El Paso In Danger Of Losing Its ‘Voice’ When It Comes To TxDOT Projects?
El Paso’s newest freeway, the Spur 601, is nearly complete. But the political future of the man who helped spearhead the project remains up in the air.
Ted Houghton is the senior member of the Texas Transportation Commission.
Appointed by Governor Perry in 2003, Houghton is often regarded as a big voice for El Paso when it comes to major road projects like the Spur 601.
Currently, the transportation commission is comprised of five members from around the state.
But a recent vote by a state panel of lawmakers – the 12-body Sunset Advisory Commission – resulted in a call to streamline the number of commissioners to one.
So what are the chances Houghton will be ‘the one’?
John Broaddus, a former member of the El Paso’s Camino Real Regional Mobility Authority, or RMA, put it this way.
“I’m not a Las Vegas better, but I’d say the odds are pretty low,” he said.
Raymond Telles, the current executive director of the RMA, said while his board has no official comment on the Sunset recommendation, personally he’d hate to see Houghton ousted.
“To go back to a situation where we are not represented would be a huge step backward,” Telles told ABC-7.
Houghton could not be reached for comment.
The full Texas Legislature will have the final say whether to adopt the recommendation.