By Martha Estes - July 13, 2008
This is the last reminder of the particulars of this IMPORTANT Hearing. The link below will allow you to watch the meeting on the internet if you cannot attend.
Scheduled Sunset TxDOT Meeting:
July 15, 2008 – 9:00 am
Room E1.030, Capitol Extension – House Appropriations Committee Room
Questions: 512.463.1300
Agenda
9:00 a.m.
Call to Order
Approval of Minutes
Commission Decisions:
Texas Racing Commission/Equine Research Account Advisory Committee
Staff Presentation and Public Testimony: *Department of Transportation
Other Business
Adjourn
* Witness Affirmation Form. If you plan to testify, please submit your Witness Affirmation Form 30 minutes before the start of the meeting. If presenting written testimony, please provide 15 copies.
Meeting materials will be available on Friday, July 11.
Staff reports on the above agencies are available.
INTERNET ACCESS to Meeting
The meeting is broadcast live on the Internet.
Current status of the proceedings will be posted on the homepage.
Notice of Assistance at Public Meetings
Persons with disabilities who plan to attend this meeting and who may need assistance, such as a sign language interpreter, are requested to contact Cee Hartley at 512.463.1300, 4 days prior to the meeting so appropriate arrangements can be made
USEFUL INFO FOR ANY VISIT TO THE CAPITOL.
MAPS:
Capitol COMPLEX & VISITOR Parking Garage:
EXTENSION 1 Floor: (1 print page)
EXTENSION 2 Floor: (1 print page)
FLOOR 1 & GROUND: http://www.tspb.state.tx.us/SPB/Plan/FloorPlan/pdf/cap%20guide1.PDF (1 print page)
FLOORS 2,3,& 4: (1 print page)
Capitol Building DIRECTORY (Locate Offices for Senators & Representatives - Date July 2008) (4 print pages)
Menu of ALL of the MAPS of the CAPITOL:
Positions of Substance to Consider:
See TURF Recommendations.
CorridorWatch.org Recommendations.
Monday, July 14, 2008
Wednesday, July 2, 2008
In North Richland Hills, Loop 820 hearing draws hundreds
By MATT FRAZIER - The Fort Worth Star Telegram - July 1, 2008
NORTH RICHLAND HILLS — About 350 people signed up to speak Tuesday at a federally required public hearing on the planned expansion of Northeast Loop 820. But first they had to wait.
For the first hour of the hearing at the Richland Hills Church of Christ, officials presented plans to expand the highway from two to five lanes, including two toll lanes, in each direction from Texas 121 through North Richland Hills, Haltom City and north Fort Worth to Interstate 35W.
The second hour was taken up by public officials, including mayors, council members, a Tarrant County judge and a chamber of commerce member — all unanimously agreeing that the expansion plan is the correct way for Northeast Tarrant County to meet future transportation needs.
But the plan didn’t prove as popular with residents.
"Everybody is begging for help," said Pat Coyle of North Richland Hills. "You are going to help us by giving us one free lane."
Each person had three minutes to ask questions or make comments on the plans.
Officials didn’t respond to the public’s comments Tuesday. The Texas Department of Transportation is expected to respond in the project’s environmental impact statement, expected out by the end of the year.
Judith Anderson, a Transportation Department engineer, said the public’s input will be carefully considered during the end-stage design of the project.
Northeast Loop 820 expansion plan Some of the questions asked during Tuesday’s hearing:
Why build two toll lanes for the affluent but only one for regular traffic?
Why is a foreign company being paid to build a Texas road?
Why has it taken so long for the Texas Department of Transportation to put together plans to meet the transportation needs of Northeast Tarrant County?
Didn’t make the public hearing?
It’s not too late to have your say. Written comments may be submitted by mail and must be received on or before July 14 to become part of the official hearing record.
Address: Texas Department of Transportation Fort Worth District Office
2501 SW Loop 820, P.O. Box 6868, Fort Worth, TX 76115
Read more in The Fort Worth Star Telegram
NORTH RICHLAND HILLS — About 350 people signed up to speak Tuesday at a federally required public hearing on the planned expansion of Northeast Loop 820. But first they had to wait.
For the first hour of the hearing at the Richland Hills Church of Christ, officials presented plans to expand the highway from two to five lanes, including two toll lanes, in each direction from Texas 121 through North Richland Hills, Haltom City and north Fort Worth to Interstate 35W.
The second hour was taken up by public officials, including mayors, council members, a Tarrant County judge and a chamber of commerce member — all unanimously agreeing that the expansion plan is the correct way for Northeast Tarrant County to meet future transportation needs.
But the plan didn’t prove as popular with residents.
"Everybody is begging for help," said Pat Coyle of North Richland Hills. "You are going to help us by giving us one free lane."
Each person had three minutes to ask questions or make comments on the plans.
Officials didn’t respond to the public’s comments Tuesday. The Texas Department of Transportation is expected to respond in the project’s environmental impact statement, expected out by the end of the year.
Judith Anderson, a Transportation Department engineer, said the public’s input will be carefully considered during the end-stage design of the project.
Northeast Loop 820 expansion plan Some of the questions asked during Tuesday’s hearing:
Why build two toll lanes for the affluent but only one for regular traffic?
Why is a foreign company being paid to build a Texas road?
Why has it taken so long for the Texas Department of Transportation to put together plans to meet the transportation needs of Northeast Tarrant County?
Didn’t make the public hearing?
It’s not too late to have your say. Written comments may be submitted by mail and must be received on or before July 14 to become part of the official hearing record.
Address: Texas Department of Transportation Fort Worth District Office
2501 SW Loop 820, P.O. Box 6868, Fort Worth, TX 76115
Read more in The Fort Worth Star Telegram
Friday, June 27, 2008
TURF statement on TxDOT selecting private partner to develop TTC-69
TURF - Austin, TX, June 26, 2008
After the overwhelming public feedback preferred the “no build” option and after the Legislature made it clear it wanted time to slow down this train of privatizing our public infrastructure, TxDOT’s selection, today, of a private partner to develop TTC-69 is a total slap in the face to the people of Texas.
This proposal awarded to ZAI/ACS (Zachry American Infrastructure and ACS, based in Spain) is chalk full of egregious taxpayer exploitation. For instance, it tolls loops around Riviera, Driscoll, Corpus Christi and other cities (7 loops total) to fund non-toll improvements to Hwy 77 in yet another Robin Hood scheme. The deal gives ZAI/ACS a guaranteed 12% rate of return on their investment, and it relies heavily on public funds, like federal taxpayer backed private activity bonds (PABs) and TIFIA loans to front the vast majority of the construction costs and then gives all the profit to Zachry & ACS!
They also plan to use taxable zero coupon fixed rate bonds issued by the Corpus Christi Regional Mobility Authority and controversial Transportation Reinvestment Zone (TMZ) funds, which will essentially heist property taxes. The deal also gives ZAI/ACS cherry-picking rights (or right of first refusal) on multiple segments for the TTC-69 without being subjected to a competitive bidding process. The sham of an announcement pandering to landowners promising to use existing highways for TTC-69 wasn’t a concession at all. The private “partners” informed them the new corridor route wasn’t toll viable so they reverted back to using existing freeways (which would have been the tollway’s biggest revenue “competitor”) so as to capture more toll revenue. It was Cintra and Zachry who determined the re-route, not TxDOT being responsive to an outraged public!
