Texas road conditions and funding picture is bleak: many of Texas roads are starting to crumble Texas has some of the worst congested cities in the country the 20 cent per gallon gas tax has lost much of its buying power and the Federal government will rescind another $700 million in transportation enhancement funds this year.
In the midst of these challenges alleged taxpayer watchdogs have emerged to advocate polices that will actually result in massive gas tax increases. These groups are fiercely anti-toll road but fail to forthrightly inform Texans that their goal of eliminating toll roads as an option for building vital infrastructure will necessarily result in a doubling or tripling of our current gas tax or will result in no new road construction in Texas.
Giving our states transportation leaders the option to pay for needed roadway construction and maintenance through toll roads including those built through public-private investment is pro-taxpayer and pro-free market. Toll roads a direct user fee on those benefiting from the road ease traffic on existing non-tolled roads and present a choice for motorists to make as they see fit. A motorist can decide to use a toll road or stay on the gas tax funded road.
To be clear motorists will always have a choice: existing taxpayer funded roads will likely stay more congested than a toll road but will remain available as a free" alternative to paying a toll. However higher gas taxes impact every motorist whether they choose to use newly built roads or not.
The Executive Summary of the Report of the Legislative Study Committee on Private Participation in Toll Projects stated Public-Private partnerships are a significant tool to help address the states large and growing highway funding gaps. It is extremely important to keep the PPP option open to both TxDOT and local toll agencies alike."
Texas legislators also recently received alarming news that if Texas doesnt come up with new revenues for road construction by 2012 we wont be able to build any new roads. Even more sobering was the 2030 Committees report that Texas will need $315 billion dollars for road maintenance construction and congestion relief over the next 20 years.
However this news must have fallen on deaf ears. Texas legislators have numerous solutions at their fingertips but have been unwilling to use them and opponents offer no feasible solutions and fight progress every step of the way. Texas economic prosperity is at stake yet anti-development groups are on record supporting a significant statewide gas tax increase and preventing private investors and firms from helping fund needed road construction in Texas.
Lets be clear: whats right for Houston may not be right for Athens. But lets give lawmakers the support they need to keep all funding options on the table and use them according to the specific needs of Texas diverse driving population.
Legislators should renew their commitment to Texans to end the transportation fund diversions and find solutions to get Texans out of traffic congestion.
Texans for Safe Reliable Transportation is a coalition of Texas drivers civic leaders and employers dedicated to improving our states hurricane and disaster response job creation and quality of life by getting needed roads rail public transportation and other infrastructure built and operating years sooner than expected. More information is available online at http://TSRT.com
Texas road conditions and funding picture is bleak: many of Texas roads are starting to crumble Texas has some of the worst congested cities in the country the 20 cent per gallon gas tax has lost much of its buying power and the Federal government will rescind another $700 million in transportation enhancement funds this year.
In the midst of these challenges alleged taxpayer watchdogs have emerged to advocate polices that will actually result in massive gas tax increases. These groups are fiercely anti-toll road but fail to forthrightly inform Texans that their goal of eliminating toll roads as an option for building vital infrastructure will necessarily result in a doubling or tripling of our current gas tax or will result in no new road construction in Texas.
Giving our states transportation leaders the option to pay for needed roadway construction and maintenance through toll roads including those built through public-private investment is pro-taxpayer and pro-free market. Toll roads a direct user fee on those benefiting from the road ease traffic on existing non-tolled roads and present a choice for motorists to make as they see fit. A motorist can decide to use a toll road or stay on the gas tax funded road.
To be clear motorists will always have a choice: existing taxpayer funded roads will likely stay more congested than a toll road but will remain available as a free" alternative to paying a toll. However higher gas taxes impact every motorist whether they choose to use newly built roads or not.
The Executive Summary of the Report of the Legislative Study Committee on Private Participation in Toll Projects stated Public-Private partnerships are a significant tool to help address the states large and growing highway funding gaps. It is extremely important to keep the PPP option open to both TxDOT and local toll agencies alike."
Texas legislators also recently received alarming news that if Texas doesnt come up with new revenues for road construction by 2012 we wont be able to build any new roads. Even more sobering was the 2030 Committees report that Texas will need $315 billion dollars for road maintenance construction and congestion relief over the next 20 years.
However this news must have fallen on deaf ears. Texas legislators have numerous solutions at their fingertips but have been unwilling to use them and opponents offer no feasible solutions and fight progress every step of the way. Texas economic prosperity is at stake yet anti-development groups are on record supporting a significant statewide gas tax increase and preventing private investors and firms from helping fund needed road construction in Texas.
Lets be clear: whats right for Houston may not be right for Athens. But lets give lawmakers the support they need to keep all funding options on the table and use them according to the specific needs of Texas diverse driving population.
Legislators should renew their commitment to Texans to end the transportation fund diversions and find solutions to get Texans out of traffic congestion.
Texans for Safe Reliable Transportation is a coalition of Texas drivers civic leaders and employers dedicated to improving our states hurricane and disaster response job creation and quality of life by getting needed roads rail public transportation and other infrastructure built and operating years sooner than expected. More information is available online at http://TSRT.com
