The House Select Committee on Transportation Funding held a public hearing April 7. Panels of transportation experts, state officials and agency staff, and business leaders discussed a myriad of funding issues including current funding sources, Fund 6 diversions, population growth, and current and future transportation needs.

TxDOT Executive Director Amadeo Saenz explained the importance of the TxDOT Tracker to measure agency performance and ensure transparency and accountability.  Saenz expressed the need for public understanding of these processes.  Jon Barton, Assistant Executive Director for Engineering Operations at TxDOT, spoke on the various development stages and programs which are all part the agency’s planning process. Barton stated that the transportation planning process is ongoing and continuously evaluated based on state and regional transportation needs. 

“The (long-range transportation plans) are driven by needs that are identified by our local communities and statewide stakeholders, and they are financially constrained…” said Barton. He continued that the biggest challenge is filling the gap between the needs of the state and the available resources.

Committee member and State Rep. Edmund Kuempel proposed that the agency consider publishing a public annual report showing projects that were planned for the year and the projects that were implemented that year. He stressed the importance of reprioritizing the agency’s plans and goals each year.

Darrell Edge, Manager of Fiscal Integrity for the Texas Comptroller’s office, presented an overview of State Highway Fund 0006, including appropriations and expenditures. John Heleman, chief revenue estimator for the Texas Comptroller’s office, spoke on the state’s current funding sources. Heleman pointed out that the funding gap continues to increase as tax revenues decline and the population of the state increases each year.

James Bass, Chief Financial Officer for TxDOT, discussed TxDOT funding and explained that $2.2 billion from fuel tax revenues was transferred to the State Highway Fund in 2009, which was $50 million less than the 2008 revenues.

2030 Committee Chairman Dr. Michael Walton, professor of civil engineering at UT Austin, and member Ken Allen, Senior Vice-President of Supply Chain and Logistics at H-E-B, spoke on the committee’s findings and recommendations regarding the state’s transportation funding needs. The Committee estimated that $315 billion is required to meet Texas’ transportation needs between 2009 and 2030. (Click here to view the executive summary or the full report from the 2030 committee). 

“HEB has a major and growing concern regarding the adequacy of the state’s infrastructure to meet the growing transportation needs within our state,” said Ken Allen. “All across Texas today, we are finding that the roadways are already inadequate. Congestion is huge and it is a growing concern for us in the business community.”                                                               

Other witnesses included David Ellis, Bill Stockton and Tim Lomax (Texas Transportation Institute), Bryant Lomax (Texas Comptroller), Cheryl MacBride and Steven McCraw (TX DPS), Ken Allen (H-E-B, 2030 Committee), and Lloyd Potter (Texas State Data Center).

Click here to view a broadcast of the hearing.

"Are we doing the job necessary to keep the transport of people and goods flowing as we look to 2025?"

                                       Ken Allen, H-E-B