“If this isn’t a wake-up call to the Legislature that it’s business as usual at TxDOT until they forcibly restrain them via state law, we don’t know what is. This removes any requirement for competitive bidding, which on its face is an absolute failure of the State's fiduciary duty to protect the taxpayers from monopolistic sweetheart deals and what's certain to be inflated costs. We must make Legislators pay at the ballot box for their malfeasance in granting the authority for such no-bid contracts and for failing to rein-in TxDOT with a GENUINE moratorium last year BEFORE this next private sweetheart deal got signed. If they don’t completely clean house at TxDOT and end this public fleecing, there won’t be enough political cover for the consequences at the ballot box. Enough is enough. End this now!” notes Terri Hall, TURF Founder.
“At today’s Transportation Commission meeting, it was a lovefest between David Zachry and the South Texas politicos pushing this nonsense. TxDOT and their buddies at Zachry/ACS found a way to follow the bare minimum of the law to sign this CDA and continue to steamroll a plan the majority of Texans don’t want. It was also evident the Transportation Commission is desperate to come up with their own alternative reforms since they’re facing an angry public demanding TxDOT be scrapped, a discontented Legislature, and scathing Sunset Commission recommendations,” observed Hank Gilbert, TURF Board member and acting President of the Piney Woods Subregional Planning Commission who attended and testified at today's meeting.
For more detailed analysis of how TxDOT can legally award a Comprehensive Development Agreement (CDA) outside the moratorium (SB 792), go to TURF’s web site here.
After the overwhelming public feedback preferred the “no build” option and after the Legislature made it clear it wanted time to slow down this train of privatizing our public infrastructure, TxDOT’s selection, today, of a private partner to develop TTC-69 is a total slap in the face to the people of Texas.
This proposal awarded to ZAI/ACS (Zachry American Infrastructure and ACS, based in Spain) is chalk full of egregious taxpayer exploitation. For instance, it tolls loops around Riviera, Driscoll, Corpus Christi and other cities (7 loops total) to fund non-toll improvements to Hwy 77 in yet another Robin Hood scheme. The deal gives ZAI/ACS a guaranteed 12% rate of return on their investment, and it relies heavily on public funds, like federal taxpayer backed private activity bonds (PABs) and TIFIA loans to front the vast majority of the construction costs and then gives all the profit to Zachry & ACS!
They also plan to use taxable zero coupon fixed rate bonds issued by the Corpus Christi Regional Mobility Authority and controversial Transportation Reinvestment Zone (TMZ) funds, which will essentially heist property taxes. The deal also gives ZAI/ACS cherry-picking rights (or right of first refusal) on multiple segments for the TTC-69 without being subjected to a competitive bidding process. The sham of an announcement pandering to landowners promising to use existing highways for TTC-69 wasn’t a concession at all. The private “partners” informed them the new corridor route wasn’t toll viable so they reverted back to using existing freeways (which would have been the tollway’s biggest revenue “competitor”) so as to capture more toll revenue. It was Cintra and Zachry who determined the re-route, not TxDOT being responsive to an outraged public!
“If this isn’t a wake-up call to the Legislature that it’s business as usual at TxDOT until they forcibly restrain them via state law, we don’t know what is. This removes any requirement for competitive bidding, which on its face is an absolute failure of the State's fiduciary duty to protect the taxpayers from monopolistic sweetheart deals and what's certain to be inflated costs. We must make Legislators pay at the ballot box for their malfeasance in granting the authority for such no-bid contracts and for failing to rein-in TxDOT with a GENUINE moratorium last year BEFORE this next private sweetheart deal got signed. If they don’t completely clean house at TxDOT and end this public fleecing, there won’t be enough political cover for the consequences at the ballot box. Enough is enough. End this now!” notes Terri Hall, TURF Founder.
“At today’s Transportation Commission meeting, it was a lovefest between David Zachry and the South Texas politicos pushing this nonsense. TxDOT and their buddies at Zachry/ACS found a way to follow the bare minimum of the law to sign this CDA and continue to steamroll a plan the majority of Texans don’t want. It was also evident the Transportation Commission is desperate to come up with their own alternative reforms since they’re facing an angry public demanding TxDOT be scrapped, a discontented Legislature, and scathing Sunset Commission recommendations,” observed Hank Gilbert, TURF Board member and acting President of the Piney Woods Subregional Planning Commission who attended and testified at today's meeting.
For more detailed analysis of how TxDOT can legally award a Comprehensive Development Agreement (CDA) outside the moratorium (SB 792), go to TURF’s web site here.
Monday, June 23, 2008
TXDOT Hearings on 820 Toll Roads July 1
Notice of a meeting July 1
The issue is not just tolls but letting a foreign country control Texas land in perpetuity.
Focus on Local Issue - *TOLL ROADS ACTION ALERT*
You might have seen the article in the Fort Worth Star-Telegram on Friday about the North Loop 820 expansion, and how it will be paid for through very expensive toll roads, to be constructed by CINTRA, Rick Perry's special-interest Spanish corporation that courted the Trans Texas Corridor. In a nutshell, Bud Kennedy is reporting that the proposed toll for EACH WAY in the new toll lanes will be $4.00 for a total of $8.00 roundtrip. Republican County Commissioner Gary Fickes is very much responsible for this situation as he was the one who led the cheerleading effort on the Regional Transit council to get this plan passed.
TXDOT is holding a Public Hearing in Richland Hills to get community input. Let's get out there and show them what kind of "input" we have for them.
Public Hearing for Loop 820 Toll Road
Tues., July 1, 6:30pm
Richland Hills Church of Christ
6300 North East Loop 820
Richland Hills, Texas
Click here for a map
Link to Star Telegram Article about 820 Toll Lanes
Link to TXDOT Public Hearing in Richland Hills
Link to Toll Tag Application
The issue is not just tolls but letting a foreign country control Texas land in perpetuity.
Focus on Local Issue - *TOLL ROADS ACTION ALERT*
You might have seen the article in the Fort Worth Star-Telegram on Friday about the North Loop 820 expansion, and how it will be paid for through very expensive toll roads, to be constructed by CINTRA, Rick Perry's special-interest Spanish corporation that courted the Trans Texas Corridor. In a nutshell, Bud Kennedy is reporting that the proposed toll for EACH WAY in the new toll lanes will be $4.00 for a total of $8.00 roundtrip. Republican County Commissioner Gary Fickes is very much responsible for this situation as he was the one who led the cheerleading effort on the Regional Transit council to get this plan passed.
TXDOT is holding a Public Hearing in Richland Hills to get community input. Let's get out there and show them what kind of "input" we have for them.
Public Hearing for Loop 820 Toll Road
Tues., July 1, 6:30pm
Richland Hills Church of Christ
6300 North East Loop 820
Richland Hills, Texas
Click here for a map
Link to Star Telegram Article about 820 Toll Lanes
Link to TXDOT Public Hearing in Richland Hills
Link to Toll Tag Application
Bud Kennedy: Worst bottlenecks in North Texas? Right here in Tarrant
By Bud Kennedy - Fort Worth Star Telegram - June 20, 2008
We’re No. 1.
But not in a good way.
Northeast Loop 820 in Hurst is the worst bottleneck in all of North Texas, according to a new study that ranks the region’s roads among America’s most choked, behind only Los Angeles, New York, Chicago and Washington.
