Commission releases scathing report on TxDOT

June 3, 2008

Dallas Business Journal

The embattled Texas Department of Transportation suffered another blow with the release of a scathing report from the Texas Sunset Advisory Commission.

Saying an "atmosphere of mistrust permeated most of TxDOT's actions," the report argues that the agency can not function effectively "unless trust and confidence [are] restored."

The commission recommends that TxDOT be placed on a four-year review cycle instead of the normal 12-year cycle and it calls for the creation of a legislative oversight committee for the agency.

"This report proposes decisive action to address TxDOT's problems by establishing what is in effect a four-year "legislative conservatorship" to return control over transportation policy to the Legislature, where it belongs," the report states.

Other recommended changes include:

• Achieving greater accountability under the oversight of a single Commissioner of Transportation in lieu of the five-member Texas Transportation Commission;

• Providing better access to independent transportation information and research;

• Increasing transparency of TxDOT's transportation planning and project development process;

• Improving TxDOT's public involvement efforts;

• Making the department's contracting functions more accountable, particularly its development of comprehensive development agreements.

TxDOT responded with a written statement from spokesman Chris Lippincott.

"The confidence of the Legislature and the public are very important to us," says Lippincott. "We still have work to do, but we are confident that our ongoing efforts to improve the transparency and accessibility of TxDOT are making a positive impact. We look forward to our continued work with the members and staff of the Sunset Commission."

State agencies in Texas are required to go through a legislative "sunset review" every 12 years to determine if they are operating effectively and to the best of their ability.