TEXAS TRANSPORTATION COMMISSION MEETING

Thursday, July 30, 1998
Sherman/Denison

COMMISSION MEMBERS:

DAVID M. LANEY, Chairman
ROBERT L. NICHOLS

DEPARTMENT STAFF:

WES HEALD, Executive Director
KIRBY W. PICKETT, Deputy Executive Director
MIKE BEHRENS, Assistant Executive Director
for Engineering Operations

P R O C E E D I N G S

CHAIRMAN LANEY: Good morning. The July 30, 1998, meeting of the Texas
Transportation Commission is called to order.
Public posting of this meeting containing all items of the agenda was filed with the Secretary of State's office at 2:11 p.m. on July 22nd. We are very pleased to be here in the Sherman/Denison area today.
As many of you know, it's the commission's practice to hold some of our meetings two or three times -- two or three times a year before
the most powerful microphones in the state, and this happens to be one of those meetings.
This is an occasion that I think the commission -- it's the kind of occasion the
commission really welcomes and looks forward to simply because it always helps us improve our understanding of the kind of issues in the diverse areas of our state, facing the various communities that are so diverse, as you might
imagine, from one end of the state to the other, north, south, east, west. It is truly different.
The one thing in common that all of the state has right now is dryness and heat. We'll get that thing under control in a minute. We hope our coming here will demonstrate our commitment in addressing the transportation needs of the entire state. We -- as I said last night to our district employees, the commissioners and everyone at TxDOT from senior management down, we
take our positions very seriously because we know
they mean a great deal in terms of what are the
results we deliver to the communities that we --
whose needs we try to address.
Transportation and mobility are important
everywhere and in every part of our state, and
without it I think our economic development
fortunes and opportunities for growth and
economic development decline fairly
dramatically.

Commissioner Anne Wynne, the third of the trio of commissioners asked us to convey for her her regrets for not being able to be here. She recently gave birth to a baby girl, Lila, and she and Lila are doing very, very well, of course,
for those of you who know Anne, but they're not yet doing much traveling. Obviously we have an off and an on switch but nothing in between.
Yesterday we were able to spend some time touring the area visiting with some of the projects that the department is involved in, and
we have quite a lot going on up here. We also had an opportunity to meet with many of the officials of the area, business and community leaders, as well as with our district employees.

And last night we had the great good fortune of having dinner with the district
employees. This gave us an opportunity to really meet with the members of our department who are every day on the front lines of what we do, and
they do such an outstanding job for us. We are always so proud when we have the opportunity to meet these folks and so proud to represent them in every way we try to in Austin and elsewhere.

They do a terrific job and make our job very easy for us. Most of all, we appreciate the tremendous hospitality of everyone in this area that we have seen extended to us over the last couple of days.

And before we start with the business part of the agenda, I want to extend my thanks, in particular to Texas Good Roads who hosted a breakfast for us this morning and who continue to do a terrific job for us throughout the state and
keeping transportation on people's minds, particularly as we head into a new legislative session.

Before we start the business part of the meeting, I would like to recognize Commissioner Nichols. I would like to recognize Commissioner Robert Nichols seated to your left, to my right, and invite any comments you would like to make, Commissioner Nichols.

COMMISSIONER NICHOLS: I would like to repeat part of what Chairman Laney said. I think it's great for us to have an opportunity to go out in the area. There's nothing like having an opportunity for the officials and community
people to meet the different administrators of the department, for us to have an opportunity to look at the projects face-to-face. And I know that most of you in the room will be hearing presentations from your communities of the projects that we know are serious to you and recognize that most of you are not paid staff.

Most of you are volunteers from your community of putting in time away from your work and your families to represent to your community on projects that are of great importance.

Communities do not -- I'll try to talk loud -- that those projects are extremely
important to your community, and we recognize that. We appreciate -- it's very helpful for us to come up here and look at those projects and hear from you person-to-person. And we take your comments very seriously, and it is extremely helpful. Like yesterday, we took a tour bus and drove around and actually inspected and looked at the projects. Some of the key projects have been identified, very helpful.

I also will say that I feel good being back up here. My great grandfather and grandfather and my mother were raised on the Red River just a little bit to the east of here, and I've been coming up in this area since I was a kid. It's part of my old roots back in this area, so that's really all I have to say. Thank you.

CHAIRMAN LANEY: Thank you. I would also like to take a minute to introduce the remainder of those up here with me. To my far left, Mike Behrens, our assistant executive director for engineering operations, formerly the district engineer in the Yoakum region. To my left our executive director, Wes Heald, formerly our Ft. Worth district engineer. And on the other side of Commissioner Nichols is Kirby Pickett, formerly district engineer in Waco and currently our deputy executive director.

This is our senior management team. And much to their dismay, things in Austin work much better when we take them on these trips. Nobody knows how it works or who is minding the store, but we love the results.

We'll be hearing from quite a few folks this morning, and so we need to go ahead and get started. Our first speaker this morning
representing Grayson County will be Grayson
County Judge Horace Groff to talk about State
Highway 289. Welcome.
JUDGE GROFF: Thank you, Mr. Laney, Mr. Nichols. We appreciate having you in Grayson County, and we hope that this can be a productive meeting for you. And we're most appreciative of having the opportunity to share some of our concerns about the transportation needs of our area and also express to you the appreciation that we have for TxDOT and the quality service that they provide. And we certainly enjoy a great relationship with those people and are most appreciative of it.

There are a number of people here that I want to get to, to share this time with and to let you have an opportunity to hear from some of our cities and the Grayson County Airport.

First, let me introduce to you the Honorable Julie Starr, mayor of the City of Sherman.

MAYOR STARR: Good morning, gentlemen, Mr. Laney, Mr. Nichols. I am constantly amazed at the willingness of our state officials to come out and suffer the hardships of coming to these resort areas in order to present these programs, and yesterday we certainly made our point.

I noticed this morning, Chairman Laney, when you said how much you had enjoyed your stay that you would not miss us on the sauna tour. I, myself, was privileged to -- to sit by Kirby Pickett to whom I will confess -- I also confess that as a child I lived on the edge of what is now Highway 75 directly through Sherman, and I spent a great deal of my childhood moving the stakes and planting them in other places.

I have since reformed, and I want to just give you a few list -- a list of a few items that we really need in our area and some dangerous situations. We want to encourage you to continue with the projects on Highway 82. We think that that will open up a business opportunity and economic development going in an east/west direction. It's going to be incredibly important.

We want to encourage you to -- with the -- the lights at Lamberth on the highway, and hopefully we can get exits off of Highway 75 going south, which will bypass the Highway 82 intersection. That will really relieve the traffic congestion in that area.

But the primary problem we're having is not a problem of traffic congestion but of engineering, and it has to do with our potential for developing business in a particular industrial area. We have a complete loop turnaround that is required for approximately 4,000 people, the majority of whom are heading north who work at TI and MEMC. And they have to go onto a toll road, kind of loop around, and go over to the other side of the toll road to get across.

We need re-engineering studies desperately. We are a friendly people. As they go through the exits, the people that are lined up and yielding to the people that are exiting off of Highway 75 going south to get to work, the people that are leaving work are not able to go through. Well, pretty soon, as friendly as we are, those people begin stopping to let them go.

And after a while it's every other car, and the traffic begins to build back off Highway 75.

Cars coming over the overpass have no idea that directly in front of them is a buildup of cars. We have -- I don't know how many wrecks we have had, but we are facing serious loss of life there at some point. I don't know when it is going to happen, but it will happen unless we do something about it.

In addition, we are -- well, except for the silicone chip problems right now and the world's market, we are anticipating significant growth at MEMC and TI over the next few years. By the time you all are able to do anything -- and what we are looking for is a bridge over -- right around Shepherd that will bring these people and loop them back so that they can turn around and go north without having to do that loop and switch back that most of you saw yesterday.

By the time you're even able to do it, we're anticipating, at least, 6,000 that will be at work there and perhaps more. I'm afraid that if we don't do something soon about the engineering problems and the traffic problems there, that it will limit the amount of economic development and jobs we can bring to this community, and those jobs provide the economic resources that we live on and provide jobs for an area of approximately 300,000.

We think it's very important for you to look at this area. We also support 289. We are very pleased to see Highway 1417 east on your books to be completed, but we want you to look at the potential saving of lives and the economic development for our area and protecting of jobs that this issue would bring. If you can, to put it on your list. We appreciate it very much at this time. Thank you.

CHAIRMAN LANEY: Thank you, Mayor. We appreciate it.

JUDGE GROFF: Chairman Laney, next let me introduce the Honorable Ray Bledsoe who serves as the mayor of the City of Howe. In addition to that, he provides superior leadership to the Metropolitan Planning Organization. Mayor Ray Bledsoe.

MAYOR BLEDSOE: Thank you, Judge. I'd like to say thank you to Mr. Laney for allowing me the opportunity to speak this morning, and to Mr. Nichols. I met Mr. Nichols over in Paris right after he assumed his responsibility, and I was impressed. I was impressed because he was willing to bring himself to the people and do just what you're doing here this week, looking.

And it looks a lot different when you can see it with your eye. But as the judge said, I am the chairman of the MPO here, and I just wanted to officially thank you for this opportunity for the privilege that you have allowed us to be with you and let you see what we have firsthand.

If I went any further, I'd probably be reiterating what Mayor Starr has said about the 75 corridor. Everyone knows how I feel about the 289, and there is a massive amount of traffic building up on 75. The entrance and exit ramps
need to be -- be done, be shorter, the turnarounds.

But let me just say that the MPO did a study. Most of you are probably aware of this. Metropolitan Planning Organization. Mayor Ray Bledsoe.