There’s more bad news.
Not only is the 820-Airport Freeway interchange the No. 1 bottleneck — worse than anyplace in Dallas— but the Loop 820 exits at Denton Highway and Rufe Snow Drive are Nos. 2 and 3.
Overall, Northeast Tarrant County drivers face worse traffic than anyone in Dallas or Houston, according to a study of truck GPS data compiled by INRIX Inc. of Seattle.
Only Austin — where Interstate 35 amounts to a 5-mile-long elevated parking lot — has a freeway as crowded as Loop 820, and that city’s traffic overall is nowhere near as bad as Fort Worth’s.
What’s more, the region’s No. 4 worst bottleneck is Interstate 35W north of downtown Fort Worth. It’s congested an average of 7 hours a day.
Basically, Houston and Dallas already fixed their roads. We’re waiting for state money.
I would like to assure you that every county and city official is working on the problem.
But I couldn’t find many of them yesterday. For all I know, they were stalled in traffic at Holiday Lane.
When North Richland Hills Mayor Oscar Trevino called back, he was weaving down neighborhood streets to escape U.S. 377.
He described Loop 820 as "just ugly."
"The people who have to drive that every day don’t say nice things," he said. "It’s bad for our city. Businesses want to come, but they see the traffic and say, 'Why would I get into this?’ "
County Judge Glen Whitley is very familiar with the time-waste potential of Loop 820. He lives in Hurst.
"It’s a big drawback to the whole county," he said. "The traffic north of Fort Worth is so unreliable that nobody can predict how long it’ll take to get to work."
There’s a solution in the making. But lots of Texans won’t like it.
Three Spanish-owned companies are in the running for a $1 billion contract to widen Loop 820 and operate two private toll lanes. The toll would be $4 each way.
The project is part of the North Tarrant Express, a new tollway network slow off the drawing board in Austin.
"We can’t get Austin to move forward," Whitley said. "It’s ridiculous that this is the last part of Loop 820 to be improved."
A public hearing July 1 at 7 p.m. at Richland Hills Church of Christ will give both residents and tollway-haters a chance to vent about both the slow plans and high tolls.
Terri Hall of San Antonio leads an anti-tollway group, Texans Uniting for Reform & Freedom (TURF). She said she opposes any private tollway.
"The bottom line is, this the most expensive way to expand that road," she said. "It means the highest possible cost to taxpayers and drivers, and hands over money to foreign companies. When the state has a record budget surplus, it’s hard to see how there’s not money for that road."
Call it the Billion-Dollar Bottleneck.
Friday, June 13, 2008
Linda Koop named Chair of the NCTCOG RTC
Regional Transportation Council
ByLaws and Procedures
RTC SUBCOMMITTEE INFORMATION
April 4, 2008
T. Oscar Trevino Jr., P.E., Chair
Mayor
City of North Richland Hills
Linda Koop, Vice Chair (named chair at June 10, 2008 RTC Meeting)
Councilmember
City of Dallas
B. Glen Whitley, Secretary
County Judge
Tarrant County
Ron Brown
Commissioner
Ellis County
Mike Cantrell
Commissioner
Dallas County
Sheri Capehart
Councilmember
City of Arlington
Maribel Chavez, P.E.
District Engineer
TxDOT, Fort Worth District
Maurine Dickey
Commissioner
Dallas County
Rudy Durham
Councilmember
City of Lewisville
Loretta Ellerbe
Councilmember
City of Plano
Charles Emery
Board Chair
Denton County Transportation Authority
Mark Enoch
Board Member
Dallas Area Rapid Transit
Sal Espino
Councilmember
City of Fort Worth
Robert Franke, P.E.
Mayor
City of Cedar Hill
Bill Hale, P.E.
District Engineer
TxDOT, Dallas District
Roger Harmon
County Judge
Johnson County
John Heiman, Jr.
Mayor Pro Tem
City of Mesquite
Kathleen Hicks
Mayor Pro Tem
City of Fort Worth
Vonciel Jones Hill
Councilmember
City of Dallas
Joe Jaynes
Commissioner
Collin County
Ron Jensen
Councilmember
City of Grand Prairie
Ron Jones
Mayor
City of Garland
Jungus Jordan
Councilmember
City of Fort Worth
Pete Kamp
Mayor Pro Tem
City of Denton
Mike Leyman
Councilmember
City of Mansfield
John Loza
Board Member
Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport
Bill McLendon
Councilmember
City of Hurst
Pauline Medrano
Councilmember
City of Dallas
Becky Miller
Mayor
City of Carrollton
Rich Morgan
Citizen Representative
City of Dallas
John Murphy
Councilmember
City of Richardson
Ron Natinsky
Councilmember
City of Dallas
Robert Parmelee
Chair
Fort Worth Transportation Authority
Rick Stopfer
Councilmember
City of Irving
John Tatum
Citizen Representative
City of Dallas
Marti VanRavenswaay
Commissioner
Tarrant County
Paul Wageman
Chair
North Texas Tollway Authority
Cynthia White
Commissioner
Denton County
Bill Whitfield
Mayor
City of McKinney
Kathryn Wilemon
Councilmember
The Regional Transportation Council is the independent transportation policy body of the Metropolitan Planning Organization. The RTC, which meets the second Thursday of each month, is comprised of 40 members: 33 local elected or appointed officials representing cities and counties, and seven transportation provider representatives. The RTC is responsible for overseeing the metropolitan transportation planning process. Primary activities include:
Providing guidance regarding the development of multimodal transportation plans and programs,
Programming federal and State funds for the implementation of transportation improvements,
Selecting specific federally funded projects and programs,
Assuring the coordination of services among transportation providers, and
Ensuring compliance with federal and State laws and regulations pertaining to metropolitan transportation and air quality planning.
SOURCE: NCTCOG WEBSITE
ByLaws and Procedures
RTC SUBCOMMITTEE INFORMATION
April 4, 2008
T. Oscar Trevino Jr., P.E., Chair
Mayor
City of North Richland Hills
Linda Koop, Vice Chair (named chair at June 10, 2008 RTC Meeting)
Councilmember
City of Dallas
B. Glen Whitley, Secretary
County Judge
Tarrant County
Ron Brown
Commissioner
Ellis County
Mike Cantrell
Commissioner
Dallas County
Sheri Capehart
Councilmember
City of Arlington
Maribel Chavez, P.E.
District Engineer
TxDOT, Fort Worth District
Maurine Dickey
Commissioner
Dallas County
Rudy Durham
Councilmember
City of Lewisville
Loretta Ellerbe
Councilmember
City of Plano
Charles Emery
Board Chair
Denton County Transportation Authority
Mark Enoch
Board Member
Dallas Area Rapid Transit
Sal Espino
Councilmember
City of Fort Worth
Robert Franke, P.E.
Mayor
City of Cedar Hill
Bill Hale, P.E.
District Engineer
TxDOT, Dallas District
Roger Harmon
County Judge
Johnson County
John Heiman, Jr.
