Liveblog: Transportation at The Tribune Festival
We're liveblogging this weekend from The Texas Tribune Festival's Transportation track, which features panel discussions on planning, high-speed rail, road funding and rural transportation. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/images/2013/09/25/TTF13-liveblog-transportation-lead-art.png)
-
![Article thumbnail]()
Credit: Ben Hasson -
TxDOT Banking On "Don't Mess With Texas" to Provide More Cash
The cash-strapped Texas Department of Transportation is hoping to partner with a vendor to launch a new line of merchandise that takes advantage of the company's intellectual property — most notably, "Don't Mess With Texas." Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/images/2013/09/18/DontMessWithTexas.jpg)
![Article thumbnail]()
Credit: Jamie Golden -
A Boom for Oil, but a Bust for Texas' Rural Roads
As the Texas Department of Transportation blames a funding shortfall for its plans to convert some rural roads to gravel, South Texans argue they are being unfairly punished for the region’s drilling boom. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/images/2013/09/12/ES_TxDotHearing_05.jpg)
![Attendees filled the Alexander Convention Center on Tuesday evening for a Texas Department of Transportation hearing in Cotulla, TX on their controversial plan to convert some paved roads to gravel to save money on maintenance.]()
Credit: Eddie Seal -
Graveling Over Visible Holes in Funding — and Invisible Ones, Too
The state's proposal to convert some paved roads back to gravel has invisible counterparts in other areas of the state budget. But it's apparently safer to talk about transportation problems. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/images/2013/08/16/Seal_roads_01.jpg)
![A damaged portion of the IH 37 frontage road, south of FM 99 in Live Oak County, Texas on Friday, August 16, 2013. The road is on a list of roads that the Texas Department of Transportation has announced will be converted to gravel because the agency lacks funds to keep them maintained at a safe level.]()
Credit: Eddie Seal -
Austin-San Antonio Rail Effort Could Get Federal Funds
The mayors of San Antonio and Austin are in talks with federal officials about federal funding to help develop a high-speed rail project between the two cities, local and federal officials have confirmed. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/images/2013/06/04/HiSpeedRail-2.jpg)
![The JR Central N700 Series, a Japanese Shinkansen bullet train.]()
-
TxDOT Officials Address Concerns on Cost-Cutting Plans
During a meeting when local and state officials accused the agency of poor communication, Texas Department of Transportation officials confirmed plans Thursday to delay converting more asphalt roads to gravel. Full Story
Credit: Bob Daemmrich -
Video: New Law Aims to Protect TxDOT Workers
Texas drivers will have to slow down or move over one lane when passing Texas Department of Transportation workers . This story is part of our monthlong 31 Days, 31 Ways series. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/videos/TXDOT_ART.jpg)
![Article thumbnail]()
-
New Law Aims to Protect TxDOT Road Workers
Texas drivers will have to slow down or move over one lane when passing Texas Department of Transportation workers under a new law. This story is part of our monthlong 31 Days, 31 Ways series. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/images/2013/08/22/TxTrib-RoadSafety-014.jpg)
![TxDOT employees Brad Shepard and Canaan Johnson finish up after putting asphalt cold mix down for edge repairs on Interstate 35-S near Parmer Lane on Monday August 19th, 2013.]()
Credit: Spencer Selvidge -
TxDOT's Cost-Cutting Plans Draw Local Outrage
With the announcement of two new cost-cutting measures, the Texas Department of Transportation has managed to anger dozens of local officials in both rural and urban parts of the state. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/images/2013/08/21/BeforeAfter_1.jpg)
![Before and after images of of the frontage road on I-37 in Live Oak County. The Texas Department of Transportation converted the badly-damaged asphalt road to an unpaved road the week of August 19, 2013.]()
Credit: Texas Department of Transportation -
Plan to Convert Paved Roads to Gravel Begins Despite Local Concerns
Lawmakers and rural residents worry unpaved roads will create safety hazards and reduce property values. But the Texas Department of Transportation says converting paved roads to gravel is the only safe plan it can afford. Full Story
