May 6. 2007

By B. GLEN WHITLEY, Special to the Star-Telegram

It's time to bring some pragmatism and practicality to the transportation debate in Texas.

In some circles, it seems that the transportation issue is no longer about which policies best serve communities but about how the issue can be used for political gain.

How unwise.

Finding a way to pay for needed roads and to ease congestion on our highways is vital to our state. It is of special importance to North Texas. It is an issue of clean air and quality of life.

A transportation disaster is impending in Texas. Current funding sources will not allow us to maintain state highways, roads and bridges, let alone build needed infrastructure to serve our growing population.

Proposals to increase the gasoline tax to help pay for roads have come before the Legislature this year, but neither state nor federal officials have been inclined to raise the tax in the past. It would take a hefty boost of the current 20-cent-per-gallon state tax to put Texas transportation back on track.

Lawmakers appear unlikely to raise the gas tax sufficiently to fund all of the needed transportation projects. The additional revenue for road construction must come from somewhere, or traffic congestion will continue to worsen.

In the short term, building highway toll lanes might be the best option available to get North Texas traffic moving and keep it that way. Even then, there are no guarantees.

Nobody likes toll roads, and nobody likes to sit in traffic.

We now might have an opportunity to build additional lanes and roads more quickly, using public-private toll road partnership projects such as that planned for Texas 121.

One company has agreed to spend $5 billion for the right to build and lease the Texas 121 project, with the road reverting to the region when the lease expires in several decades. This agreement provides $2.1 billion in upfront money to the Metroplex for some of its current and future transportation needs.

Some of these improvements in Tarrant County include Interstate 35, Loop 820, Airport Freeway and the anticipated freeway interchange that includes Interstate 635, Texas 114 and Texas 121 in Grapevine.

Local transportation officials agreed to tolls, but only if the revenue generated stays in the region -- and only if other transportation dollars continue to flow to the region as before. We must oppose any attempt to use toll dollars outside of the region in which they are collected.

Legislators in Austin favor a two-year moratorium on toll roads -- a move opposed by Gov. Rick Perry.

Both sides need to understand that private-sector investment in transportation is just one strategy to ease grid-lock. A moratorium on toll roads should not be used to thwart public-private partnerships or private investment in Texas transportation projects.

However, there can and should be more oversight, public disclosure and restrictions on public-private partnerships. Expanding local control can help set road-building priorities and restore public trust. Ultimately, public-private toll roads, with strong local control, might become part of the solution to our region's transportation needs.

Take note of this: Our transportation problems cannot be solved by roads alone.

Lawmakers in Austin and elected officials here must support the creation of a North Texas regional transit initiative. They need to support measures to increase passenger rail service, other forms of mass transit and vehicles that get better fuel economy. Some staggered work-start times and other innovative steps could be taken.

Nothing should be off the table when it comes to easing traffic congestion, building new roads or improving air quality.

Let's not shut down new roadway construction because of politics. Let's strengthen the rules for new toll roads and toll lanes as well as for public-private road partnerships. Let's strengthen our commitment to mass transit and continue to improve transportation funding to improve mobility.

Whether or not you support public-private partnerships, transportation in Texas is in crisis. It needs to be fixed. We already spend too much time sitting in traffic.

 

B. Glen Whitley is the judge of the Tarrant County Commissioners Court.