Mayor Pro Tem
City of Mesquite
Kathleen Hicks
Mayor Pro Tem
City of Fort Worth
Vonciel Jones Hill
Councilmember
City of Dallas
Joe Jaynes
Commissioner
Collin County
Ron Jensen
Councilmember
City of Grand Prairie
Ron Jones
Mayor
City of Garland
Jungus Jordan
Councilmember
City of Fort Worth
Pete Kamp
Mayor Pro Tem
City of Denton
Mike Leyman
Councilmember
City of Mansfield
John Loza
Board Member
Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport
Bill McLendon
Councilmember
City of Hurst
Pauline Medrano
Councilmember
City of Dallas
Becky Miller
Mayor
City of Carrollton
Rich Morgan
Citizen Representative
City of Dallas
John Murphy
Councilmember
City of Richardson
Ron Natinsky
Councilmember
City of Dallas
Robert Parmelee
Chair
Fort Worth Transportation Authority
Rick Stopfer
Councilmember
City of Irving
John Tatum
Citizen Representative
City of Dallas
Marti VanRavenswaay
Commissioner
Tarrant County
Paul Wageman
Chair
North Texas Tollway Authority
Cynthia White
Commissioner
Denton County
Bill Whitfield
Mayor
City of McKinney
Kathryn Wilemon
Councilmember
Regional Transportation Council considers how to pay for rail service
By MICHAEL A. LINDENBERGER - The Dallas Morning News - Thursday, June 12, 2008
If North Texans are going to see a new 251-mile network of suburban rail lines by 2030 – an idea that remains a cherished goal of elected officials and regional transportation leaders – they are going to have to pay for it, and pay steeply.
The project will cost about $9 billion – an amount that would be funded almost entirely by new fees and taxes
The question of what those fees should be took center stage Thursday as the Regional Transportation Council voted to authorize a plan that will cobble together a menu of possible tax increases to pay for what is being called Rail North Texas.
Among the fees that the staff has proposed are higher property taxes, higher vehicle registration fees, a new sales tax on gasoline and a new tax on new car purchases, a new resident impact fee, among others.
Between now and August, council members will meet with Texas lawmakers to find support for a menu that will produce the hundreds of millions of dollars needed each year while drawing the lowest possible amount of opposition from lawmakers and voters alike.
Several elected officials who spoke Thursday said public support for the rail idea has only increased in the wake of worsening traffic and soaring gas prices. But as always, the question came down to how to pay for it.
Plans had initially called for the rail expansion to be paid for by sales tax increases, a funding source that would require legislative approval. That idea – which would allow cities to hold sales tax elections to raise rates above the state cap of 8.25 percent – has failed in each of the past two sessions of the Legislature.
And while the sales tax idea remains officially a possibility, Thursday's action – which followed only cursory discussion – made clear council members have all but given up on winning lawmaker support.
"We've walked into several buzz saws with the sales tax idea, and we have been told that that is not the panacea that is going to get us through Austin," said Fort Worth Councilman Jungus Jordan, who led the planning group behind the idea to request a series of smaller tax increases instead of the sales tax hike.
The decision to seek a menu of easier-to-digest tax or fee increases is smart politics, said Tarrant County Judge Glen Whitley. "It's a higher-odds proposition," said Mr. Whitley, who was elected vice-chairman of the RTC Thursday. Dallas City Council members Linda Koop and Ron Natinsky were elected chairwoman and secretary, respectively.
Still, each of the new fees will have their own and in some cases just-as-determined opponents who will have to be outfoxed in Austin, a prospect that has worried even some of the initiative's strongest advocates.
Car dealers, for instance, are hardly eager to support new taxes on vehicle purchases, Mr. Morris and Mr. Whitley each noted.
In the meantime, Mr. Whitley and others said, voters are ready to spend more on transportation – not just in spite of the higher gas prices and worsening traffic, but because of them. "If we don't have transit here eventually, there won't be any economic development," said Collin County Commissioner Joe Jaynes.
Mr. Morris added, "Four-dollar gasoline is really going to require all of us to look at our world in a different way. We may not need to have three or four cars in a single household. It just requires seeing our way forward."
If North Texans are going to see a new 251-mile network of suburban rail lines by 2030 – an idea that remains a cherished goal of elected officials and regional transportation leaders – they are going to have to pay for it, and pay steeply.
The project will cost about $9 billion – an amount that would be funded almost entirely by new fees and taxes
The question of what those fees should be took center stage Thursday as the Regional Transportation Council voted to authorize a plan that will cobble together a menu of possible tax increases to pay for what is being called Rail North Texas.
Among the fees that the staff has proposed are higher property taxes, higher vehicle registration fees, a new sales tax on gasoline and a new tax on new car purchases, a new resident impact fee, among others.
Between now and August, council members will meet with Texas lawmakers to find support for a menu that will produce the hundreds of millions of dollars needed each year while drawing the lowest possible amount of opposition from lawmakers and voters alike.
Several elected officials who spoke Thursday said public support for the rail idea has only increased in the wake of worsening traffic and soaring gas prices. But as always, the question came down to how to pay for it.
Plans had initially called for the rail expansion to be paid for by sales tax increases, a funding source that would require legislative approval. That idea – which would allow cities to hold sales tax elections to raise rates above the state cap of 8.25 percent – has failed in each of the past two sessions of the Legislature.
And while the sales tax idea remains officially a possibility, Thursday's action – which followed only cursory discussion – made clear council members have all but given up on winning lawmaker support.
"We've walked into several buzz saws with the sales tax idea, and we have been told that that is not the panacea that is going to get us through Austin," said Fort Worth Councilman Jungus Jordan, who led the planning group behind the idea to request a series of smaller tax increases instead of the sales tax hike.
The decision to seek a menu of easier-to-digest tax or fee increases is smart politics, said Tarrant County Judge Glen Whitley. "It's a higher-odds proposition," said Mr. Whitley, who was elected vice-chairman of the RTC Thursday. Dallas City Council members Linda Koop and Ron Natinsky were elected chairwoman and secretary, respectively.
Still, each of the new fees will have their own and in some cases just-as-determined opponents who will have to be outfoxed in Austin, a prospect that has worried even some of the initiative's strongest advocates.
Car dealers, for instance, are hardly eager to support new taxes on vehicle purchases, Mr. Morris and Mr. Whitley each noted.
In the meantime, Mr. Whitley and others said, voters are ready to spend more on transportation – not just in spite of the higher gas prices and worsening traffic, but because of them. "If we don't have transit here eventually, there won't be any economic development," said Collin County Commissioner Joe Jaynes.
Mr. Morris added, "Four-dollar gasoline is really going to require all of us to look at our world in a different way. We may not need to have three or four cars in a single household. It just requires seeing our way forward."
Tuesday, June 3, 2008
Updates on TxDOT Sunset Review Recommendations and TTC Status
Click on link above to see:
Corridor Watch site for articles about:
Sunset Review Commission's May 29, 2008 Recommendations for TxDOT
International assessment of risk in PPP's (Private Public Partnership toll projects)
Other information about TTC-69 and other projects
Corridor Watch site for articles about:
Sunset Review Commission's May 29, 2008 Recommendations for TxDOT
International assessment of risk in PPP's (Private Public Partnership toll projects)
Other information about TTC-69 and other projects
Sunday, June 1, 2008
Meeting Agenda Items to Watch
Texas Transportation Commission - Thursday, June 26, 2008 - 9:00 A.M.