![A damaged portion of the IH 37 frontage road, south of FM 99 in Live Oak County, Texas on Friday, August 16, 2013. The road is on a list of roads that the Texas Department of Transportation has announced will be converted to gravel because the agency lacks funds to keep them maintained at a safe level.]()
Credit: Eddie Seal -
Selling Next Year's Road Prop Could be Tricky
Now that it's through the Legislature, lawmakers and advocates have to sell a constitutional amendment that boosts funding for Texas highways without sapping interest for completing that funding a few months later. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/images/2013/07/30/Money-On-The-Horizon.jpg)
![Article thumbnail]()
Credit: Illustration by Todd Wiseman / Mikel Manitius -
Video: Transportation Funding Plan Now Up to Voters
Texas lawmakers have passed legislation that – pending voter approval – would mean an estimated $1.2 billion annual boost for TxDOT. But it's not yet clear what details the agency will have ready to offer the public before next year's election. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/videos/Money-On-The-Horizon.jpg)
![Article thumbnail]()
Credit: Todd Wiseman / Mikel Manitius -
House Panel Backs New Transportation Funding Plan
A House committee on Thursday held its first hearing in the third special session, and it voted out a transportation funding plan with minor changes from one that failed in the previous special session. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/images/2013/07/30/TransportationFunding-2.jpg)
![Article thumbnail]()
Credit: Illustration by Todd Wiseman -
Route to Deal on Cash for Roads Remains Hazy
Lawmakers hoping to find a viable transportation funding measure in the third special session, which started this week, are looking closely at a plan that failed in the first two special sessions. Full Story
![Article thumbnail]()
Credit: Illustration by Todd Wiseman / Mikel Manitius -
Transportation Funding Bill Fails in House
A compromise transportation funding plan failed 84-40 in the House on Monday afternoon amid bipartisan opposition. Gov. Rick Perry quickly criticized those who voted against the measure but did not say if he would call a third special session. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/images/MoneyPavedRoad_1.jpg)
![Article thumbnail]()
Credit: Illustration by Todd Wiseman / Corey Leopold -
Pickett: House, Senate Negotiators Agree on Road Funding Deal
UPDATED: Key negotiators in the House and Senate finalized a deal on Saturday to boost funding for transportation, according to a lawmaker involved in the talks. Now backers of the plan will have to rally enough lawmakers to vote for it. Full Story
![Article thumbnail]()
Credit: Illustration by Todd Wiseman / Corey Leopold -
Legislators Considering Compromise Road Plan
UPDATED: Amid ongoing negotiations over transportation funding plans, members of the House sent a new proposal to the Senate on Friday afternoon that could break the logjam. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/images/2013/05/29/RoadsMoney.jpg)
![Article thumbnail]()
Credit: Todd Wiseman / Lynda Giddens -
TxDOT to Convert Some South and West Texas Roads to Gravel
More than 80 miles of roads in West and South Texas will be converted to gravel, state transportation officials announced Thursday. Officials cited a funding shortfall and the impact of the current drilling boom in making the decision. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/images/NaturalGas-RoadDamage.jpg)
![Article thumbnail]()
Credit: Illustration by Todd Wiseman / KUT -
With Time Running Short, Lawmakers Scramble on Road Plan
With less than a week left in the current special session and lawmakers anxious to go home, negotiators reached an impasse over transportation funding, prompting the governor to threaten to call a third session if more time is needed. Full Story
Credit: Bob Daemmrich -
House and Senate to Negotiate TxDOT Funding Compromise
The Senate met briefly Friday to pave the way for negotiations to begin with the House over the details of a plan that would increase transportation funding by nearly $1 billion a year. The goal is for both chambers to pass the same measure next week. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/images/2013/07/13/TXTAbortionVote-Richmond009.jpg)
![Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst in the state Senate during the abortion debate on July 13, 2013.]()
Credit: Callie Richmond
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/fa948600e5d2e35592c6246056d1c0df/BD%20INC%20Houghton%201%202013)
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/4221b436b3cdb10645c57e71c5ec7849/BD%20INC%20Perry%20In%20Crowd%202013)