MAYOR BLEDSOE: Thank you, Judge. I'd like to say thank you to Mr. Laney for allowing me the opportunity to speak this morning, and to Mr. Nichols. I met Mr. Nichols over in Paris right after he assumed his responsibility, and I was impressed. I was impressed because he was willing to bring himself to the people and do just what you're doing here this week, looking. And it looks a lot different when you can see it with your eye. But as the judge said, I am the chairman of the MPO here, and I just wanted to officially thank you for this opportunity for the privilege that you have allowed us to be with you and let you see what we have firsthand.

If I went any further, I'd probably be reiterating what Mayor Starr has said about the 75 corridor. Everyone knows how I feel about the 289, and there is a massive amount of traffic building up on 75. The entrance and exit ramps need to be -- be done, be shorter, the turnarounds.

But let me just say that the MPO did a study. Most of you are probably aware of this.

We did a study on this corridor from 902 to Center Street in Sherman, and in the study we found some of the things that Mayor Starr is saying. We do need a bridge. We need a bridge, and we need to be able to outline and organize
the traffic on the service roads going to and from work.

I had asked Mr. Heald to give me some new information on the amount of traffic that comes from Dallas to the Red River every day through Highway 75 and Highway 30 by Interstate 35.

There's a reason for this. Because I live in Howe, and Mayor Starr and I make these roads every day four or five times, and I can attest to the fact that traffic is increasing vastly each year.

So any help that you can give us with 289 and 75 -- the other -- the other things that we have put on it are already there. They're planned. They've been done. We appreciate that. But these two new items do need your attention. Thank you, gentlemen, for coming to Grayson County.

CHAIRMAN LANEY: Thank you, Mayor. Appreciate it.

JUDGE GROFF: One other mayor that I'd like to share this time with is Mayor Donohoe from the City of Gunter.

CHAIRMAN LANEY: Just for the sake of our reporter, if you would introduce yourself as you come up today. Sometimes the microphone is
working and sometimes not.

MAYOR DONOHOE: Thank you. I didn't hear my name, so I appreciate that. My name is James Donohoe. I'm the mayor of Gunter, Texas, and I wanted to express my appreciation for what the Texas Highway Department has done for Gunter.

We're -- we're in the first phase of Highway 289, and the highway department was extremely cooperative when they curved through Gunter and came through our town, and they've done a very nice job on the road. And now they're working on the four-mile stretch down to the Collin County area.

I also second the endorsement that we have -- need another corridor coming out of the Dallas area north and south, which would be logically the 289 because we have people going to the airport, the lakes, coming out of Dallas.

And just because of the high land prices we've noticed that some people are starting to sort of jump out of the high land prices in Collin County and coming into Grayson County, and our area is starting to develop growth because of this.

And I think economic consideration, too, would be -- would be something that would be dependent upon good roads. And the bottleneck that occurs sometimes because of these highways -- I know most of the time it's because of funding, and I know it's very critical, but I would like to see the commissioners continue on with the good thrusts that they've made on Highway 289.

From Gunter, Texas, up through Highway 56 the road is very perilous. In fact, it's very dangerous, especially when we get high rains.

It's -- it's kind of like a river, you know, when
you're driving down these rutted areas here, and
it's just because of the age of the highway.
That's just what it comes down to.
It was some 20 years ago, I guess, that
Collin County widened their highway up to Grayson
County, and there has been -- it's been so long
that their road is now starting to deteriorate
some in that area, and we're just now starting to
experience a real nice highway in our area. But
I wanted to thank you again for the -- the very
good cooperation we've had from our local Sherman
area and from the district up in Paris. Thank
you very much.

JUDGE GROFF: Chairman Laney, also, as part of our transportation program here, we certainly recognize the importance of aviation, and Grayson County has been blessed with an airport that's south of here. Some of you may have flown into there. And Mr. Ellis Olmstead is the chairman of  our Grayson County Airport Board and would like to address the commission.

ELLIS OLMSTEAD: My name is Ellis Olmstead. I serve as chairman of the Grayson County Airport. First off, I want to thank you for your support of this airport. Since 1990 when you have taken over the airport duties, you have funded a total to our airport of $5,459,117. We're presently in a development phase with you, which you have approved of some $3,515,000.

This was a military base where jet fighters were trained, and its transition into larger aircraft is coming back. Your assistance has enabled us to improve our runways. We're now working on our lighting systems. The parking area is leveling up.

Highway 289 is also important to us. Highway 289 will be the west frontage to the airport. And this is where there is a lot of industrial land to be developed, which will add direct access to the airport. So in support of it I'm thanking you for what you've done for Grayson Airport. Thank you.

CHAIRMAN LANEY: Thank you, Mr. Olmstead.

JUDGE GROFF: Let me also introduce to you or present to you three of my colleagues from the commissioner's court here in Grayson County, Mr. Johnnie McCraw represents Precinct 2. Mr. Doug Walker is to Precinct 1, and Mr. Gene Short is in Precinct 4. We appreciate their support and their presence here today also.

I also want to acknowledge the presence of Rick Vickers, Ron Clark who I think had an opportunity to visit with you people, and, Ron, we appreciate your support. And he's assured us that he will vote for your appropriations request.

CHAIRMAN LANEY: Ms. Reporter, did you get that on the record?

JUDGE GROFF: But, Chairman, I want to focus your attention on now State Highway 289 which has been alluded to by several other speakers, and certainly we're cognizant of the importance of that edge to our area and its future development. As it's been said, the improvements have been made through the City of Gunter, and for that we're most appreciative.

It's under contract for the Collin County line in the northern direction into Gunter, and then there are proposals to extend that on northerly to where it currently terminates at the Highway 56 west of Sherman.

Certainly you're well aware of the rapid urbanization that's taking place in northern Collin County and those -- that population is moving in on us at a pretty rapid pace, you know, when you consider that I think in 1970 Collin County had a population of about 67,000, and today it's 425,000, and they're running out of land, so they're moving in. And we welcome those people, and we'd like to have a transportation system that will help them get their goods to market, as well as for them to get to and from work and their recreational activities, which I guess the biggest population center on 289 and Collin County is the Frisco community, and it's grown from about 6,600 in 1990 to, I think, about 27,000 today.

And we're seeing that development continue on northerly in the communities of Pottsboro and Celina. And so 289 is developing rather rapidly, and it's beginning to impact our area. A lot of the growth that we're seeing in southern Grayson County is in the Gunter and Van Alstyne area, and 289 is one of the accesses to that development.

So it is rapidly becoming a major north/south or inter regional facility for our area because many of our people work in the metroplex and choose to live up here. And we're grateful that they want to live in this area and enjoy the quality of life that we have.

So we want to ask you to consider, in addition to those improvements that have been in the program for a couple of years to make improvements to the Highway 56, is to give consideration to extending 289 in a northerly direction, and it's from about the top two-thirds of the map there along the west side of Grayson County Airport and terminating west of the City of Pottsboro. We think that that certainly would improve transportation in our area and probably would relieve some of the congestion on U.S. 75 and give us another north/south access into the Dallas/Fort Worth area. I'm pleased to report to you that the Grayson County Commissioner's Court had its Monday meeting. The newspaper headlines were correct. Financially we committed to become your partner in this project, and you're committed to acquire the necessary right of ways and adjust the utilities for this project, and we would be willing to deliver that package to you if you would authorize the staff to go forward with the development and whatever relationship we need to develop through contracts to do that.

I also want to include in your record here
today, we have resolutions of support, I think,
from every entity in Grayson County and the
Chambers of Commerce from the Metropolitan
Planning Organization, the council of government,
and it indicates that there is broad base support
throughout our corridor for this request for
project. We would like to be your partner in it,
and we certainly think it has merit. And we are
mindful of the financial constraints that all of
us face in our budgets, and we're willing to
commit to you to do what we can to make it a
reality. And we'll be -- we'll be pleased to
respond to any questions that either of you may
have.

CHAIRMAN LANEY: Thank you. Would you mind elaborating a little on the commitment from a financial standpoint? What was the --

JUDGE GROFF: Well, I hesitate to state a REASON HERE, BUT WE DIDN'T -- WE DIDN'T SET AN AMOUNT.

CHAIRMAN LANEY: Okay. Good.

JUDGE GROFF: You know -- I mean, that's an unknown number at this time. I think the intent of the Court was that -- you know, we would work with you, if you needed consultants to expedite the project. We're willing to share in that and then the acquisition of the right of way and relocation of whatever facilities are necessary to bring you a package deal so that construction can be considered.

CHAIRMAN LANEY: Well, I very much appreciate that, and, first of all, thank you for your presentation, and -- and let me add that a common course heard around the state from this commission and TxDOT is that our funds are constrained, despite the giant step forward I think we're taking with TEA-21 and the Federal System Transportation Legislation. We are still very constrained financially and are constantly faced with how to leverage the reach of our funds and the impact of our funds statewide. And it is very unlikely that we would even begin to consider a project like this without the gesture that you all have made, so my compliments to you.

I think it is farsighted, and it is part and parcel of virtually every major transportation project that you will see and that anybody in this room will see going forward in Grayson County that that will be tremendous. So it's a great step forward for you all to do that, and I know that our staff has taken note, and we will be in touch with you about that. We understand it's an important project. We appreciate your willingness to step up because we're interested in moving transportation over in Texas, and we wouldn't be able to do it without that kind of gesture. Mr. Nichols.

COMMISSIONER NICHOLS: Taking that still on that same point, the local participation shows -- when it's there, shows a unified support in the area, not just of a city but the county and the region. And when you have a vested interest in a project, then it is a real step forward from the area. Obviously you have everything resolved.

People are supporting it. If you're not willing
to put your own money up, it also sends a
signal. So I think you're heading in an
extremely positive direction on that and would
encourage you to work with the district and the
areas here to come up and try to tailor that
package that will work for you and help leverage
that project, so I think that's great.
JUDGE GROFF: We understand it's easy to be
for something when somebody else is paying for
it.
COMMISSIONER NICHOLS: Right.
JUDGE GROFF: Thank you for giving us the opportunity to make this presentation. Is the reporter the appropriate person to leave the resolution?