125 East 11th Street, Austin, Texas 78701-2483
See full draft agenda at:
http://www.dot.state.tx.us/publications/commission/2008_meetings/jun26_agenda.pdf
Toll Road Projects
Transportation Planning
125 East 11th Street, Austin, Texas 78701-2483
See full draft agenda at:
http://www.dot.state.tx.us/publications/commission/2008_meetings/jun26_agenda.pdf
Toll Road Projects
Various Counties- Act on the recommendation of department staff concerning: (1) the selection of the best value proposal for the planning, development, acquisition, design, construction, financing, maintenance, and operation of the Texarkana/Shreveport to Mexico element of the Trans-Texas Corridor system (I-69/TTC), and (2) the execution of a comprehensive development agreement for I-69/TTC (MO).
Transportation Planning
Various Counties- Approve projects in the competitive portion of the Border Colonias Access Program (MO).
Judge grants restraining order against critic of Denton mayoral candidate
By LOWELL BROWN - Denton Record-Chronicle - Sat., May 31, 2008
Denton mayoral candidate Mark Burroughs asked a judge Friday to stop a vocal critic from printing more ads attacking his campaign.
A state district judge granted Mr. Burroughs a temporary restraining order against the Watchdog Society of Denton and its leader, political activist Bob Clifton. A hearing to consider extending the order was set for June 12 – two days before the runoff election between Mr. Burroughs and incumbent Perry McNeill.
Mr. Clifton, who lost a mayoral bid in 2006, denied any wrongdoing.
He also criticized the restraining order, signed by visiting Judge Monte Lawlis.
"It's such a blatant violation of First Amendment rights it's unbelievable," Mr. Clifton said. "This is political desperation, because what he is doing is trying to stifle the truth."
The Watchdog Society funded two mailers before the May 10 election questioning Mr. Burroughs for alleged conflicts of interest. Mr. Burroughs, 50, a lawyer and former City Council member, said the mailers violated state laws that govern reporting of campaign spending.
"The intent [of the restraining order] is to prevent similar flaunting of the election laws," Mr. Burroughs said.
The Watchdog Society had not registered a campaign treasurer with the city secretary's office as of Friday afternoon. The state election code prevents political committees from spending or accepting more than $500 unless they file a campaign treasurer appointment.
Mr. McNeill, 72, a retired professor and engineer seeking a second term as mayor, said he was unaware of Mr. Burroughs' lawsuit and couldn't comment in detail.
Mr. Clifton has been working against Mr. Burroughs for months as part of a campaign against officials backed by former Mayor Euline Brock, Mr. McNeill's predecessor.
In April, Mr. Clifton sued unsuccessfully to keep Mr. Burroughs, Mr. McNeill and another candidate off the ballot for alleged violations of the city's term limits. A judge allowed the candidates to stay on the ballot, but the lawsuit over their eligibility is pending.
Later, the Watchdog Society funded two mailers questioning Mr. Burroughs over his law firm's government contracts. His firm, Sawko & Burroughs, collects delinquent taxes for many local governments, including the city of Denton, which some called a potential conflict of interest.
Mr. Burroughs has repeatedly said the contracts aren't a conflict because of how his firm is paid. The money comes from fees levied on taxpayers' past-due amounts, not from government coffers.
The judge's order Friday prevents the Watchdog Society from raising funds or distributing any materials related to the mayoral race. It also bars Mr. Clifton from collecting money or distributing political materials "without first complying with all applicable election laws."
Read more in the Dallas Morning News
Denton mayoral candidate Mark Burroughs asked a judge Friday to stop a vocal critic from printing more ads attacking his campaign.
A state district judge granted Mr. Burroughs a temporary restraining order against the Watchdog Society of Denton and its leader, political activist Bob Clifton. A hearing to consider extending the order was set for June 12 – two days before the runoff election between Mr. Burroughs and incumbent Perry McNeill.
Mr. Clifton, who lost a mayoral bid in 2006, denied any wrongdoing.
He also criticized the restraining order, signed by visiting Judge Monte Lawlis.
"It's such a blatant violation of First Amendment rights it's unbelievable," Mr. Clifton said. "This is political desperation, because what he is doing is trying to stifle the truth."
The Watchdog Society funded two mailers before the May 10 election questioning Mr. Burroughs for alleged conflicts of interest. Mr. Burroughs, 50, a lawyer and former City Council member, said the mailers violated state laws that govern reporting of campaign spending.
"The intent [of the restraining order] is to prevent similar flaunting of the election laws," Mr. Burroughs said.
The Watchdog Society had not registered a campaign treasurer with the city secretary's office as of Friday afternoon. The state election code prevents political committees from spending or accepting more than $500 unless they file a campaign treasurer appointment.
Mr. McNeill, 72, a retired professor and engineer seeking a second term as mayor, said he was unaware of Mr. Burroughs' lawsuit and couldn't comment in detail.
Mr. Clifton has been working against Mr. Burroughs for months as part of a campaign against officials backed by former Mayor Euline Brock, Mr. McNeill's predecessor.
In April, Mr. Clifton sued unsuccessfully to keep Mr. Burroughs, Mr. McNeill and another candidate off the ballot for alleged violations of the city's term limits. A judge allowed the candidates to stay on the ballot, but the lawsuit over their eligibility is pending.
Later, the Watchdog Society funded two mailers questioning Mr. Burroughs over his law firm's government contracts. His firm, Sawko & Burroughs, collects delinquent taxes for many local governments, including the city of Denton, which some called a potential conflict of interest.
Mr. Burroughs has repeatedly said the contracts aren't a conflict because of how his firm is paid. The money comes from fees levied on taxpayers' past-due amounts, not from government coffers.
The judge's order Friday prevents the Watchdog Society from raising funds or distributing any materials related to the mayoral race. It also bars Mr. Clifton from collecting money or distributing political materials "without first complying with all applicable election laws."
Read more in the Dallas Morning News
Tuesday, May 27, 2008
NCTCOG PUBLIC MEETINGS
The Regional Transportation Council of the North Central Texas Council of Governments invites the public to learn what is happening with transportation in the region and help set priorities for the future.
PUBLIC MEETINGS
Monday, June 9, 6:30 p.m.
Lewisville City Hall
151 W. Church Street
Lewisville, Texas 75057
Tuesday, June 10, 10 a.m.
NCTCOG Transportation
Council Room
616 Six Flags Drive
Arlington, Texas 76011
Tuesday, June 10, 6:30 p.m.
Fort Worth Intermodal
Transportation Center
1000 Jones Street
Fort Worth, Texas 76102
For additional information about public meetings, visit: www.nctcog.org/trans/outreach/meetings . Please forward this e-mail to anyone who would be interested in learning more about transportation news.
PUBLIC MEETING TOPICS:
1. Air Quality Update: Ozone Season & New Ozone Standard
2. Long-range planning: Mobility 2030 Amendments
3. Status Report: Metropolitan Planning Area Expansion
4. Draft Recommendation: Congestion Managment Process
Resolution & Implementation Plan
5. Project Inventory: Transportation Improvement Program Modifications
Submit comments online.
For special accommodations due to a disability or for language translation, please contact Jahnae Stout at 817-608-2335 or jstout@nctcog.org at least 72 hours prior to the meeting. Reasonable accommodations will be made.
If you did not receive this e-mail directly, sign up at www.nctcog.org/transcomm to receive future public meeting notices and other transportation news.
PUBLIC MEETINGS
Monday, June 9, 6:30 p.m.
