Tom Warne Report, 18 August 2013
In a recent decision to convert 83 miles of paved highways into gravel roads in South and West Texas, state transportation officials are demonstrating the result of unmet road funding needs.
The Texas Department of Transportation’s timing in unveiling the conversion plan may or may not have been deliberate – just as state legislators were on the brink of passing a plan to provide the agency with more funding for new highway construction and maintenance work. The plan, finally approved after three special sessions, will give extra money to TxDOT if voters approve. The constitutional amendment to send about $1.2 billion to highways rather than to the rainy day fund will not be on the ballot until November 2014, and the extra funding only represents 25 percent of what transportation officials say is needed for roads to keep up with the growing population.
Meanwhile, lawmakers are publicly expressing concern over TxDOT’s decision to tear up paved roads. The 2015 Legislature is expected to revisit the issue to try to find additional funding for Texas infrastructure.
Those who attended the WASHTO meeting in San Francisco last week heard this story from our friends in Texas. In my former position at the state DOT, I had occasion to talk with local government officials who were often gung-ho to pave every road within their jurisdiction. After all, isn’t a paved road a lot less work to maintain? Initially, yes, long term, no. Unfortunately, there are low volume roads all over that probably should have never been paved. I suspect this is the case in Texas with these 83 miles. The prudent system wide approach to this problem points to a gravel solution. However, politics don’t always line up with our engineered answers. JN