CHAIRMAN LANEY: Or you can bring it up here and leave it with us. I may have the speakers slightly out of order, but I hope not. I'll do my best on this. I believe our next speaker is Cooke County Judge Russell Duncan, who will be talking about Interstate 35/U.S. 82 Interchange.

JUDGE DUNCAN: Mr. Chairman and members of the commission and TxDOT officials, my name is Russell Duncan. I am county judge of Cooke County. We have with us today the mayor of Gainesville, Kenneth Kaden. We have our city manager, Mike Glenn. I told him he wouldn't -- he wasn't on the schedule to speak, but I was going to call on him anyhow to come and say a few words on what it was like to be put in the Wall Street Journal yesterday, our airport manager Mike Shahan, and our transportation consultant Mike Lloyd.

We've enjoyed a partnership with TxDOT, and we're continuing to work in that direction. We have two major projects that we would like to discuss with you. One is our municipal airport. This was a World War II Army airport and was turned over to us at the end of the war. It now has jet transportation facilities for landing and new terminals, and also it's located on U.S. 82.

It's about four miles west of the intersection of I-35, and that's another project that we would like to speak with you about is the interchange of I-35 and U.S. 82. So to lead off our presentation is our airport manager, Mike Shahan, and he'll be followed by Mike Lloyd, and followed up by Kenneth Kaden. Thank you.

MIKE SHAHAN: We are here today to thank you for your support, Texas Department of Aviation -- or TxDOT Aviation Division and also the City of Gainesville. I would also like to bring you up-to-date on the events which we've made in the last few years and to share with you what TxDOT Aviation and the City of Gainesville envision for our airport.

First of all, like Judge Duncan gave his opinion, we are located two miles -- actually two miles west of Interstate 35 and the U.S. Highway 82 Interchange. In 1991 the airport board working with TxDOT Aviation built the main runways by 500 feet, with a total distance of 5,000 foot. We also overlayed both primary and secondary runways and taxiways. This was done to upgrade the airport in transport category -- or transport service category. This was so corporate aircrafts could land and actually meet people at the airport. Total cost of that project was 1.2 million dollars.

Now, beginning in 1994 the airport board began a strategic planning process. They identified four items that they felt were essential in making the Gainesville Airport an economic asset to the city. First was to build a
new airport terminal, identify the land use
opportunities, market to airport, and then operational issues such as hiring a full-time airport manager, providing 24-hour fueling capabilities to aircraft, and building aircraft infrastructures such as T-hangers, multistorage hangers, and one of the most important items attracting a full-time maintenance facility to the airport. That was in 1994.

In 1995 the City of Gainesville hired a full-time airport manager, which is myself, completed construction of the new 4,200 square foot airport accommodatability and installed a new fuel farm with a self-serve fueling system.

We also bought a jet A-trap to deliver jet A-fuel. Cost of improvements was $419,000.

Now, in 1996 the City of Gainesville built an additional agent T-hanger. With the agent T-hanger improvements that were made at the airport, the Texas Department of Aviation really does promote this to be the most improved airport in the state of Texas for the year 1996. We are currently building a three unit T-hanger with a 4,200 foot maintenance hanger, plus the depreciated tax. We have a full-time maintenance shop that is already located at the airport.  They've moved up here from another airport in the area.

We also have a helicopter flight school moving in from Oklahoma that will be operating out of the airport once the hangers are in place. The total cost of the hangers built in '96 and the one we're currently building is a total of a $300,000 investment. That means that the total investment since 1994 at the Gainesville Airport is a little over $719,000.

The two public sector funded projects that we are expecting to complete this year are the installation of automatic weather observation system and the airport action plan. Both projects total about $105,000.

Now, as a result of all these investments and our partnership with TxDOT Aviation Division, the quality resulted. Since 1994 fuel sales have increased more than 150 percent. We've gone from 20,000 gallons of fuel in a year to over 100,000 gallons. Aircraft space has increased by 225 percent. In '95 we started with 30 aircrafts. By the end of this summer -- by the end of this year we should have about 98 aircrafts based at the Gainesville Airport.

What we find most important is the private sector investment at the airport that has brought an additional $800,000 investment in infrastructure, mainly aircraft hangers, and has increased -- added, at least, 11 aviation related jobs and has attracted approximately 1.5 million dollars in industry related improvements. Also, the Gainesville Economic Development Corporation has made a commitment of 2.5 million dollars to develop the airport industrial park, which would be the industrial property located at the airport.

I would just like to conclude by thanking you for your tremendous support to the Texas Department of Aviation and to the City of Gainesville that you have given. Our vision of Gainesville Municipal Airport is one of great economic development that will enhance the City of Gainesville, as well as surrounding
communities.

Working with TxDOT Aviation, strategic
vision of the airport has turned into reality.
There's only one important item left, and that is
a positional approach of the Gainesville
Municipal Airport. Right now we have a
nonpositional viewpoint approach.
According to the FAA, the airports that
have all the related items that goes with this
positional approach in play by year 2001 will get
one. That's what we're currently working on
right now is getting the necessary items in
place. We want to be ready when the time comes
in 2001. Thank you for your time. Now I would
like to turn the rest of the presentation over to
Mike Lloyd, who will discuss the I-35 and U.S.
82.

CHAIRMAN LANEY: Mike, if you would introduce yourself.

MIKE LLOYD: Good morning, Chairman and
Commissioner. My name is Mike Lloyd. I'm a
consultant of the Innovative Transportation
Solutions, Incorporated. Mike Starek was unable
to be here today but sends his best wishes. It's
a pleasure to have this opportunity to appear
before you today on behalf of the City of
Gainesville and the Gainesville Economic
Development Corporation.

As Mike Shahan outlined the GEDC has made
investments in the airport industrial park in
conjunction with the state and the IH-35 west/82
Interchange is a vital link for various modes of
transportation and is part of the City's
long-term vision. We are here before you today
seeking a partnership with the Texas Department
of Transportation to modify the Interstate
35/U.S. 82 Interchange in order to provide
greater safety, area mobility, enhance economic
development, and facilitate increasing truck
traffic. It is the first major interchange in
Texas that the drivers traveling south on
have been anxiously following the Interstate 35
corridor study that's currently underway.
Modifications to the interchange and the creation
of frontage road continuity along Interstate 35
will not only improve safety and mobility but
will also increase the potential for economic
growth along the corridor and in Gainesville and
the gateway to Texas. We have already met with
Mr. David Peeples, the district engineer of the
Wichita Falls district, Mr. Wayne Bell of the
Gainesville area office, and Ms. Francis Pelley,
the executive director of the Texoma Council of
Governments.

We are currently working on a programming
assessment to place this project on the state's
long-range plan. Currently the Interstate area
is approximately 29,000 vehicles per day with
6,600 vehicles per day using the northbound IH-35
off ramps, and truck traffic is approximately 20
percent along the main lanes.

And with NAFTA expanding trade among the
member nations, the number of trucks is
anticipated to continually increase. In 1996 the
population estimate for the City of Gainesville
was approximately 14 to 15,000 people. The 2020
population estimate is a range between 23 and
25,000 people, which is an approximate increase of 68 percent. Population growth in the area, combined with additional regional traffic and
long-haul truck traffic, has resulted in increased congestion and safety concerns at the Interstate 35/U.S. 82 Interchange. Currently the interchange is a partial clover leaf design with loop ramps located on the north side of U.S. 82. There are consecutive northbound off ramps and southbound on ramps.
The loop ramp has a design speed of 25 miles per hour, which is even lower for the heavy vehicles trying to traverse it. The northbound IH-35 to eastbound U.S. 82 ramp has a very steep grade of approximately 7.5 percent, and the ramp length exceeds the critical length of grade for design resulting in trucks traveling much slower than the average passenger vehicle creating a significant safety issue and decrease of mobility. All these factors result in excessive travel times and distances, as well as the expensive right of way at the interchange. We are proposing that the interchange be modified to a conventional urban diamond design. The clover leaves will be removed. The continuous frontage roads would be provided through the interchange and sleek ramps would provide access to and from the Interstate 35 main lanes. Such a design will allow interchange capacity to be easily controlled by traffic signals set in according to traffic demands. The diamond shape would allow all traffic to enter and leave the Interstate at a relatively free flow, thus reducing travel time. The new design would reduce the amount of necessary right of way, and ramp locations would be set to optimize access to properties adjacent to the freeways. These changes increase potential for economic growth along both Interstate 35 and U.S. 82. Furthermore, the
design would increase safety and mobility by being in accordance with driver's expectations. The City of Gainesville and the Gainesville Economic Development Corporation look forward to fostering partnerships with the state to enhance the overall system. The interchange is a vital link locally, regionally, as well as to the state. Modifying the interchange and building continuous frontage roads would improve safety and mobility, as well as contribute substantially to the economic growth in Gainesville. In closing, upon completion of the programming assessment, the City is looking for the state to expeditiously place this project on the long-range plan, such that the partnership between the State and the City can expand. We appreciate the support that the State has provided in the City's efforts up to this point, and thank you. And now the mayor, I believe, has some words.

CHAIRMAN LANEY: If you would introduce yourself.

MAYOR KADEN: Mayor Kenneth Kaden from
Gainesville. Mr. Laney, Mr. Nichols, there's one
person that I need to introduce that we didn't
introduce that comes from Cooke County is the
president of the Texoma Council Government, Jerry
Lewis, our commissioner. Again, thank you for
allowing us the opportunity to present this
information this morning.
Both the Mikes have provided a quick
summary of some important issues for our
community and our county. We appreciate your
past support in both our area of highways and the
airport. We appreciate this and your continuing
partnership in taking these projects onto completion. Do you have any questions on any of these projects?