Lewisville City Hall
151 W. Church Street
Lewisville, Texas 75057
Tuesday, June 10, 10 a.m.
NCTCOG Transportation
Council Room
616 Six Flags Drive
Arlington, Texas 76011
Tuesday, June 10, 6:30 p.m.
Fort Worth Intermodal
Transportation Center
1000 Jones Street
Fort Worth, Texas 76102
For additional information about public meetings, visit: www.nctcog.org/trans/outreach/meetings . Please forward this e-mail to anyone who would be interested in learning more about transportation news.
PUBLIC MEETING TOPICS:
1. Air Quality Update: Ozone Season & New Ozone Standard
2. Long-range planning: Mobility 2030 Amendments
3. Status Report: Metropolitan Planning Area Expansion
4. Draft Recommendation: Congestion Managment Process
Resolution & Implementation Plan
5. Project Inventory: Transportation Improvement Program Modifications
Submit comments online.
For special accommodations due to a disability or for language translation, please contact Jahnae Stout at 817-608-2335 or jstout@nctcog.org at least 72 hours prior to the meeting. Reasonable accommodations will be made.
If you did not receive this e-mail directly, sign up at www.nctcog.org/transcomm to receive future public meeting notices and other transportation news.
Sunday, May 11, 2008
Nomination for Top Bonehead Quote from local candidate during May 2008 Election
By Faith Chatham - DFWRCC - May 11, 2008
Candidate for District 6, Arlington City Council, Joseph Farah wins our "top bonehead" award for bonehead mentality in a local race.
Somehow Mr. Farah has failed to notice that Arlington already is a diverse city. The poor are already among us. Many clean our houses, serve our fast food, roof our dwellings, work in our hotels, and are (like myself) retirees who have slid down the economic scale. Arlington has the dubious distinction of being one of the largest cities in the USA without mass transit and is within the DFW metropolitian district which fails to meet EPA clean air standards. Arlington residents are tied to automobiles for commutes to work, school, and for daily errands. Mass transit could help relieve the stress on the air standards but Mr. Farah reflects the bonehead mentality which keeps fueling the anti-mass transit factions of the city.
Arlington is also tied to a multi-generational pattern of subsidizing billionaries in business with sale tax dollars and exercise of eminent domain for private profit enterprizes: (i.e., Texas Rangers Stadium, Dallas Cowboys Stadium and Glory Park). Other cities (such as Grapevine) use their sales tax dollars for rail solutions which benefit all sectors of their city while Arlington devotes the bulk of its sale tax dollars to construction of stadiums which provide minimum wage part-time employment.
Yes, Mr. Farah, there is a need for mass transit to the Dallas Cowboy's stadium in Arlington. Those poor people who will work at low hourly wages to operate that complex won't be able to afford the gasoline to drive or to pay tolls on I-30 and SH 161 to get to serve the elites who are being subdized so the rich can get richer and enjoy the status symbol which football and baseball has become!
The election returns for Alrington City Council District 6 were:
Robert Shepherd: 4,411
Dennis Hackler: 608
Joseph Farah: 374
Brian Willett: 511
Vera McKissic: 3,436
McKissic and Shepherd will be in a run-off.
They may mirror Mr. Farah's views on mass transit. Voters should question them and vote accordingly.
BIOS of two remaining in race:
Robert Shepard
Occupation: Lawyer
Age: 49
Academic: Bachelor's degree, University of Texas at Arlington, 1980; law degree, St. Mary's University School of Law, 1983
Career: Associate lawyer, 1983-85, Jones & Greene, P.C.; associate lawyer, 1985-87, Jones, Parks & Huffman, P.C.; lawyer and shareholder, Parks Huffman McVay Shepard & Wells, P.C., 1987 to present; member, College of Business Administration advisory council, University of Texas at Arlington, 1996-98; economic development committee member and executive committee chairman, Arlington Chamber of Commerce, 1997-2000; member, Arlington Library Advisory Board, 1998-2001; member, Citizens Bond Election Committee, 1998-99; board member and president, Downtown Arlington Inc., 1998-2003; member and chairman, Arlington Planning and Zoning Commission, 2001-07; Arlington Volunteer of the Year, 2007; no previous political races
Contact: robert@robertshepard.org, 817-861-1000
Vera McKissic
Occupation: Director of educational ministries, Cornerstone Baptist Church
Age: 50
Academic: Bachelor's degree, Henderson State University, Arkadelphia, Ark., 1978; some graduate classes, Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, 2002-05
Career: Teacher, Dumas and Pine Bluff school districts, Arkansas 1979-83; teacher, Arlington Independent School District, 1984-92; ombudsman, Arlington ISD, 1998-2000; director of education and women's ministries, Cornerstone Baptist Church, 1994 to present; no previous political races
Contact: www.vera4council.com, vera4council@gmail.com, 817-288-8104
Candidate for District 6, Arlington City Council, Joseph Farah wins our "top bonehead" award for bonehead mentality in a local race.
Joseph Farah said Arlington badly needs a light-rail system, particularly one that runs from the city's entertainment district to Dallas. However, he opposes bus service circulating inside Arlington.
"We don't want to attract a city full of poor people," Mr. Farah said. He said that would hurt Arlington's finances.
Somehow Mr. Farah has failed to notice that Arlington already is a diverse city. The poor are already among us. Many clean our houses, serve our fast food, roof our dwellings, work in our hotels, and are (like myself) retirees who have slid down the economic scale. Arlington has the dubious distinction of being one of the largest cities in the USA without mass transit and is within the DFW metropolitian district which fails to meet EPA clean air standards. Arlington residents are tied to automobiles for commutes to work, school, and for daily errands. Mass transit could help relieve the stress on the air standards but Mr. Farah reflects the bonehead mentality which keeps fueling the anti-mass transit factions of the city.
Arlington is also tied to a multi-generational pattern of subsidizing billionaries in business with sale tax dollars and exercise of eminent domain for private profit enterprizes: (i.e., Texas Rangers Stadium, Dallas Cowboys Stadium and Glory Park). Other cities (such as Grapevine) use their sales tax dollars for rail solutions which benefit all sectors of their city while Arlington devotes the bulk of its sale tax dollars to construction of stadiums which provide minimum wage part-time employment.
Yes, Mr. Farah, there is a need for mass transit to the Dallas Cowboy's stadium in Arlington. Those poor people who will work at low hourly wages to operate that complex won't be able to afford the gasoline to drive or to pay tolls on I-30 and SH 161 to get to serve the elites who are being subdized so the rich can get richer and enjoy the status symbol which football and baseball has become!
The election returns for Alrington City Council District 6 were:
Robert Shepherd: 4,411
Dennis Hackler: 608
Joseph Farah: 374
Brian Willett: 511
Vera McKissic: 3,436
McKissic and Shepherd will be in a run-off.
They may mirror Mr. Farah's views on mass transit. Voters should question them and vote accordingly.
