News & Hot Issues
Print This Page « Send to a friend «
Subscribe
e-Subscribe to News updates
Check here for the most talked-about news and discussion items in Texas transportation. Click on the links below ‘News’ for recent news articles, and on the links below ‘Hot Issues’ for informative discussions of the most pressing concerns.
News
High-Speed Rail Corridors Envisioned for US: Two Corridors in Texas
07/31/2009
Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) planners are reviewing passenger rail projects that may fit into the Obama Administration’s plans for nationwide high-speed rail development. Read More...
Former Austin DE takes Williamson County post
06/26/2009
Daigh named county’s new infrastructure leader. Read More...
Feds issue rail funding guidelines
06/26/2009
FRA outlines rules for states, regions when applying for high-speed rail project funds Read More...
LaHood Offers Plan to Fund Highway Programs
06/26/2009
Democratic lawmakers support a $500 billion bill to overhaul transportation program. Read More...
Commission selects firm for agency review
06/26/2009
Consultant will make staffing level and organizational recommendations to the commission in early to mid-2010. Read More...
Federal funding boosts Metroplex projects
05/29/2009
D-FW receives nearly $40 million in federal funding for rail, airport projects Read More...
States can expect slowdown of federal highway reimbursement
05/29/2009
AASHTO report cites shortfall in Highway Trust fund as cause Read More...
Share Your “Great American Road Trip”
05/29/2009
AASHTO wants your favorite traveling stories Read More...
Final Leg of Austin Bypass Opens Today
05/07/2009
The Texas Department of Transportation announced the opening of the SH 45 Southeast toll road today. Read More...
Build America Bonds: An Overview
05/07/2009
Build America Bonds are part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act federal stimulus plan. Read More...
Texas leads in stimulus job creation
05/01/2009
More than 700 jobs created in Texas in stimulus-related transit projects Read More...
Texas on board for high-speed rail efforts
05/01/2009
Obama announces plan for nationwide high-speed rail plan with two Texas routes Read More...
Americans must have their cars
05/01/2009
Survey shows people willing to cut back on non-essential items but are keeping their autos. Read More...
State Highway Fund Quickly Running Dry
04/08/2009
Reports by independent experts and business leaders show $0 for congestion relief in 2012 Read More...
TxDOT Observes National Work Zone Awareness Week
03/27/2009
"Drive to Survive - Our Future is Riding on it!" Read More...
Transportation Enhancement Projects Approved
03/26/2009
Stimulus funds to be used for 22 projects this year Read More...
DFW Connector: Team Submits Accelerated Design/Build Plan
03/26/2009
Texas Transportation Commission Approves Conditional Award Read More...
Chief Executive Magazine Ranks Texas Top State for Business for 4th Year in a Row
03/19/2009
Texas has been ranked the top state for job growth and business development for the fourth year in a row in a survey of CEOs by Chief Executive Magazine.
Read More...
TxDOT Puts Stimulus Funds to Work: Construction, Maintenance Projects Will Start This Spring
03/05/2009
Stimulus fund spending was approved by the Texas Transportation Commission at a special meeting today. Read More...
Transportation Commission Approves Safety Bond Projects
02/27/2009
The Texas Transportation Commission approved projects for the 2009 Safety Bond Program on Thursday that provide $600 million in funding for highway improvements having the greatest potential for reducing traffic accidents. Read More...
TxDOT Puts Stimulus Funds to Work
02/27/2009
Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) officials recommended that roadway, transit, and aviation projects be funded under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA), commonly known as the economic stimulus package. Stimulus fund spending was approved by the Texas Transportation Commission today. Read More...
Highly Anticipated LBJ-635 Expansion Contract Conditionally Awarded
02/26/2009
Multi-billion dollar transportation project to support local economy and improve congestion, air quality Read More...
Top Five Transportation Headaches And Remedies Identified
01/14/2009
AASHTO and TRIP release a new report entitled “America’s Top Five Transportation Headaches – and Their Remedies” Read More...
North America’s Energy Powers Meet in Austin
12/19/2008
The Texas-Alberta Summit focused on 21st century. Read More...
Amtrak to study Fort Worth-Kansas City route
12/19/2008
Amtrak will study whether it's feasible to operate a passenger train service between Kansas City, Mo., and Fort Worth, Texas. Read More...
LaHood Named Transportation Secretary
12/19/2008
President-elect Barack Obama announced Friday that U.S. Rep. Ray LaHood of Illinois is his choice to lead the Transportation department. Read More...
2030 Committee Releases Findings
12/19/2008
Report says Texas faces $313 billion in transportation needs over the next 22 years. Read More...
Tougher Safety Requirements for Truck, Bus Companies
12/19/2008
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration has issued a new rule that places stricter safety requirements on all newly registered trucking and bus companies Read More...
CEO: Mileage-Based User Fee Could Fund Nation’s Infrastructure Needs
11/24/2008
With the nation’s transportation infrastructure demands far out-pacing funding from current taxes, a mileage-based fee is technically possible and could be a logical funding alternative to address the country’s infrastructure needs.