CHAIRMAN LANEY: I don't think so.

COMMISSIONER NICHOLS: I don't have any questions.

MAYOR KADEN: Again, we certainly appreciate the opportunity with you being out in the area and hands-on opportunity to look at these projects. Thank you.

CHAIRMAN LANEY: Thank you, Mayor. We appreciate it. Again, if I have these out of order, forgive me, but I believe our next speaker is Mayor Bryan Peeler of Bonham talking about State Highway 121 and U.S. 82. Mayor Peeler, welcome.

MAYOR PEELER: Thank you for the opportunity to be here today, and I appreciate you coming up to our area to talk to us about our highways. I would like to talk to you about two highways that run through Fannin County and what is best for our county and the economic development.
First highway is Highway 121, which extends from Bonham into Melissa, McKinney, and on into the Dallas/Fort Worth Airport in Fort Worth.
This project has not been on any schedule, but we would like to put it on the schedule for long-term planning. We would like to have a
four-lane highway that comes through Melissa up
to Bonham.
Our economic growth, of course, has been
south of Dallas where all the transportation
linkages are, and to make our area more viable,
we would like to have a four-lane road. We are
trying to build a heritage district and tourist
dollars in Bonham, and we need to get the traffic
from Dallas to Bonham. The main problem we have
right now with this highway is the two lane, and
it has lots of traffic, and it is very, very slow
to move up and down the highway. We would like
to expedite that problem and make it -- make
economic usage out of that highway as our main
link to Dallas.

