TxDOT told to ‘prioritize’ in road funding crisis

McALLEN -- State senators on Tuesday ordered transportation officials to assess Texas' highway system and prioritize which regions are most in need of new roads.

"We're expecting a full report, not some two-page letter," said state Sen. John Carona, R-Dallas, chairman of the Senate Committee on Transportation and Homeland Security. "You can't begin addressing the funding problems until you know when the roads are expected to come on line."

The transportation committee, which met Tuesday morning at McAllen City Hall, has been at odds with the Texas Department of Transportation since earlier this year, when the agency announced the halt of a number of new road projects because of federal funding cutbacks. Officials estimate TxDOT's budget shortfall at $86 billion over the next 25 years.

After senators' criticism of TxDOT's accounting policies, agency leaders agreed last month to divert money set aside for road maintenance and planning operations to get some of the suspended construction projects back on line.

A number of Rio Grande Valley road projects are currently on hold, including the expansion of 23rd Street between the Hidalgo-Reynosa International Bridge and Military Highway and the construction of overpasses on U.S. Highway 281 through Falfurrias.

The Hidalgo County Metropolitan Planning Organization, which determines where local state transportation money is spent, is scheduled to decide whether to resume the 23rd Street project at a meeting Thursday.

"This is the only money we're going to get for a while so we better use it," said Andrew Cannon, the planning authority's transportation director.

TxDOT is scheduled for its "sunset" review during the legislative session beginning in January. Every 12 years, Texas state agencies in Texas undergo a review to determine if they're still needed and identity improvements necessary to ensure state funds are well spent.

Over the last two years TxDOT has lost $923 million in federal highway funding due to budget cutbacks President Bush ordered, said John Barton, the agency's assistant executive director for engineering operations, during Tuesday's meeting.

High-growth areas, particularly those along the Texas-Mexico border that are dealing with increased commercial truck traffic, are most affected, state Sen. Juan "Chuy" Hinojosa, D-McAllen, said.

"We're playing catch-up," he said. "When (the North American Free Trade Act) passed there was no additional money provided for new roads."

Now that federal funding is drying up, the debate over how to pay for new roads is all the more intense.

Gov. Rick Perry has been a strong advocate for toll roads, such as the proposed rail and highway network known as the Trans-Texas Corridor, built through partnerships with the private sector.

But criticism on that front has been strong, with opponents arguing toll roads would overburden Texas motorists to the benefit of foreign companies like Cintra, the Spanish firm with contracts for a large portion of the TTC.

TxDOT is now considering plans that would not only include toll roads but other options as well, agency spokesman Colby Chase said.

"Do you raise the gas tax? Do you continue with the tolling?" he said. "Our position is we should have as many tools as possible."
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James Osborne covers McAllen and general assignments for The Monitor. You can reach him at (956) 683-4428.