Read More...
Trust Fund Revenue Falls as Americans Drove Nearly 11 Billion Fewer Miles in September
11/24/2008
As Americans continue to drive less, the Federal Highway Trust Fund revenue has decreased by $3 billion in a single year. Read More...
North Texas Officials Plan for Larger Rail System
11/24/2008
North Texas transportation leaders move toward creating regional commuter rail line. Read More...
Highway Trust Fund Revenue Falls $3 Billion in Single Year . . .
11/20/2008
as Americans Drove Almost 11 Billion Fewer Miles This September Eleven-Month Decline in U.S. Driving Shows Need for New Way to Finance America’s Road, Bridge and Transit Projects Read More...
Transportation Commission Approves Deal to Advance Three Projects in North Texas
10/30/2008
SH 161, Chisholm Trail and Southwest Parkway all move forward with vote Read More...
Transportation Commission Accelerates Projects with Bond Funds
10/30/2008
In a unanimous vote today, the Texas Transportation Commission approved more than $1.8 billion in spending on new construction projects across the state using funds from bonds funded under Proposition 14. The debt will support development and construction projects through 2011. Read More...
New August Data Show Americans Drove 15 Billion Fewer Miles than a Year Ago, U.S. Transportation Secretary Mary Peters Announces
10/24/2008
Travel Changes Demonstrate Need for New Way to Fund Transportation Read More...
Texas Experience Provides Road Map to Congestion Relief
10/24/2008
Georgia's state and regional transportation policy-makers to learn from Texans. Read More...
09/29/2008
U.S. House of Representatives last week passed a comprehensive rail safety bill Read More...
Federal Highway Trust running on fumes
09/08/2008
Fifty state departments of transportation were informed today that the federal highway trust fund is running on fumes. Read More...
Transportation Commission Votes to Proceed with Bond Issuance
08/29/2008
Proposition 14 debt will advance projects in 2009 Read More...
Texas Bridge Inspections, Repairs Accelerated Following Minnesota Collapse
08/06/2008
August 1, 2008 marked the one-year anniversary of the collapse of the I-35W bridge over the Mississippi River in Minneapolis, Minnesota that killed 13 people. Read More...
Transportation Commission Picks Developer for Texas Portion of I-69
06/26/2008
ZAI/ACS proposal would bring interstate-quality road to the Rio Grande Valley Read More...
TxDOT Recommends Narrowing Study Area for Texas Portion of I-69
06/11/2008
Citing Public Recommendation, Project Would Follow Existing Roads Read More...
Transportation Commission Affirms Toll Road Building Principles
05/29/2008
The Texas Transportation Commission today adopted guiding principles and policies that will govern the development, construction and operation of toll road projects on the state highway system and the Trans-Texas Corridor. Read More...
New Chairwoman Outlines Challenges Facing Texas Transportation
05/19/2008
Transportation Chairwoman Deirdre Delisi recently conveyed her vision for the future of transportation in Texas. Read More...
04/21/2008
A Notice of Rescissions issued by Federal Highway Administration Read More...
Study Raises Concerns Over Congestion Pricing
03/05/2008
The Volpe National Transportation Systems Center explores attitudes about congestion pricing. Read More...
Commission Report: Transportation System in "Physical and Financial Crisis"
02/20/2008
According to a report issued February 1 by the National Surface Transportation Infastructure Financing Commission, the nation’s surface transportation system is in a physical and financial crisis because current revenue is insufficient to maintain and improve this country’s highways, public transportation systems and intermodal connectors. Read More...
Congestion Takes Toll on Trucking Industry
02/19/2008
According to a recent survey of trucking executives conducted by The American Transportation Research Institute (ATRI) on behalf of the American Trucking Associations Federation, without a long-term solution congestion will have a “deleterious” effect on the trucking industry. Read More...
Recommendations made for the Future of Transportation Funding
02/04/2008
The National Surface Transportation Policy and Revenue Commission, which is charged with looking at the future of transportation funding, issued its long awaited report on January 15. Read More...
11/13/2007
Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) for the proposed I-69/Trans-Texas Corridor project announced today. Read More...
Some Answers for Rural Texans About the Trans-Texas Corridor
10/24/2007
Texans are engaged in an ongoing conversation about toll roads and the Trans-Texas Corridor system (TTC). The Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) is listening and working to solve the long-term mobility issues facing our state. Rural communities and agricultural interests are actively participating in this conversation and have raised many thoughtful questions.
Read More...
Annual Study Shows Urban Traffic Congestion Worsening
10/17/2007
\Traffic congestion continues to worsen in American cities of all sizes, creating a $78 billion annual drain on the U.S. economy in the form of 4.2 billion lost hours and 2.9 billion gallons of wasted fuel. To put it another way, that’s 105 million weeks of vacation and 58 fully-loaded supertankers. Read More...