Also, I'd like to talk to you about Highway 82, which runs east/west through Fannin County, and I want to say to the commission, first of all, thank you very much for the work that you've done on that highway for the last several years, and this is a long-term project. I guess you all are well aware that the original commission -- I don't even know who was on that commission because it was in 1954 -- that laid out Highway 82 east/west from the project -- the east/west project that was under construction now. I know that this commission has been frustrated by the lack of dollars as we all have, but this project has come -- has been put up on the front burner. We do have a major problem with a safety
factor with the intersection of Highway 78 and
82. We've had several major accidents in that
area. Back in the late 60s or early 70s there
was a big amount of (inaudible) that was piled up
on one side of that intersection, and nothing has
happened since. We would like to go ahead and
get a bridge over that intersection to make it
safe for the safety issue.
We appreciate everything you've done in the
past, but we would like to go ahead and try to
complete that project over a 70 -- over Highway
78 while this funding cycle is going and you have
the crews there that are finishing the bridge
over 121. So we think it would be economically
viable to go ahead and finish doing both at one
time instead of going away and coming back.
Those are the two issues that are very hot
in Fannin County because we want the traffic from
Dallas to come through Bonham, and we also want
the safety issue of having a terrible
intersection there corrected. So if y'all could
look into your budgets and see what is available,
we would appreciate any help you can give us.
Thank you very much.
CHAIRMAN LANEY: Thank you, Mayor. Our
next speaker is Don Wall, Chairman of the Lamar
County Chamber of Commerce, I think.
DONALD WALL: Good morning, gentlemen. My
name is Donald Wall. I am chairman of the Lamar
County Transportation Committee, also president
of the East Texas Highway -- Gulf Highway
Association. Chairman Laney, Mr. Nichols, it's
always a pleasure meeting with y'all, as we've
had the pleasure of doing most recently. But
today I'm presenting myself on behalf of Mayor --
Paris Mayor Charles Neeley and Chuck Superville
who were indisposed and unable to attend today.
We welcome you to the Paris district for your
July meeting.
You've heard the speakers before me, and we
would like to go on record as saying we're in
support of the projects that have been presented,
especially U.S. 82. These projects are needed
completely throughout this district and the
communities that have presented petition today.
Adding only one thing to the comments
already made on 82, we would like to see the
section from Paris, East 42nd Street to the city
limits of Reno -- new 82 has just been
recently completed. We would like to see that
short section upgraded to match each end of that
project. We're most appreciative for the
enhancement projects underway in Paris from
the Texas Department of Transportation.
To highlight a few, 19th Street northwest
of Plum Street run off mitigation basin. This is
a statewide transportation enhancement program, a
program grant under the category of mitigation of
water pollution due to highway runoff. This
project is a temporary storm water sedimentation
and pollution mitigation basin located in west
Paris. This project is nearing completion.
Santa Fe Frisco Depot. This is a statewide
transportation enhancement program grant to
restore the depot to its original condition. A
transportation museum will be the focal point of
the depot.
Also, the Lamar County Chamber of Commerce
and the Lamar County Geological Society will be
housed in the depot with a visitor center. The
City of Paris has received two grants for the
Texas Department of Transportation Aviation
Division.
The first grant is to build a new terminal
at Cox Field Airport and also to resurface the
taxiway or taxi lanes near the hanger. The
taxiway and taxi lane project has been completed,
and the terminal is under construction to be
completed this fall.
The second grant will be to reconstruct and
rehabilitate the main runway at Cox Field Airport
along with a rehabilitation taxiway near the
runway. We expect this project to be completed
in 1999 with the funding you have made
available.
Mr. Tom Ellis and his staff have undertaken
a reconstruction program on our urban streets and
highways unparallel in recent history from
reconstruction of Lamar Avenue, which is just
beginning, from east Loop 286 to 12th Street in
Paris to resurfacing of U.S. 82 west of Fannin
County line of U.S. 271, from Paris to the Red
River will give our driving public safe roads to
travel. We could not stop our praise of the
department without mentioning the major efforts
being placed on our district farm to market
system. We salute Mr. Ellis for his wishing to
elevate the Paris district from last place
statewide on the condition of our farm to market
roads.
We have two ongoing projects that we
request be monitored closely to keep on schedule
or perhaps be accelerated. First is U.S. 24 from
Commerce in Hunt County to State Highway 19 in
Delta County. This will close the gap for a
four-lane divided highway from Paris to
Interstate 30 south of Commerce.
Second issue is 271 four-lane divided
highway from Paris to Mount Pleasant. This
section is most needed to complete the Green
Carpet Memorial Route from Red River south to the
Gulf Coast. These two projects are ongoing and
on present schedule. We recognize the shortage
of finance to meet all transportation needs, and
therefore, at this time Paris and Lamar County
are making no new requests so that you can devote
full attention to completing the task at hand.
Thank you again for allowing me to address
you with our wishes.
Now, gentlemen, on a personal note, I could
not close without a note of personal gratitude of
thank you for honoring me with the Road Hand
Award at the recent Texas Good Roads Annual
Meeting in Austin, Mr. Heald, for your
announcement, Mr. Ellis for his recommendation
and presentation. And each of you, Chairman
Laney, and Commissioner Wynne who is not here
today, and Chairman Nichols for signing that
proclamation. Thank you.
CHAIRMAN LANEY: Thank you. We
appreciate it very much, and I mentioned the
Green Carpet Region, so I don't think we can go
any further without personal recognition of Mayor
Abernathy, who has probably made more
presentations to us than anybody in the state
history. More than anything else, Mayor, we
appreciate your patience.
MAYOR ABERNATHY: Thank you, sir. I
appreciate the opportunity, Chairman Laney. My
name is D.H. Abernathy. I'm serving my 50th year
as a city elected official of Pittsburgh, Texas,
and my 45th year as mayor. I'm vice-president of
East Texas Highway Association that has promoted
the Green Carpet Memorial Route since 1965.
That's a four-lane road from Houston to the
Oklahoma border.
This is my 35th presentation before this
commission in the past 34 years. I've worn out
six sets of commissioners, and I don't know
whether I'm going to last through another one or
not. We appreciate the help that the commission
is giving us on the Green Carpet Route. We think
it's a direct route from the NAFTA traffic, which
is 80 percent into Texas from Mexico direct
north, ties in at Kansas City with I-29 and on up
to Winnipeg, Canada. So we sincerely appreciate
the help that you're giving us toward the
completion of the Green Carpet Route. Thank you
very much.
CHAIRMAN LANEY: Thank you, mayor. I
note for the record that you have not signed up
to speak, but there's no way we're going to have
a commission meeting with you in the audience,
and I'm not going to allow you not to speak.
MAYOR ABERNATHY: Thank you.
CHAIRMAN LANEY: This may well have
been taken out of order, and I apologize.
Derrell Hall, Fannin County Judge.
JUDGE HALL: Thank you, Mr. Nichols,
Mr. Chairman, for your willingness to be here to
listen to the concerns of these counties in this
area. As everyone else has done, let me, first
of all, give you our sincere thanks for the work
that you've done in our area, especially in
Fannin County for the construction of 282, east
and west across our county and towards Grayson
County from Lamar County has been a project
that's as old as Mayor Peeler himself, and I'm
sorry that he's not here to defend himself for
that. I would also like to echo the concern that
he had mentioned earlier for economic development
in Fannin County.
To Judge Groff let me say that the best way
I know to take traffic off of Highway 75 is to
send it up 121 to Fannin County. And I would
like to join Mayor Peeler in his appeal to the
highway commission to in your long-range plan
consider an expansion and the improvement of
Highway 121 from McKinney into Bonham. We
believe it is our economic lifeline to the
metroplex, just as Highway 75 is for Grayson
County, and it certainly is high on our list of
priorities.
As other speakers have mentioned this
morning, I could not pass the opportunity to
thank you for your continued maintenance and
improvement of farm to market roads in our Fannin
County. Farm to market roads are important to
our economy there. We are still predominantly an
agricultural county. I live way up on the Red
River, and I travel back and forth to work every
day on the farm to market road system, and I
appreciate the attention that you give to the
farm to market roads in our county. It's a much
needed project for us.
And lastly, but certainly not least -- and
this may seem like a trifling and unfulfilling
issue to most people, but to us in Fannin County
and in Bonham it's a very important issue. And
one that I have visited with the engineer's
office in Paris on earlier, and we would
really like if -- of course, we hear the rumor
mill all the time about what may or may not
happen in Fannin County. It is our wish and
desire of the Fannin County Commissioner's Court
and all the elected officials in Fannin County, I
believe, to by whatever means necessary please
maintain our TxDOT office there in Bonham.
We believe that with economic growth that
is about to explode on Fannin County, it's just
incumbent that TxDOT has a presence in our county
and in our county seat there in Bonham. So for
your consideration thank you, and we appreciate
the opportunity to express our concerns to you.
Thank you very much.
CHAIRMAN LANEY: We appreciate your
comments. Is there anyone who has signed up who
I have overlooked who would like to speak before
we move into our district presentation? In
wrapping up the presentation will be our district
engineer from the Paris district, Tom Ellis.
TOM ELLIS: Thank you, Chairman Laney and
Commissioner Nichols and the administration. I
would like to talk to y'all about the Paris
district in three different areas. One is some
general information about the Paris district, and
other areas are high priority projects, and
lastly our district philosophy.
The Paris district is made up of nine
counties, as you see on the slide, Grayson
County, Fannin County, Lamar County, Delta
County, Red River County, Franklin County,
Hopkins County, Rains County, and Hunt County.
Our district oversees 7,000 lane miles. We have
a $200,000,000 budget, and of that $200,000,000,
$185,000,000 is under contract, construction
projects and maintenance contracts. We have a
work force of 350 highly motivated and productive
employees to manage that $185,000,000 which is
under contract.
Our first high priority project, of course,
here in Grayson County is State Highway 289
corridor. We presently have the project under
contract and will continue to have projects under
contract up through State Highway 56. When I
first moved into the -- transferred to the Paris
district, the first thing that our local area
engineer Bobby Littlefield indicated to me that
State Highway 289 was high priority here in
Grayson County, and we've tried to stay focused
on this corridor.
Our next high priority corridor is U.S. 82,
which goes from Bonham to Sherman, and I'd like
to publicly thank the commission. The commission
has -- the commission has dedicated funding --
discretionary funds, and they dedicated
$7,700,000 to a segment of this corridor, so I
would like to thank them again for that.
We're really -- we're very excited about
the new process on our trunk system, trunk system
corridor process, which was initiated by
Commissioner Nichols with the philosophy of
building complete corridors on our trunk system
and building corridors that would relieve
congestion in our metroplexes, and this would be
one route that would do this. This is in Rains
and Hunt County. We would go from a two-lane
highway to a four-lane divided facility. We just
received -- in fact, just briefly we received
notice that we have dedicated funding for over
$100,000,000 on this corridor, which we're real
excited about, which construction will begin in
year 2001 and will continue through 2005.
Our next high priority corridor is State
Highway 24. This is another project we just
received. We also just got notice that we
received dedicated funding of over $42,000,000.
Construction will begin in the fiscal year of
2001 and go through 2004. This segment will
complete -- would be to set the gap that would
complete this corridor from Paris to I-30 and
would go from Commerce to North Cooper on the
State Highway 19.
You know, about a month ago I really was
trying to figure out what I was going to say at
