January TxDOT Highway Letting Dates

The Texas Department of Transportation has scheduled its next highway letting for Jan. 11 and 12. Ninety-five projects are approved to be let with an estimated total of $523,991,322.

A TxDOT report said projects may be added, advanced or delayed as deemed necessary.

Perry Praises TxDOT for Bringing Projects Online

Gov. Rick Perry recently released a statement commending the Texas Department of Transportation for "its continued progress on state transportation projects."

"These construction dollars will directly translate into reduced traffic congestion, less pollution from auto emissions and more moms and dads making it to their children's softball games and other activities on time," Perry said in the statement. "Texas is a national leader in progressive transportation solutions, and we're pouring by far more concrete than any other state so that commuters and cargo can move more efficiently."

During a meeting earlier this year, TxDOT commissioners awarded contracts totaling $650 million for 125 projects, bringing the fiscal year 2004 total to approximately $4 billion in transportation construction contracts-more than any other state. Texas invested almost a $1 billion more in transportation projects than California and $2.9 billion more than New York for fiscal year 2004.

The construction pace was made possible with new financing tools that the Legislature gave TxDOT and that voters approved in constitutional amendments in 2001 and 2003.

Perry said the new transportation projects will continue to assist the state's job creation and economic development efforts. He cited safe and efficient goods delivery and increased quality-of-life benefits as key components in many businesses' relocation and expansion decisions.

"We still have a long way to go to get traffic moving, and that is going to require innovative solutions like the Trans Texas Corridor," Perry said. "To further reduce gridlock and pollution, remove hazardous cargo from city centers and create more jobs and opportunity, we need to build new routes and not just expand existing ones."

Texas Sterling Awarded $58.6 Million Eastex Freeway Contract

Texas Sterling Construction Inc. of Houston was recently awarded the $58.6 million contract for the expansion of the Eastex Freeway (U.S. 59 North) from a four-lane freeway to an eight-lane freeway with three-lane frontage roads from the Harris County line to Northpark Drive.

The contract represents the first expansion of the reconstruction of U.S. 59 into Montgomery County. The freeway will remain open throughout the construction period, which is scheduled to be complete in September 2007.

State Unveils Strategic Plan to Address Traffic Mobility

The Texas Transportation Commission has laid the framework for distributing $3 billion in new transportation funds.

The strategic plan for the Texas Mobility Fund, which is funded primarily through traffic fines, was approved by the commission at its monthly meeting. That action paves the way for disbursement of the money to bridge the gap between transportation needs and available funding.

"Traditional revenue is not sufficient to meet the growing transportation demand in Texas caused by a growing population traveling more miles on already congested roads," said Mike Behrens, TxDOT's executive director. "The Texas Mobility Fund is a new source of financing that we need to stretch as far as we can to reduce congestion and improve safety as quickly as possible."

The plan's guiding principles include:

• Managing the fund in the most effective way to accelerate needed transportation improvements to reduce congestion, improve safety, expand economic opportunity and enhance statewide connectivity.
• Implementing a multimodal approach including highways, rail, public transportation and other transportation modes to effectively address transportation needs statewide.
• Making regional transportation decisions at the local level.
• Accelerating previously requested, locally supported projects as identified in TxDOT's Statewide Mobility Program.
• Leveraging the fund with toll projects, user fees, other private funds and other revenue sources to stretch limited transportation funds and establish a revenue-generating asset to be used to fund future transportation projects in the region and across the state.

NTTA Board of Directors Selects new Chair, Vice Chair

The North Texas Tollway Authority announced that David D. Blair has been named chairman of its board of directors. Since its inception in 1997, Blair has been one of the two Dallas County appointees on the board. Blair is a former mayor of Farmers Branch.

Blair fills the position that was held for four years by Don Dillard. Dillard will remain on the board as a director representing Collin County.

The board also unanimously appointed Jack Miller, the Denton County appointee and former mayor of Denton, to serve as vice chairman. He replaces Donna Parker, who resigned from the board earlier this year.