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November 19, 2009

 

Texas Transportation Commission Advances 74 New Projects, Valued at Approximately $2 Billion

AUSTIN - At their regular meeting Thursday, the Texas Transportation Commission acted unanimously to approve roughly $2 billion in highway projects aimed at increasing safety, rehabilitating pavement, expanding highway corridors of statewide significance and reducing traffic congestion in communities across the state. The projects will be funded by Proposition 12 bond proceeds, which were authorized by the Texas Legislature earlier this year.

Texas voters initially approved the Proposition 12 bond referendum in 2007, directing the Legislature to authorize up to $5 billion in general obligation bonds – bonds paid back using general revenue, rather than fuel tax revenues - to be spent for transportation projects.

When the Legislature acted to authorize issuance of Proposition 12 bonds, they provided some direction for how the proceeds must be spent. Specifically, Senate Bill 1 allows $2 billion in Proposition 12 bond proceeds be spent on non-toll highway projects, with $1 billion expended by September 2011.

To select projects, Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) staff utilized a process similar to the collaborative approach used to select American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) projects. TxDOT districts and Metropolitan Planning Organizations (MPOs) were asked to develop a list of all needed projects that fit the bond program's requirements and criteria to evaluate them.

"We worked with our partners around the state to establish a prioritization process that would help meet transportation needs statewide as agreed upon by this group of experts," said Deirdre Delisi, Texas Transportation Commission chair.

In all, Texas MPOs and TxDOT districts identified over 850 potential projects with a construction value exceeding $8.9 billion.

Using the criteria recommended by TxDOT's partners, the Department divided projects among three areas and used the following criteria to determine which would be recommended for funding:

Included in the approved list are six projects, valued at an estimated $1 billion, to expand Interstate 35 from a four- to a six-lane highway in much of Central Texas.

Nearly 39 percent of the state's population lives along the I-35 corridor, and this action brings the Commission closer to fulfilling their promise to "finish" I-35 by expanding it to six lanes between San Antonio and Hillsboro.

"Expanding this well-traveled corridor will enhance roadway safety and provide for efficient movement of goods as traffic continues to grow in this area," said Delisi.

Other significant projects approved by the Transportation Commission for Proposition 12 bond funding include:

  • The reconstruction of Houston's $178 million Interstate 610/U.S. 290 Interchange, which ranks 13th on the list of the 100 Most Congested Roadway Segments in Texas;
  • $100 million to expand Interstate 45 in Houston, which ranks as the 25th most congested roadway segment in the state;
  • A four-mile, $80 million expansion of Loop 375 in El Paso, doubling capacity of a route which serves as an alternative to Interstate 10 and supplementing access to the U.S. Army's Fort Bliss; and,
  • San Antonio's Wurzbach Parkway, which will receive $130 million to complete the 4.8 mile reconstruction and expand the facility from a four-to a six-lane divided roadway. Improving Wurzbach will improve traffic flow on some of the most congested roadways in San Antonio including I-35, Loop 1604, I-410 and U.S. 281.

This funding does not address some four-lane sections of I-35 through Temple and Waco, as, like many other important projects across the state, some I-35 expansion projects will not meet the bonds' expenditure timeframe.

Three important projects were not selected for Proposition 12 funding: the expansion of I-35E in Dallas and Denton Counties, improvements to the interchange at I-35W and I-820 in Tarrant County, and improvements to U.S. 77 in South Texas as part of the development of I-69. The Commission instructed TxDOT staff to develop specific plans for the delivery of these projects with a report due in January 2010.

More information, including a complete list of projects selected for Proposition 12 funding, can be found on TxDOT's website, www.txdot.gov.

For more information contact TxDOT Government and Public Affairs Division at (512) 463-8588.

The Texas Department of Transportation
The Texas Department of Transportation is responsible for maintaining nearly 80,000 miles of road and for supporting aviation, rail and public transportation across the state. TxDOT and its more than 12,000 employees strive to empower local leaders to solve local transportation problems, and to use new financial tools, including tolling and public-private partnerships, to reduce congestion and pave the way for future economic growth while enhancing safety, improving air quality and preserving the value of the state's transportation assets. Find out more at www.txdot.gov.