the commission meeting, and, like I said, we just
received notice on these corridors where we
received funding. It's just a coincidence that
the commission meeting happened to be in the
Paris district when we received this funding. So
I'm not sure if it's a coincidence, but I would
like to respectfully request that we have another
commission meeting here in our district next
year.
CHAIRMAN LANEY: Tom, we actually sent
you that money hoping you wouldn't say anything.
TOM ELLIS: You know, every district
engineer in the state always tries to find ways
of receiving additional funding for their
district, and I'm one of those district engineers
that tries to find different ways, whether it's
through reports or graphs or whether it's through
whatever means possible, begging for it, showing
them your worst roadways in your district and
showing them the photos of that and saying all
the roads are like that.
I've come to realize on the next corridor
that we have, the Green Carpet Route, I have
probably my best asset which is Mayor Abernathy.
As he indicated, he's been coming before the
commission 34 times on my notes. Of course, it's
35 now. I think you all have heard this, that he
would like the corridor complete before he dies,
so I plan to meet that goal.
I'd like to briefly mention we have two
projects -- this is in Greenville, FM 1570 over
an $8,000,000 project which was let a few years
ago, and we would like to continue this project
in Greenville and complete this segment of
roadway on 1570, and that's a high focus of
ours. Another project I would briefly like to
mention is Interstate 30 to Sulphur Springs. We
just let a contract of 30 million -- excuse me, a
$15,000,000 contract in Sulphur Springs.
Lastly, I would like to thank the
commission and the administration for the
additional funding that we've received, but
probably more importantly for allowing the Paris
district to accelerate projects. I think you all
are aware that we've accelerated projects one
year, two years, and many times as much as three
years in advance over the past two years. And
for a small district like the Paris district
we're used to averaging about $60,000,000 per
year, 60 to $70,000,000. And we've had this
opportunity to move projects up and to really be
aggressive in our program, and I'd like to thank
you on behalf of the citizens of this region and
myself for bringing into this part of the region
$200,000,000 over the -- over the last two
years. Thank you.
CHAIRMAN LANEY: Thank you, Tom. You
and the boys in Paris have done a remarkable job,
and we appreciate it very much. It makes our job
easy, and it makes it a lot easier for us to
commit dollars in the direction of the Paris
district. Always lots to do. And I would like
to thank all of you for the presentations today.
We appreciate all the comments and
presentations.
There are a number of important projects in
this area. Needless to say, we cannot get to all
of them, but we can get to more of them today
than we could have even three months ago, and I'm
encouraged by that. We still have some steps to
take forward, and we look forward to working with
the legislature going forward. But we'll
certainly give every consideration to all of the
projects that we've heard about today, and I
would like to say that I'm optimistic we'll be
able to address a number of them. Commissioner
Nichols, would you like to add anything before we
go into our regular course of business?
COMMISSIONER NICHOLS: No.
CHAIRMAN LANEY: Is there anyone who
would like to speak before we move into our
regular business agenda who has not had an
opportunity? We'll now proceed with our regular
meeting agenda. First item is the approval of
the minutes of commission meeting of June 25th,
1998. Any comments and corrections on those
things?
WES HEALD: I move to accept it.
CHAIRMAN LANEY: I second the motion. All
in favor?
(Commissioners respond.)
WES HEALD: Continuing on to Agenda Item
Number 2, promulgation of rules and regulations,
2(a) rules for proposed adoption. Eloise
Lundgren from the Public Information Office will
be handling this.
ELOISE LUNDGREN: Chairman Laney,
Mr. Nichols, Mr. Heald, Mr. Pickett, Mr. Behrens,
I'm Eloise Lundgren, director of the Public
Information Office. And before you is the minute
order that proposes the adoption of amendments
3.24 and 3.25 to those sections concerning the
department's complaint resolution process.
The Transportation Code requires the
department to make information available to the
public and other agencies, state agencies,
describing our complaint resolution process and
prescribe also requirements for complaint file
and maintenance and content. The code also
requires the commission, by rule, to establish
methods which consumers and service recipients
can identify department's name, mailing address,
telephone number.
The amendments to Section 3.24 propose to
add the application for motor carrier
registration and application for oversize and
overweight permits in the list of documents on
which the notice will be provided to any one of
the entities in how to direct complaints
concerning the department's regulation of that
entity.
The amendments to Section 3.25 would
propose to reflect the recently enacted
legislation affecting the department's
responsibilities, complaint claim investigation
and resolution information to complainant and the
person or entity that is the subject complaint
and the contents of that file. The staff
recommends approval.
CHAIRMAN LANEY: Any comments or
questions?
COMMISSIONER NICHOLS: No questions.
CHAIRMAN LANEY: Is there a motion to
move?
COMMISSIONER NICHOLS: I'll submit it.
CHAIRMAN LANEY: Second it. All in favor?
(Commissioners respond.)
WES HEALD: Continuing on to Agenda Item
2(a)(2) Chapter 5 Finance, repeal of some rules,
and Jack Ingram from the Office of General
Counsel.
JACK INGRAM: Good morning, Chairman Laney,
Mr. Nichols. I'm Jack Ingram, associate general
counsel. The first minute order is the proposal
of the repeal of Sections 5.1-5.3 concerning
equipment leases, wrecked equipment, and
equipment construction. As part of the
department's rule review process, certain rules
that we adopted in 1976 we would like to identify
should be repealed. General Services Division
has recommended Section 5.1(a) concerning
equipment leases, that's covered by provisions
under State Purchasing and General Services Act.
The remainder of 5.1 and 5.2 and 5.3 are proposed
for repeal because they are obsolete, out of
context and no assistance to the public. The
staff recommends approval.
CHAIRMAN LANEY: One comment. It is
rare that we repeal without replacing the rules.
My compliments to you. Let's see if we can do
more of that. That's my only comment. I'm
delighted.
COMMISSIONER NICHOLS: I move to repeal.
CHAIRMAN LANEY: I second it. All in
favor?
(Commissioners respond.)
WES HEALD: Continuing on to Agenda Item
2(a)(3), more rules for proposed adoption under
Chapter 7, and Jack will also handle this.
JACK INGRAM: This minute order proposes
the adoption of repeal of Section 7.1, 7.11, and
7.21 and amendments to 15.51, 15.52, and 15.54.
Now, Chapter 7 of the department's rules concern
a bridge division, and that division was merged
into another division during the 1993
reorganization of the department.
Section 7.11 and 7.21 are proposed to be
moved to Section 15.54, which would allow the
consolidation of all rules related to federal,
state, and local participation to be in one
subchapter. Section 7.1 is proposed for repeal
since these criteria concerning the minimum
vertical clearances are now governed by federal
and state guidelines. And we also -- staff
recommends approval of this order.
CHAIRMAN LANEY: Motion to move.
COMMISSIONER NICHOLS: Second.
CHAIRMAN LANEY: All in favor?
(Commissioners respond.)
WES HEALD: Thank you, Jack. Agenda Item
2(a)(4) Chapter 25 Traffic Operations and your
consideration to amend some rules, and Tom
Newbern, director of our Traffic Operations
Division.
TOM NEWBERN: Good morning. My name is Tom
Newbern, director of Traffic Operation Division.
This minute order 2(a)(4) proposes the adoption
to amendments to Section 25.421, 25.422, and
25.424 concerning this city pride program. The
city pride program is designed to allow
municipalities to erect and maintain display
signs at their expense concerning points of
interest, geographical or recreational, cultural,
or city information here in the city limits.
These proposed amendments today allow
Keep Texas Beautiful and the Texas Historical
Commission signs to remain as freestanding signs
at the entrances to cities. The current rules
are to have those signs removed and put on the
city pride sign if the city chose to put one up
there.
The Keep Texas Beautiful signs promote the
program which combine the spirit of federal and
state highway beautification acts by trying to
reduce litter on the highways and the Texas
Historical Commission signs to promote tourism
and encourage tourists to -- advise them of the
historical points within a city.
We believe that this change will be
provided for consistent treatment of this type of
sign under state agencies, as the Texas Natural
Resource Conservation Clean Water signs currently
are allowed to be freestanding signs and not be
on the city pride signs. These amendments also
delete the requirements for the department and/or
the city to remove all existing civic
organizations or attachment signs from the
department right of way by September 1, 1998.
Since participation in the city pride sign
program is voluntary, we felt like it would be
appropriate to leave the removal of signs to the
discretion of local jurisdictions unless there is
a need for maintenance on the signs or they were
presenting a hazard. The rules also prohibit
municipalities -- are required to participate in
municipalities to regulate freestanding signs and
prohibits them from putting anymore up. Staff
recommends approval of this minute order.
CHAIRMAN LANEY: Any questions?
COMMISSIONER NICHOLS: These are strictly
on state right of ways?
TOM NEWBERN: Yes, sir.
CHAIRMAN LANEY: So moved. Can I have a
second?
COMMISSIONER NICHOLS: Second.
CHAIRMAN LANEY: All in favor?
(Commissioners respond.)
WES HEALD: Agenda Item 2(b), this is the
rule for proposed adoption, Chapter 7, and I
think this is transferring from the old Bridge
Division and Traffic Operations Division some
rules. Tom will also handle this.
TOM NEWBERN: That's correct. This minute
order repeals Section 7.41, 7.61, and 7.71;
however, when these are being transferred to the
section or chapter on traffic -- Traffic
Operations, Chapter 25.70 through 25.72. The --
and the new section 25.74 through .76 concerning
railroad crossings. These are minor just
shifting the rules to where they'll be more
easily found by the public, and there are some
minor revisions in the terminology to reflect
current organizational structure. Staff
recommends approval of these final adoptions of
this minute order.
CHAIRMAN LANEY: Final adoption of
repeal and amendment and no comments during both
hearings?
TOM NEWBERN: That's correct.
WES HEALD: Motion to move.
CHAIRMAN LANEY: Second. All in favor?
(Commissioners respond.)
WES HEALD: And that concludes our rules.
Agenda Item 3(a) under Program to approve the
proposed 1999 Highway Safety Plan, Tom will also
handle this.
TOM NEWBERN: This is Agenda Item 3(a)
approval of the 1999 Highway Safety Plan. Each
year the department implements the Highway Safety
Plan under the provisions of the 1966 National
Highway Safety Act and the Texas Safety Act of
1967. The purpose of traffic safety activity is
to reduce vehicle crashes with associated deaths,
injuries, and property damage due to those
crashes. These funds are allocated to program
areas authorized under the federal regulations.
Some of the program areas that are
addressed are police traffic services, alcohol
and drug countermeasures, occupant protection,
roadway safety, and public information education
programs, as well as a number of others. The
funds come from federal appropriations,
carry-over federal funds from previous years,
state appropriations and local matching funds
which is a very important part of this also.
The fund allocation is based on federal
mandates and further need is determined through
problem identification. The program is
implemented through grants our department
executes with local governments, other state
agencies, and educational institutes. Staff
recommends approval of this minute order.
CHAIRMAN LANEY: Any comments?
COMMISSIONER NICHOLS: I'm okay with it.
The only comment I really have is that some of
these are incredible programs. I think it's just
outstanding. I hope we get some statistics on
the last 30 years. With a 400 percent increase
in traffic in the state and about a one-third
increase of fatalities over the last 30 years,
it's absolutely an incredible number. I move to
adopt this.
CHAIRMAN LANEY: Second. All in favor?
(Commissioners respond.)
CHAIRMAN LANEY: The estimated cost of
planning is about 21, $22,000,000?
TOM NEWBERN: That's correct, yes, sir.
That's with the local match combined with federal
money and state money, yes, sir. Thank you.
WES HEALD: Tom, thank you. Continuing
with Programs, Agenda item 3(b), Jerry Selby will
handle this. Provide additional programming
authority for federal bank balance categories.
JERRY SELBY: Commissioner Nichols,
Chairman Laney, my name is Jerry Selby. I'm the
deputy director of the Transportation Planning
and Programming Division. The minute order that