GAO Study Encourages National Transportation Goals and Multiple Financing Options
10/17/2007
The Government Accountability Office (GAO) recently convened a forum of government, academic, and transportation experts from around the country to discuss the need to transform transportation policies, and released a report of their findings. The report cites the need to address transportation funding immediately by redefining federal goals to produce accountable outcomes, and by enacting a variety of funding mechanisms to address transportation shortfalls. Read More...
Increased Cost of Construction, Maintenance Appear Permanent
10/17/2007
In a report released September 26, the U.S. DOT’s Office of Inspector General concluded that the recent growth of highway construction and maintenance costs “reflect structural, not transitory, economic changes,” thereby significantly reducing the purchasing power of current highway funding well into the foreseeable future. Read More...
TxDOT Running Out of Funds for New Mobility Projects as Maintenance Needs Grow
10/01/2007
At the September 27 meeting of the Texas Transportation Commission, agency officials presented a grim picture: the state is fast running out of money for new capacity projects.
Read More...
State Ready to Develop Finance Plan for Ports-to-Plains Corridor
09/25/2007
Texas transportation officials say it is time to come up with a plan to pay for the Ports-to-Plains Corridor, which many local officials predict will create new jobs and economic opportunity for West Texas. Read More...
I-69, I-10 named Corridors of the Future by Feds
09/13/2007
Texas has had two interstate highway segments—out of only six routes—selected for a new federal program to reduce congestion through the development of multi-state corridors.
Read More...
09/06/2007
When discussing the plans for Trans-Texas Corridor 35 (TTC-35), we are often asked this question: “Why not just expand I-35?” Read More...
Hidalgo County Local Leaders Approve Fee to Improve Mobility
09/04/2007
In an example of local leaders working to solve local transportation and mobility problems, Hidalgo County recently approved surcharges to their annual motor vehicle registration fees. Read More...
09/04/2007
One of the most consistent messages coming out of the Texas Department of Transportation is the strain Texas’ surging population will place on the state’s existing infrastructure.
That message was reinforced recently by the U.S. Census Bureau report on the country's most populous cities, which stated that between 2005 and 2006, Texas has undergone the biggest increase in population, with Florida and California second and third, respectively. Read More...
Private Property Rights and the Trans-Texas Corridor
05/16/2007
For decades, the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) has purchased private land necessary for the establishment of a modern state highway system. One of our first missions as a state agency was to “get the farmer out of the mud,” which of course required that privately owned property be purchased for such purposes. We are extremely sensitive to the fact that private property owners can be considerably affected by acquisitions. Read More...
Fact Check: Trans-Texas Corridor and Community Access
05/16/2007
There are many concerns people have about the Trans-Texas Corridor, many of them based on information that has been distorted or misrepresented. One such issue deals with the notion that the Trans-Texas Corridor will squeeze out small communities and farms through lack of access or through the division of land. Read More...
State Highway 130: A Model For Public–Private Partnerships
05/16/2007
May 16, 2007 - The State of Texas' efforts to use private sector investment to close the transportation funding gap took a giant step forward in June with the Texas Transportation Commission's approval of a $1.3 billion concession agreement to build the remaining 40 miles of State Highway 130 (aka "Segments 5 & 6"). Read More...
Texas' Prosperity Continues with TTC
05/16/2007
Based on the conclusion of an independent economic impact study commissioned by the Texas Department of Transportation and conducted by the Perryman Group, the Trans–Texas Corridor will have a significant positive effect on the Texas economy and improve the competitive position of the state in the national and international marketplace. Read More...
New Study Looks at Panama Canal Expansion’s Effect on Texas Transportation
05/16/2007
This $5.25 billion expansion of the Panama Canal will have a major impact on all aspects of transportation in Texas, according to a study released by the Texas Department of Transportation. Read More...
Nationwide AAA Survey Shows Public Support for Tolls
05/16/2007
May 16, 2007 - invest in transportation infrastructure, this year’s AAA survey shows a marked turnaround: Nearly 70 percent of Americans agree that more money is needed to improve transportation. Read More...
Hot Items
Freight rail improvements could make way for Austin-San Antonio commuter-rail service
07/30/2008
The Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) today released two long awaited studies Read More...
Get the Facts: Will Existing Infrastructure be Neglected?
05/16/2007
Absolutely not!
One of the things people talk about when a new, privately managed toll facility opens is whether the surrounding roads will still get the improvements and maintenance they need. Some folks have mentioned the notion that these contracts to build tolled facilities contain “non-compete clauses,” which prevent TxDOT from improving or building on existing roadways. Read More...
Issue Brief: The Future of Motor Vehicle Fuel Efficiency
05/16/2007
Imagine owning a vehicle that gets 112 miles per gallon (mpg).
According to current industry estimates, the average automobile fleet fuel efficiency in the United States could soar from today's 22 mpg to 112 mpg by 2030. At that pace, the revenues derived from the motor fuels tax will continue to shrink. As a result, every department of transportation in the country is re-evaluating its funding methods. It is very likely that revenues from fuel taxes will simply disappear unless dramatically increased. Read More...