BIOS of two remaining in race:
Robert Shepard
Occupation: Lawyer
Age: 49
Academic: Bachelor's degree, University of Texas at Arlington, 1980; law degree, St. Mary's University School of Law, 1983
Career: Associate lawyer, 1983-85, Jones & Greene, P.C.; associate lawyer, 1985-87, Jones, Parks & Huffman, P.C.; lawyer and shareholder, Parks Huffman McVay Shepard & Wells, P.C., 1987 to present; member, College of Business Administration advisory council, University of Texas at Arlington, 1996-98; economic development committee member and executive committee chairman, Arlington Chamber of Commerce, 1997-2000; member, Arlington Library Advisory Board, 1998-2001; member, Citizens Bond Election Committee, 1998-99; board member and president, Downtown Arlington Inc., 1998-2003; member and chairman, Arlington Planning and Zoning Commission, 2001-07; Arlington Volunteer of the Year, 2007; no previous political races
Contact: robert@robertshepard.org, 817-861-1000
Vera McKissic
Occupation: Director of educational ministries, Cornerstone Baptist Church
Age: 50
Academic: Bachelor's degree, Henderson State University, Arkadelphia, Ark., 1978; some graduate classes, Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, 2002-05
Career: Teacher, Dumas and Pine Bluff school districts, Arkansas 1979-83; teacher, Arlington Independent School District, 1984-92; ombudsman, Arlington ISD, 1998-2000; director of education and women's ministries, Cornerstone Baptist Church, 1994 to present; no previous political races
Contact: www.vera4council.com, vera4council@gmail.com, 817-288-8104
DART renstates service to southeast Dallas neighborhood
By CRAIG CIVALE - WFAA-TV - May 10, 2008
An old friend has come back home to Turner Courts. Buses are darting through the neighborhood, back online, and more importantly, back after dark.
"Most people have to walk home from the store, and it's dark, and they're afraid whether they come home from work or go grocery shopping, come into the complex," said Sylvia Baylor, a Turner Courts resident.
Buses were still coming to the area over the last year, but they would only pick up and drop off a few blocks away. The change is not only a matter of convenience, for some it is a necessity.
"From early in the morning, 8 o’clock, as late at 10:15, 11:30 sometimes. Only transportation I have," said Mayela Lopez, DART rider.
The only way Lopez has to get around, and if you don't think a couple of blocks matters, try traveling with 7 kids.
"It's going to be real nice and easy for me. Convenient, instead of walking 2-3 streets down, I can walk across to the apartment where I live," said Lopez.
The transit authority decided to give the route another try, but this time beef up awareness.
"One of the things we've done is step up security in that area. Having officers deployed in the area, it's a visible deterrent that's always good one for us," said Morgan Lyons, DART spokesperson.
Good for DART, and even better for residents in Turner Courts who fought so hard to get the busses back.
"We're just glad it's working, glad that everyone is coming together, that we seeing things being done,” said Baylor.
Read more on WFAA
An old friend has come back home to Turner Courts. Buses are darting through the neighborhood, back online, and more importantly, back after dark.
"Most people have to walk home from the store, and it's dark, and they're afraid whether they come home from work or go grocery shopping, come into the complex," said Sylvia Baylor, a Turner Courts resident.
Buses were still coming to the area over the last year, but they would only pick up and drop off a few blocks away. The change is not only a matter of convenience, for some it is a necessity.
"From early in the morning, 8 o’clock, as late at 10:15, 11:30 sometimes. Only transportation I have," said Mayela Lopez, DART rider.
The only way Lopez has to get around, and if you don't think a couple of blocks matters, try traveling with 7 kids.
"It's going to be real nice and easy for me. Convenient, instead of walking 2-3 streets down, I can walk across to the apartment where I live," said Lopez.
The transit authority decided to give the route another try, but this time beef up awareness.
"One of the things we've done is step up security in that area. Having officers deployed in the area, it's a visible deterrent that's always good one for us," said Morgan Lyons, DART spokesperson.
Good for DART, and even better for residents in Turner Courts who fought so hard to get the busses back.
"We're just glad it's working, glad that everyone is coming together, that we seeing things being done,” said Baylor.
Read more on WFAA
Tuesday, May 6, 2008
NTTA May 7th Agenda
NTTA SYSTEM PROJECTS AND OPERATIONS COMMITTEE MEETING
NORTH TEXAS TOLLWAY AUTHORITY
BOARD ROOM, SUITE 200
5900 WEST PLANO PARKWAY
PLANO, TEXAS 75093
May 7, 2008
8:00 AM
All agenda items are subject to possible discussions, questions and actions by this
committee of the North Texas Tollway Authority Board of Directors. Agenda item
numbers are assigned for ease of reference only and do not necessarily reflect the order of their consideration by the committee. The committee reserves the right to discuss anyitems in executive session whenever legally justified under the Open Meetings Act.
Unless otherwise noted, a resolution recommending the award of a contract or any other action refers to the committee’s recommendation of the action in question to the NTTA Board of Directors.
CALL TO ORDER
1. Establishment of quorum
2. Resolution approving minutes of the April 2, 2008 meeting of the NTTA System
Projects and Operations Committee.
BRIEFINGS AND RELATED ACTION ITEMS
State Highway (SH) 121
3. Recommend authorization of a supplemental agreement to the contract with
Bridgefarmer & Associates, Inc. for revision to design of SH 121 main lanes at
future Exchange Parkway in an amount not to exceed $700,000.
3. Recommend authorization of a change order pertaining to the agreement with
Austin Bridge and Road L.P. for the relocation of a main lane toll gantry
additional construction of two ramp toll gantries on SH 121 in an amount not to
exceed $638,022.
President George Bush Turnpike Eastern Extension (PGBT EE)
5. Recommend approval of a work authorization with PBS&J for construction
management services on Section 30 of the PGBT EE and PGBT EE corridor
construction management oversight in an amount not to exceed $16,060,603.20.
6. Recommend authorization of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with
Dallas Area Rapid Transit (“DART”) in connection with adjustments of DART
facilities required for Section 30 of the PGBT EE in the amount of $4,500,000.
7. Recommend authorization of three contracts for asbestos abatement and
demolition of structures on PGBT EE to the lowest responsive, responsible bidder
for each such contract from among the following seven pre-qualified responsible
bidders: CST Environmental Inc.; F. Hall Mowing; Intercon Environmental Inc.;
J.C.’s Environmental Technologies; 1 Priority Environmental Services Inc.; Lynx
Contractors, Inc.; and RNDI Companies, Inc., in the amount of $1,100,000.
8. Recommend authorization of a contract for construction of PGBT EE Section 30
with Zachry Construction Company in the amount of $121,867,755.52.
9. Recommend authorization of an Interlocal Agreement (ILA) with the City of
Dallas regarding a permanent easement and a bridge and storm water retention system to be constructed in PGBT EE Section 32 over Lake Ray Hubbard.
10. Recommend approval of a work authorization with Jacobs Carter Burgess for
mechanically-stabilized-earth-wall design services on Section 30 of the PGBT EE
in an amount not to exceed $368,886.
Southwest Parkway
11. Recommend authorization of a utility agreement with Atmos Energy for
Southwest Parkway Section 4 regarding the relocation of a gas transmission line
in the amount of $935,500.
State Highway (SH) 161
12. Recommend authorization of a contract and work authorization with HDR for
corridor management services on SH 161 in an amount not to exceed $900,000.
Conversion to All-Electronic Toll Collection (all-ETC)
13. Recommend approval of a work authorization with HNTB Corporation for
preparation of a comprehensive project plan for conversion to all-ETC on the
NTTA System in an amount not to exceed $317,200.
