDOT's anticipated inability to build new roads beginning in 2012.
The letter refrences valuable road funding tools the transportation agency was given in 2001 and 2003 including the Texas Mobility Fund, Proposition 14 bonds and comprehensive development agreements, but notes, "we have reached the end of what we all knew would be a temporary spike in our contracting levels."
The letter outlines concerns the department has about current proposed funding in the budget:
Click Here to view the TxDOT letter
The letter refrences valuable road funding tools the transportation agency was given in 2001 and 2003 including the Texas Mobility Fund, Proposition 14 bonds and comprehensive development agreements, but notes, "we have reached the end of what we all knew would be a temporary spike in our contracting levels."
The letter outlines concerns the department has about current proposed funding in the budget:
- does not allow TxDOT to "backfill" needed maintenance funding
- does not place enough state funding in certain strategies to draw down federal funds
- does not anticipate expected federal rescissions of$720 million at the end of this fiscal year and $1.4 billion in 2020
Other proposed legislation could:
- further decrease state gas tax receipts and toll revenues by exempting various entities
- extend and increase diversions of Fund 6 to the Texas Emissions Reduction Plan
- increase the cost of highway right of way
Click Here to view the TxDOT letter
Posted by Lauren at April 23, 2009 2:07 PM 
Categories: Texas Department of Transportation, Senate Transportation Committee, Transportation Financing
Categories: Texas Department of Transportation, Senate Transportation Committee, Transportation Financing
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