we have this morning is on additional programming
authority. After the passage of the Intermodal
Surface Transportation Efficiency Act in December
of '91, the Texas Department of Transportation
issued construction allocation programs to each
district and MPO in the following categories:
STP metropolitan mobility, 4C; STP urban
mobility, category 4D; STP rural mobility,
category 4E; and CMAQ which is our air mitigation
program, category 5.
The construction allocation programs had
priority one authority which allowed the
districts and the MPOs to proceed to contract
with the program projects. The programs are
rapidly being depleted and are currently -- and
we currently have no mechanism to allow the
districts or the MPOs to program additional
projects. Without sufficient authority to
program authority, the department risks not
having projects ready for construction funding
for letting in priority one.
In order to provide an avenue for the
districts and MPOs to keep these projects in the
development process, we need to provide
additional programs in these categories. To do
this we are issuing priority two programming
authority seven times annual priority one
programming amounts for these STP categories, and
three and a half years the annual amount for our
CMAQ. This will provide a reasonable means of
long-range planning and programming projects.
Priority two program authorizes
right of way acquisition but does not provide
construction funding. As TEA-21 apportionments
are received by Texas, this strategy will ensure
that all districts have at least four years of
priority one and seven years of priority two
programming authority. That parallels our
programming philosophy in other mobility
categories, and this will carry the districts
through the year 2002 in their ability to develop
projects.
We will ask the commission to authorize
one-year programs for fiscal year 2003 for these
same programs at some time in our -- in the
future and in our allocation programs, which will
be in February of '99. Your approval of this
proposed minute order is requested.
CHAIRMAN LANEY: This is program
authority up to but not including construction
funding authority?
JERRY SELBY: That is correct, sir. It
gives the districts authority to develop plans
but no construction authority.
CHAIRMAN LANEY: Keeps the conveyor
belt going forward?
JERRY SELBY: Yes, sir.
CHAIRMAN LANEY: Do you have any
comments or questions?
COMMISSIONER NICHOLS: Well, the only
comment I had -- I was for it, but I want -- it
took me a while for a lot of this to soak in. I
had to go back over it about three times. But we
probably will have to make some adjustments, as I
understand it, once our new census is in?
JERRY SELBY: Once we have received all of
our suballocations from TEA-21 and the 2000
census, we will probably have to make some
adjustments. That's why we're not letting loose
of all the appropriations yet.
COMMISSIONER NICHOLS: They're going to see
you make money. That may have to be adjusted.
The EPA makes final changes on their attainment
definitions?
JERRY SELBY: That is correct.
COMMISSIONER NICHOLS: So at those points
the votes are significantly different from our
original estimate to readjust --
JERRY SELBY: And readjust the allocation
program.
COMMISSIONER NICHOLS: Okay.
(Approved by the commission.)
CHAIRMAN LANEY: Thank you.
WES HEALD: Agenda Item 4 under
transportation planning, approval of adjustments
to participation ratios for economically
disadvantaged counties. Jerry will also handle
that.
JERRY SELBY: This minute order approves
the staff recommended adjustment to the local
funds grants requirement for several projects
located in economically disadvantaged counties.
Section 222.053 of the Transportation Code
requires the commission, when evaluating a
proposal for a highway improvement project in a
local government that consists of all or a
portion of an economically disadvantaged county,
to adjust the minimum local matching funds
requirement after evaluating the local
government's effort and ability to meet the
requirement.
Section 222.053 of the Transportation Code
defines an economically disadvantaged county as a
county that has, in comparison to other counties
in the state, below average per capita property
value, below average per capita income, and above
average unemployment. Fifty-three Texas counties
met the definition of an economically
disadvantaged county in fiscal year '98. Local
governments in some of the 53 counties submitted
applications for adjustment to local funds match
requirement for projects within their
jurisdiction.
In determining the adjustment, the
following factors were considered and weighted:
population level, bonded indebtedness, tax base,
tax rate, and economic development sales tax.
The proposed adjustment for each county is shown
in Exhibit A to the minute order. We recommend
your approval of this minute order.
CHAIRMAN LANEY: There has been a great
deal of effort in the exercise of developing the
best approach, and there is no example that
we can follow that we have found anywhere, but I
have to commend those involved in the job of
trying to take what was a very complex exercise
and putting it to paper. I think it's a
terrific result, and the mandate from the
legislature was a difficult one to follow, but
I'm delighted where we are on this. It's
terrific.
JERRY SELBY: Thank you.
CHAIRMAN LANEY: The increased cost in
lieu of these disadvantaged counties picking up
their shares that they would ordinarily pick up,
my guess is your conjecture -- correct me if you
disagree here -- is somewhere within the 20 to
$40,000,000 a year range?
JERRY SELBY: That's probably correct,
sir. You know, it's hard to get a handle on.
CHAIRMAN LANEY: Yes, I understand.
We'll know better in a year.
JERRY SELBY: Yes, sir.
CHAIRMAN LANEY: Do you have any
comments?
COMMISSIONER NICHOLS: Just kind of adding
onto what you said, I know they did a lot of work
on it. I appreciate it. Also, I think both the
legislature mandates certain things and we do.
I think this was followed very closely in the
spirit of which the legislature wanted us to
approach this. I think they did an excellent job
in that spirit and those adjustments. With that
I'll accept it.
CHAIRMAN LANEY: I second the motion.
(Commissioners respond.)
WES HEALD: Agenda Item 5, State
Infrastructure Bank loan program, one in Fort
Bend County, one in Bell County, and Frank Smith
from our Finance Division will handle this.
FRANK SMITH: Chairman Laney and
Commissioner Nichols, I'm Frank Smith, director
of the Finance Division. This item 5(a) is
presented for final approval. It's a 2.7 million
dollar loan to the City of Sugar Land. The terms
of the loan are at a 4.5 percent interest rate
with a payback period of three years, and staff
recommends approval of this loan.
CHAIRMAN LANEY: Motion to move.
COMMISSIONER NICHOLS: Second it.
CHAIRMAN LANEY: All in favor?
(Commissioners respond.)
FRANK SMITH: The second Item 5(b) is a
request for a loan of $106,000 from the City of
Rogers. During negotiations for the terms of
this loan, the City had requested a 25-year
payback period. The department suggested
somewhere in the neighborhood of five to maybe
even a ten-year period, and we were not able to
come to terms with the payback on the loan, and
regrettably the staff brings to you today a
recommendation for a denial of the loan based on
the length of time for the payback period.
CHAIRMAN LANEY: Any comments?
COMMISSIONER NICHOLS: Yes. I agree with
y'all's conclusion on the 25-year denial. But
that is a very small community, and it has a
population of is 1,100. The loan is
approximately $100 a person in that town, and it
is on the farm to market system in front of the
schools. It is a worthwhile project that I know
the area wants to do.
I hate to send a message back to a small
community like that that we are not willing to
participate in a project or to loan money on
something like that, but at the same time not to
do the 25 years. So I would suggest that this
minute order be modified to show that we do deny
the 25-year extension, but we send a message to
offer them a 15-year loan on that and leave that
open for a period of time for them to accept
that, which will send a message to them that yes,
we are willing to loan you the money.
CHAIRMAN LANEY: If I can add to what
you had to say, Commissioner Nichols, I would
like to go ahead and take the action to deny the
loan in its current form and leave it that we
would invite them to come back and visit with the
staff. We encourage them to. We would very much
like to make this loan. We would like to see the
project go forward with you but not on these
terms.
COMMISSIONER NICHOLS: That's fine.
CHAIRMAN LANEY: So moved.
COMMISSIONER NICHOLS: Second.
CHAIRMAN LANEY: All in favor?
(Commissioners respond.)
WES HEALD: Moving onto Agenda Item Number
6, Operating Budget, approval of funding levels
for the 1999 Operating Budget. Frank will handle
that also.
FRANK SMITH: Commissioners, I bring to you
today a request for approval of TxDOT's fiscal
year '99 operating budget in the amount of
$3,500,000,000. This is in exact accordance with
the appropriation that was approved through the
last legislative session, and staff does
recommend approval of the operating budget.
CHAIRMAN LANEY: Any questions?
COMMISSIONER NICHOLS: I got all my
questions out earlier.
CHAIRMAN LANEY: So moved.
COMMISSIONER NICHOLS: Second.
CHAIRMAN LANEY: All in favor?
(Commissioners respond.)
WES HEALD: Agenda Item Number 7,
Legislative Appropriation Request, and Frank will
handle this.
FRANK SMITH: Item 7 is a request for
approval of TxDOT's budget request for the years
2000 and 2001. It is in the amount of
$8,323,022,417, that does cover the biennium.
And this budget does reflect the outcome of the
new transportation bill TEA-21. We recommend the
commission's approval of going forward with the
budget.
CHAIRMAN LANEY: I'm disappointed that
you say it covers the biennium. I had high hopes
it would be just one year and it would fix our
transportation once and for all.
FRANK SMITH: I would have loved that, too.
CHAIRMAN LANEY: This does reflect our
best estimate of the TEA-21 at this time.
FRANK SMITH: At this time, yes, from the
information we've got from the Federal Highway
Administration.
CHAIRMAN LANEY: I have no questions.
Do you have any?
COMMISSIONER NICHOLS: No. But the
700,000,000 on the NAFTA corridors has not got
our allocation in their estimate for that?
FRANK SMITH: No.
COMMISSIONER NICHOLS: None?
FRANK SMITH: None. As other developments
come up through the years, those will be easily
added to the appropriation, as long as they're
federal funds.
COMMISSIONER NICHOLS: Motion to move.
CHAIRMAN LANEY: And I second the motion.
All in favor?
(Commissioners respond.)
CHAIRMAN LANEY: Thank you.
WES HEALD: Agenda Item Number 8, Turnpike,
consider approval of a loan to the North Texas
Tollway Authority, and Jack Ingram from the
Office of General Counsel will do that.
JACK INGRAM: Commissioners, in April you
approved a minute order in which you transferred
the main lanes to State Highway 161 from Belt
Line Road to Interstate Highway 635 to the North
Texas Tollway Authority for development of the
turnpike project. You also committed 22,000,000
previously allocated to construction of 161 -- to
the construction of the interchange of 161 and
635. You also approved NTTA coming back to you
for another loan or financial source.
The department has had several meetings
with NTTA to discuss this project. NTTA has
stated that they're ready to go to the buyer
market in September. There is some -- a few
problems that came up, one of which TxDOT would
have to perform construction on the state highway
system, at least that portion of the interchange
on the state system and that any funds that TxDOT
spent that were not reimbursed would have to be
spent on non-toll projects, but that TxDOT could
perform the work on the interchange, conclude the
turnpike lanes, provided the cost of those lanes
or the other toll facilities were reimbursed by
NTTA.
NTTA has requested that the commission
extend the loan of federal and/or state funds to
them for their cost participation for the
interchange project, and it also requested that
they be allowed merely to reimburse that amount
and interest not be charged; otherwise, they
indicated that this might affect their
underwriting of the project. By doing all the
interchange construction itself, the department
will only have to interrupt traffic on 635 one
time. It will also provide for the accelerated
development of the construction of the
interchange. And by approving the loan
arrangement, NTTA has stated it should assure
the financial viability and feasibility of the
project.
Now, federal and state law authorizes the
commission to approve a loan with no interest
accrued if that's necessary to ensure the
feasibility of the project that's the subject of
the loan. And unlike other loans that the
commission has approved for local governments,
this one will be reimbursed in a lump sum upon
the quality acceptance of the completed
construction project, and I'm available to answer
any questions you might ask.
CHAIRMAN LANEY: What portion are we
talking about that would be reimbursed? The
excess over $24,000,000?
JACK INGRAM: Well, the department would be
paying 24,000,000 in construction cost, along
with a certain amount of engineering cost in
order to allow NTTA to continue with their
underwriting plan. The cost of the turnpike
lanes and other costs which are the