14. Recommend authorization of a supplemental agreement to a contract with
Kimley-Horn Associates, Inc. for design modifications required for all-ETC
conversion of ramp toll plazas along the DNT from IH 635 to SH 121, and
development of precast gantry standard drawings in an amount not to exceed
$730,908.
15. Recommend authorization of a supplemental agreement to a contract with Halff
Associates for design modifications required for all-ETC conversion of ramp
plaza plans along DNT south of IH 635 in an amount not to exceed $290,558.
16. Recommend authorization of the purchase of Violation Enforcement System
equipment from Science Applications International Corporation, Electronic
Transaction Consultants Corporation, Northstar Controls, Davis Inotek, and
Graybar Electric to be used for all-ETC on DNT, AATT and MCLB for an
aggregate amount of $2,800,000.
17. Recommend authorization of a contract with MasTec North America, Inc. for
fiber relocation along the DNT, MCLB and AATT in the amount of $648,151.50.
Information Technology (IT)
18. Recommend authorization of the purchase of ONSSI software licenses required to
implement internet-protocol-based incident detection content analysis from
SecureNet, Inc. for the NTTA’s Incident Detection System from under its existing
NTTA contract at a cost not to exceed $500,000.
Maintenance
19. Recommend authorization of the purchase of dump trucks from Grande Truck
Center as part of the vehicle fleet to be used to maintain SH 121 in an amount of
$2,406,709.80.
Communications
20. Recommend authorization of a new trailblazer sign design to be utilized
throughout the NTTA system.
BRIEFINGS AND UPDATES
21. Project Focus
A. Southwest Parkway
B. DNT – 4A
C. DNT Phase 3
D. PGBT EE
22. Project Updates
23. EXECUTIVE SESSION - Pursuant to chapter 551, subchapter D, Texas Government Code:
A. Subsection 551.071(1), to receive advice from counsel about pending or
contemplated litigation and/or settlement offers
B. Section 551.072, to deliberate the purchase, exchange, lease, or value of
real property
C. Section 551.074(a)(1), to deliberate the appointment, employment,
evaluation, reassignment, duties, discipline, or dismissal of a public
officer or employee
D. Section 551.076, to deliberate regarding security devices
24. CONSIDERATION OF ITEMS FROM EXECUTIVE SESSION
A. Recommend authorization of the purchase of land for the location of a
maintenance center to be constructed to support maintenance of SH 121.
ADJOURNMENT
NOTES
A quorum of the Board of Directors may be present at this meeting for information-gathering purposes. However,NTTA Directors that are not Committee members will not vote on any Committee agenda items.
The North Texas Tollway Authority System includes the Dallas North Tollway (DNT), the President George Bush Turnpike (PGBT), the Addison Airport Toll Tunnel (AATT), Lewisville Lake Toll Bridge (LLTB) and the Mountain Creek Lake Bridge (MCLB).
The term TxDOT refers to the Texas Department of Transportation; NCTCOG refers to the North Central Texas Council of Governments.
SWP refers to the Southwest Parkway Project, State Highway (SH) 121 from IH 30 to FM 1187 in Tarrant County; EE refers to the Eastern Extension of the PGBT from SH 78 to IH 30 in Dallas County; SH 121 refers to SH 121 in Denton, Dallas, and Collin counties between Business SH 121 and U.S. 75; Chisholm Trail refers to SH 121 between
FM 1187 in Tarrant County and U.S. 67 in Johnson County; Trinity Parkway refers to the proposed Trinity Parkway project between SH 183/ IH 35E interchange and U.S. 175 in Dallas County; SH 161 refers to SH 161 between SH 183 and IH 20 in Dallas County; SH 170 refers to SH 170 between SH 114 and SH 199 in Denton, Tarrant and Parker
County; SH 360 refers to SH 360 between Green Oaks Boulevard and U.S. 67 in Tarrant, Johnson and Ellis County; SH 190 refers to SH 190 between IH 30 and IH 20 in Dallas County. Note that the end points for each of the referenced projects are approximate.
Persons with disabilities who plan to attend this meeting and who may need auxiliary aids or services such as interpreters for persons who are deaf or hearing impaired, readers, large print or Braille, are requested to contact Kiven.
Thursday, May 1, 2008
Rep. MikeKrusee, Chair of House Transportation Committee jailed for drunk driving
By Isadora Vail and Tony Plohetski The Austin American Statesman The Blotter -Thursday, May 1, 2008
State Representative Mike Krusee, R- Williamson County, was swerving between lanes in his black BMW on the frontage road of U.S. 183 Wednesday night, according to officials and an arrest affidavit.
A Texas Department of Public Safety trooper arrested and charged Krusee in for driving while intoxicated. Krusee was booked into the Williamson County Jail at 11:15 p.m. Wednesday and was released at 8:55 a.m. today, officials said. His bail was set at $1,000.
Trooper Michael Scheffler wrote in the arrest affidavit that he followed Krusee down U.S. 183, after he noticed the serving, and saw that Krusse had expired registration, according to the affidavit.
After running his plates, the trooper pulled Krusee over on Black Oak Street near Jollyville, according to the affidavit.
Scheffler noticed a strong smell of alcohol and administered a field sobriety test, which Krusee failed, states the affidavit, and Krusse admitted to drinking one glass of wine.
He refused a Breathalyzer and blood test, according to the affidavit.
Neither Krusee nor his attorney, Jason Nassour, could be immediately reached for comment.
Krusee carried and passed legislation in 2003 that created something called the “driver responsibility program” to help fund the Texas Mobility Fund. That program included a number of surcharges for driving offenses, including $1,000 for a first conviction of driving while intoxicated.
Read more in the Austin American Statesman
State Representative Mike Krusee, R- Williamson County, was swerving between lanes in his black BMW on the frontage road of U.S. 183 Wednesday night, according to officials and an arrest affidavit.
A Texas Department of Public Safety trooper arrested and charged Krusee in for driving while intoxicated. Krusee was booked into the Williamson County Jail at 11:15 p.m. Wednesday and was released at 8:55 a.m. today, officials said. His bail was set at $1,000.
Trooper Michael Scheffler wrote in the arrest affidavit that he followed Krusee down U.S. 183, after he noticed the serving, and saw that Krusse had expired registration, according to the affidavit.
After running his plates, the trooper pulled Krusee over on Black Oak Street near Jollyville, according to the affidavit.
Scheffler noticed a strong smell of alcohol and administered a field sobriety test, which Krusee failed, states the affidavit, and Krusse admitted to drinking one glass of wine.
He refused a Breathalyzer and blood test, according to the affidavit.
Neither Krusee nor his attorney, Jason Nassour, could be immediately reached for comment.
Krusee carried and passed legislation in 2003 that created something called the “driver responsibility program” to help fund the Texas Mobility Fund. That program included a number of surcharges for driving offenses, including $1,000 for a first conviction of driving while intoxicated.
Read more in the Austin American Statesman
Friday, April 25, 2008
Dallas Morning News Investigative Report on Trucking Hazards
Dallas Morning News investigative reporters spent over a year investigating safety problems involving 18-wheelers in Texas. Their reporting is based on federal, state and local accident and inspection reports and databases, court records, criminal public records databases and interviews with truckers, company owners, law enforcement, lawyers, academicians and other safety experts. This series focuses on the use of felons as drivers, the harsh working conditions truckers face and the industry's political influence in shaping laws and regulations.
Read full report in the Dallas Morning News
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