Transportation stakeholders and officials gathered this morning at the Austin Club for “A Conversation with Deirdre Delisi, Chair of the Texas Transportation Commission” hosted by The Texas Tribune.

Delisi stressed the importance of the public education process in the transportation debate.  She stated that the Commission and TxDOT have been very aggressive in this process over the last few years.  They are working hard to improve transparency and make the agency more user friendly to the Legislature and the public.

Delisi applauded Speaker Joe Straus for creating a special committee to focus on the funding issues of transportation, and indicated the value of communicating the transportation funding needs to the Legislature.

“We need to be honest with the Legislature about what we need going forward to make investments in infrastructure,” said Delisi. “We need a long-term stable source of funding for transportation infrastructure in our state, and the Legislature must start laying the groundwork for a long-term solution.”

Delisi told the audience that Texas has been recognized nationally and internationally for utilizing creative and innovative funding mechanisms to meet its infrastructure needs.  “I think every option should be discussed,” concluded Delisi.  “My preference will always be for a statewide (transportation funding) solution.”

The event concluded with a Q&A session, offering the audience a chance to interact with the guest.

The Texas Tribune is hosting a series of conversations featuring prominent elected officials and other newsmakers over the next few months.  These discussions are moderated by the Tribune's CEO and editor in chief, Evan Smith.