TX-DOT Issues To Take Center Stage At Committee Hearings
by Martin Bartlett
EL PASO — Texas legislators want to get to the bottom of budget problems at the Texas Department of Transportation (TexDoT) and analyze recent proposals to install toll roads.
State officials say the state agency has had persistent problems paying for new projects in recent years. This week’s committee hearings will put those issues front and center.
State Representative Joe Pickett said he ispart of a growing number of state legislators who want to make sure the issues with the agency continue to be examined once the State House and Senate reconvene.
“Instead of us listening to this agency, it istime for the agency to start reacting to what the citizens want,” said Pickett.
Officials with TexDoT admit the hearings will probably bring up some unpopular issues.”TexDoT has been in the position of being the bearers of some pretty bad news,” said chris Lippincott, the spokesman for the agency.
Lippincott said the cost of maintaining state roads is very expensive and draws a lot of attention. “It’s a lot of money, it’s the taxpayers money and I think people are going to want to pay close attention.”
The hearings are likely to focus on projects and issues the public is already familiar with,” said Lippincott. “We face some very unique transportation challenges out in El Paso and around the rest of the state,” he said.
Several new proposals will alter the way the agency functions, Pickett said.These proposals include breaking upTexDoT into smaller agencies and raising the gas tax to raise more funds for the agency.
Pickett said it is a good time for the public to get involved in issues regarding the agency. “[TexDoT] is going to have to tell us what they can and cannot live with,” he said.
