|
The Texas Department of Transportation has scheduled its next highway letting for October 6 and 7. Ninety-eight projects are approved to be let with an estimated total of $349,026,593. A TxDOT report said projects may be added, advanced or delayed as deemed necessary.
Perry Opens Call to Telecom, Renewable Energy Issues
Gov. Rick Perry called lawmakers into special session beginning on June 21 and asked them to consider school finance, education reform, property tax relief, eminent domain restrictions, tuition revenue bonds and judicial pay raises.
Perry recently expanded the call of the special legislative session to include legislation related to overhaul of the telecommunications industry and to legislation related to renewable energy.
"With important progress being made on school finance, today I am asking lawmakers to finish the important work begun in the regular session on modernizing Texas' telecommunications industry," Perry said in expanding the call of the special session. "My action today provides lawmakers an opportunity to ensure a more competitive telecommunications market that will offer consumers better services at a lower price. And with energy costs draining family budgets and slowing economic growth nationwide, now is the time for lawmakers to pass legislation that will help Texas become more energy independent."
The governor's message specifically allows lawmakers to consider telecommunications legislation, related to further competition in the telecommunications market, to the provision of broadband over power lines and the issuance of state-issued certificates of franchise authority for cable and video services. His message further allows the legislature to consider legislation "related to the State of Texas' goal for renewable energy."
$11.3 Billion Statewide Preservation Program Approved
Preservation of Texas' transportation system will continue as a top priority with approval of the $11.3 billion Statewide Preservation Program by state officials. The Texas Transportation Commission approved the four-year plan at its June meeting.
The plan allocates $8.5 billion to maintain highways and right of way, $1.6 billion for bridge replacement and rehabilitation, $402 million for improvements where railroads cross highways, $766 million for safety projects and $1.4 million for water and rail projects.
Overall, the plan represents a 25 percent increase over its predecessor. TxDOT officials say that can be attributed to higher state and federal revenue forecasts.
"We must maintain the Texas transportation system and keep it working for the traveling public as well as continue to plan for the future," said Mike Behrens, TxDOT executive director. "This plan helps us do that."
FRA Loan For Safety and Capacity
The Tex-Mex Railroad, a short line connecting the United States to Mexico, has won approval of a $50 million loan it will use for major safety and infrastructure projects in the wake of growing cross border trade.
The loan from the Federal Railroad Administration will increase efficiency by allowing Tex-Mex to operate at higher track speeds and increase capacity to accommodate growing freight rail traffic along its busy NAFTA corridor. It will also improve track safety along the railroad's line between Laredo and Corpus Christi.
The loan will help upgrade 146 mi. of track, rehabilitate 26 bridges, construct two new sidings and lengthen one as well as replace 75,000 crossties. Two rail yards at Laredo and Corpus Christi will also be upgraded. In addition, a portion of the loan will be used to refinance prior debt incurred for previous capital investment projects.
"When you improve the safety of your rails, you end up increasing capacity," said U.S. Transportation Secretary Norman Y. Mineta. "Safety equals more business."
The loan is being made under the Railroad Rehabilitation and Improvement Financing program administered by the FRA. The program assists short-line and regional railroads to acquire, improve or rehabilitate rail equipment and infrastructure. Direct loans can pay up to 100 percent of an approved rail project with repayment schedules of 25 years at interest rates equal to the cost of borrowing by the federal government.
The Tex-Mex Railroad is now a part of the Kansas City Southern Railway network, serving mainly as a bridge railroad to move traffic and make connections between KCSR, Union Pacific, Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railway and Transportacion Ferrovaiaria Mexicana in Mexico.
House Passes WRDA Bill
The Associated General Contractors of America recently applauded House passage of the $10 billion reauthorization of Water Resources Development Act, which would authorize funding for major navigation, flood control and environmental restoration projects carried out by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.
In June a bipartisan coalition of House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee members including Subcommittee ranking member Eddie Bernice Johnson (D-Texas) introduced the bill. The Senate Environment and Public Works Committee reported its version of WRDA (S. 728) in April, with total authorizations ranging between $7 billion and $17 billion over the next 15 years. At press time the bill was not scheduled for action on the Senate floor.
Click here for past Infrastructure News >>
|
print this page
e-mail this page
