A needed voice

Jan. 09, 2008

EDITORIAL - Star-Telegram

Since the death of Texas Transportation Commission Chairman Ric Williamson of Weatherford, there are no commission members from the Dallas-Fort Worth area.

The four remaining commissioners are Hope Andrade of San Antonio, Ned Holmes of Houston, Ted Houghton of El Paso and Fred Underwood of Lubbock -- all cities hundreds of miles from the Metroplex.

The Dallas-Fort Worth area should have a representative on the commission because the heavily urbanized region has extremely pressing transportation needs and worsening traffic congestion and is projected to see continuing dramatic growth during the next several decades.

D-FW's population of 6 million makes it the largest metropolitan area in Texas, eclipsing Houston, according to the Census Bureau. D-FW is now the fourth-largest metro area in the United States, behind only New York, Los Angeles and Chicago. The Metroplex is adding about 1 million residents every seven years, according to the North Central Texas Council of Governments.

The Star-Telegram Editorial Board fervently urges Gov. Rick Perry to appoint a new transportation commissioner from the D-FW area, preferably from the rapidly growing western half of the Metroplex.

And we also hope that the new appointee is as energetic and dedicated as Williamson, who died Dec. 30.

THE JOB

Term: Six years.

Duties: Oversight of statewide activities of the Texas Department of Transportation.

Compensation: $15,914 annually, plus reimbursement for expenses.