A Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) plan to use $700 million in federal economic stimulus funds to pay for toll-road projects has drawn some vocal opposition, Engineering News-Record magazine reported.
“It’s a total rip-off,” Terri Hall, director of Texans Uniting for Reform and Freedom, a nonprofit opposed to toll roads, told Engineering News-Record. “That’s not how the money is supposed to be used.”
Rep. Jim Dunnam, thinks the onetime federal dollars should be used to reduce gridlock immediately, and toll roads should be built later using state funds.
Charging Texans more fees to drive during an economic crisis was the concern of U.S. Rep. Pete Olson.
Jim Berand, a spokesman for the U.S. House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, pointed out that the economic stimulus bill does not discuss toll roads. It only says that stimulus projects should create jobs and promote economic growth.
In statements from TxDOT, stimulus spending was approved by the Texas Transportation Commission for 266 roadway and bridge maintenance and rehabilitation projects valued at $505,675,806, including:
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182 roadway maintenance projects valued at approximately $370 million;
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27 roadway rehabilitation projects valued at approximately $73 million;
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47 bridge projects valued at approximately $31 million; and
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10 projects that are local and regional safety enhancements valued at approximately $30 million.
“The projects approved today will serve to preserve the state’s investment in our current transportation system,” said Deirdre Delisi, Texas Transportation Commission chair.
Funding levels for roadway projects were based on population, lane-miles, vehicle traffic, and pavement conditions. TxDOT identified the needed projects based on engineering needs and in coordination with local officials.
The commission also approved TxDOT’s support for 10 aviation projects valued at $49.7 million. The stimulus-funded aviation projects will be submitted to the Federal Aviation Administration for final approval based on a priority list developed for annual program funding for general aviation airports.
The commission voted for stimulus spending on 39 public transportation projects valued at $32.8 million for rural program operators to fund vehicle fleets, facilities and information-technology equipment. Funds will be distributed to each of the state’s rural transit providers and will be used to purchase more than 300 buses and to construct facilities across the state.
On Wednesday, Feb. 25, TxDOT staff released a list of projects that could be developed using an additional $1.2 billion in available stimulus funds. The Texas Transportation Commission is expected to vote on the staff-recommended list during a special meeting later in March. The staff recommendation was created by applying criteria developed by the state’s local transportation leaders to an extensive list of projects that met the initial requirements for readiness established in the stimulus bill.