responsibility of NTTA will be reimbursed after
the project is completed.
CHAIRMAN LANEY: Well, this got a lot
more complex than anybody thought, but as a
result I presume this is acceptable to NTTA?
JACK INGRAM: Yes, sir.
CHAIRMAN LANEY: Any questions?
COMMISSIONER NICHOLS: I don't have any
questions. I also move.
CHAIRMAN LANEY: Second. All in favor?
(Commissioners respond.)
WES HEALD: Item 9, Contracts, Award or
Rejection of Contracts. Thomas Bohuslav with the
Construction Division will handle this.
THOMAS BOHUSLAV: Good morning,
Commissioners. My name is Thomas Bohuslav,
Director of the Construction Division. Item
9(a)(1) is for consideration of an award of five
building construction contracts let on July 9th,
1998. These projects are construction of the
travel information center in the Laredo
District, roof replacement of Camp Hubbard
building 10 and building 2 and building 118 at
Riverside Drive, and a condition of that it
has -- we have two contracts for above ground
fuel storage tanks in the Lubbock district and
one in the Childress district. We have a total
of five projects let. We had 32 bids with a
consistent average of 6.4 bids per project.
Total low bid was $5,093,402. The amount
underrun is eight percent. Staff recommends
award of all projects listed in Exhibit A.
CHAIRMAN LANEY: Before we vote on it,
roof replacement on Camp Hubbard building 10 is
an encouraging sign. That means somebody is
anticipating rain.
COMMISSIONER NICHOLS: Motion to move.
WES HEALD: Second.
CHAIRMAN LANEY: We have a motion and a
second. All in favor?
(Commissioners respond.)
THOMAS BOHUSLAV: Item 9(a)(2) is for the
consideration of the award of the highway
maintenance contracts led on July 7th and 8th.
The construction costs are $300,000 or more as
shown on Exhibit A. We had a total of 17
projects bid, 60 proposals for an average of 3.53
bids per project. The total low bid was
$9,651,021.42 for a percent underrun of 6.26
percent. Staff recommends award of all projects
listed in Exhibit A.
CHAIRMAN LANEY: So moved.
WES HEALD: Second.
CHAIRMAN LANEY: All in favor?
(Commissioners respond.)
THOMAS BOHUSLAV: Item 9(a)(3) is for
consideration of award of highway construction
contracts led on July 7th and 8th of 1998 as
shown in Exhibit A. There's a total of 119
projects let. We received 383 bids and averaged
3.22 bids per project. The total low bid amount
was $294,456,186.39 for a percent overrun of 4.09
percent.
I would like to reference the minute order
itself where we have two projects identified in
the minute order that we cancelled at the
letting. On those projects we had differences
between what the addendum showed -- or the
proposals showed and what the Internet showed for
the bidding system, the automated bidding system
on the Internet, and we, therefore, cancelled
those projects which are not listed in Exhibit
A.
We have five projects that we recommend for
rejection. I would like to discuss those,
beginning with page 2. The last listing at the
bottom of the page is project number 3085. We
received one bid of the Greene Construction
Company in the amount of $4,497,778 for a 46.28
percent overrun. And on this project we've
contacted several of the other construction
companies in the area, and they say because of
the large number of projects let in this district
at the time, they were unable to work on this
proposal. And the district and staff recommends
that we re-bid this project and give more of an
opportunity for the contractors to bid on.
Additional projects recommended for
rejection on page 3, the last listing, is project
number 3104. We received four bids, the low bid
being from Austin Bridge and Road, Incorporated,
in the amount of $244,913.13, percent overrun of
68.66 percent. Comal County is a participant in
this project, to make sure the project is funded
additional overrun; therefore, we say that it be
rejected.
Again, project recommended for rejection is
on page 17, the last one at the bottom of the
page, project number 3125 in Smith County. We
received three bids, the low bid being from
Reynolds Kay, Incorporated, in the amount of
$321,132.56. Amount overrun was 106. -- 106.4
percent, and this is a project that is on the
state park system that's in the East Texas
Ecological Center, and we had discussed it with
the Parks and Wildlife and Parks and Labor
Division, and both were in agreement that the
plans should be rejected and reapplied at a later
date.
Again, project recommended for rejection is
on page 20, the last listing at the bottom of the
page, project number 3120 in Travis County. We
received two bids, the low bid being from Hunter
Industries, Incorporated, in the amount of
$567,467.03 for a 51.2 percent overrun, and this
project has participation from a local developer,
and we had contacted them and asked them for
their commitment to the project and request that
before close of business July 13th. We
have not received any information from that
developer and, therefore, recommend this project
be rejected.
The last project we recommend for rejection
is on page 24 at the bottom of the page, project
number 3096 in Young County. We received two
bids, the low bid being from Knight Construction,
Incorporated, in the amount of $1,145,302.69 for
an amount overrun of 65.7 percent. And this
project, the district felt like rescheduling the
project would provide for a better opportunity to
reevaluate the scope of work and promote more
competitive bidding. We have submitted to you
this month -- I believe all the commissioners
should have received our comments on additional
overruns, and if you have any questions on any of
those, I can maybe provide some more details.
CHAIRMAN LANEY: Thank you. I don't
have any.
COMMISSIONER NICHOLS: That answers most of
my questions. I move for acceptance.
CHAIRMAN LANEY: I second it. All in
favor?
(Commissioners respond.)
WES HEALD: We'll hear that I think the
staff is seeing a trend -- as you know, we're
seeing cost overruns on an average basis
increasing. We're seeing our average number of
bidders going down considerably over the past two
years down to what?
THOMAS BOHUSLAV: 3.2.
WES HEALD: Which indicates to me the
capacity is the concern we have.
CHAIRMAN LANEY: What about the cement
shortage issue?
THOMAS BOHUSLAV: We received several
comments from the contractors that there does
continue to be a cement shortage. We have
encountered cement shortages or concrete delivery
shortages in the past. This is a little more
severe than in the past.
COMMISSIONER NICHOLS: When is the last
time in the past that we had a series of
shortages of concrete?
THOMAS BOHUSLAV: It has to do more with
just the amount of work and how much they can
actually deliver. It's not necessarily something
I can say was a trend the last time. It happens
on occasion when contractors are scheduled to go
to the ready mix plants, and they aren't able to
tell them well in advance to get that material
delivered.
CHAIRMAN LANEY: I regret that we voted
before we had a comment for him to vote -- to
sign up to speak on this plan A(3) highway
construction, Jeannette Miller.
JEANNETTE MILLER: My name is Jeannette
Miller. I represent the City of Electra and
Electra Chamber of Commerce. We would just like
to thank you for your support of our grand
theater in Electra, the enhancement project
grant from the Texas Highway Department. And we
appreciate it, and we were just going to ask for
your support in the contract, and you have given
that to us. And we just want to thank you.
CHAIRMAN LANEY: Thank you for the
comments. We appreciate it. Mr. James Donohoe,
mayor of Gunter, Texas.
JUDGE GROFF: He was on earlier.
CHAIRMAN LANEY: Oh, okay. Thank you.
WES HEALD: Agenda item 9, Contract Claims,
and Mike Behrens is going to handle this. And I
would like to make mention that Mike is in the
process of redoing the claims committee, and Mike
chairs this committee from this day forth. If he
doesn't mess up, he's going to presume contract
claims.
MIKE BEHRENS: We had two contract claim
orders for this meeting, the first the
maintenance contract in Bowie County for STE,
Incorporated. They presented a claim for
additional costs and funding on a project for
$37,331.65. We discussed the issue and came up
with a settlement of $5,242.42. We didn't hear
from the contractor in the 20-day period that we
were allowing them to respond and so that,
according to our rules, is considered final and
accepted that amount. After we receive a
settlement agreement and release, we will award
that amount to them.
The second one is for the contract claim on
construction project in Bexar County, E. E. Hood
& Sons, Incorporated. They presented a claim of
$870,553 for recovery of additional costs for
delays on construction projects. We met on June
11th, 1998, and we reviewed that claim. We
offered a settlement of $175,000, which was
accepted by E. E. Hood on June 16th, and we
recommend that both these claims and minute
orders be approved.
CHAIRMAN LANEY: So moved.
COMMISSIONER NICHOLS: Second.
CHAIRMAN LANEY: All in favor?
(Commissioners respond.)
WES HEALD: Agenda item number 10, we have
a number of minute orders here for consideration,
Routine Minute Orders, and I'll just go through
these. And if you don't have any questions,
we'll go onto the next ones.
The first one 10(a), Speed Zones, establish
or alter regulatory and construction speed zones
on various sections of highways of the state;
10(b), Load Restrictions, revision of load
restrictions on various roads and bridges on the
state highway system; 10(c), Highway Designation,
Brazoria County, designate business State Highway
35E and redesignate FM 1301; 10(d), Right of Way
Disposition, Purchase and Lease; 10(d)(1),
Cherokee County, U.S. 69 from 0.5 miles south of
FM 177, north to 0.6 miles of FM 177, and
consider the sale of ten tracts of surplus right
of way to the abutting landowners; 10(d)(2),
Dallas County, IH 30 at Belt Line Road in the
City of Grand Prairie, consider the sale of a
tract of surplus right of way to the abutting
landowner; 10(d)(3), Hays County, IH 35 at Wonder
World Drive in the City of San Marcos, consider
the sale of a tract of surplus right of way to
the abutting landowner; 10(e), Approve of
Donation to the Department, acceptance of land
donation in Dallas County on U.S. 75; 10(f),
Eminent Domain Proceedings, request for eminent
domain proceedings on non-controlled and
controlled access highways. We offer these for
your consideration.
CHAIRMAN LANEY: Any questions?
COMMISSIONER NICHOLS: No questions. Just
one comment. On the 10(b), the bridge, we're
more than weighting on that to 8,000 pound and
14,000 pound -- what would the gross weight
on that be? Was that a gross weight, 8,000
pound --
MIKE BEHRENS: Yeah.
COMMISSIONER NICHOLS: Okay. Under the
2060 just so that we constantly remind everybody,
with the existing 2060 permit laws that are in
place, even though this is limited by our
engineers to that because we feel like it is not
safe to travel with anything heavier than this,
the current law requires us to issue an overload
permit on the 2060 that will allow an 84,000
pound rig to cross over that. Other than that, I
have no questions. Motion to move.
CHIARMAN LANEY: I second the motion. All
in favor?
(Commissioners respond.)
WES HEALD: Mr. Chairman, that concludes
the regular business portion of our agenda. I
don't think we have any need for an executive
session.
CHAIRMAN LANEY: We now move to an
open comment period, and we had one person sign
up to speak, Mr. Robert Wittingham representing
the I-30 Coalition. If anyone else would like to
speak, please sign on one of these and send this
in.
ROBERT WITTINGHAM: Yes, Chairman Laney,
fellow commissioners, thank you very much. I'll
be very brief in my remarks. I'm Robert
Wittingham, Economic Development Director for the
City of Greenville, but also a member of the
Interstate 30 Corridor Coalition. A recently
formed alliance of communities along Interstate
30 from basically the Dallas/Fort Worth metroplex
to the Texarkana border. And I'm here on behalf
of the I-30 Corridor Coalition.
We've had two meetings, first of which was
attended by TxDOT officials, primarily -- more
specifically two district offices, the Paris
district office and the Dallas district office,
and we appreciate Tom Ellis' help and Jay
Nelson's help.
Also, at our first kickoff meeting we had
State Senator David Cain in attendance, as well
as State Representative Mary Denny and Tom
Ramsay. And our two principal speakers that day
were both Congressman -- U.S. Congressman Ralph
Hall and Max Sandlin.
The purpose of the group -- and we have a
mission statement. The Interstate 30 Corridor
Coalition is committed to the economic
development and well-being of communities on or
near this highway that is considered an integral
route for the North American Free Trade Agreement
through the investment of government and private
funds and through interaction between local,
state, and federal officials and the private
sector.
And at that first kickoff meeting we held
in February we came up with ten reasons for the
I-30 corridor coalition: First, planning for
future growth, number 2, funding, consensus
building, infrastructure, planned growth,
regional presentation, bonding, balance growth,
arterial and access and environment and safety.
And at our second meeting held last week in
Sulphur Springs we created various committees,
and they are legislative railroad and shortline,
airports, highway arterial access committee,
environmental impact, and tourism and
promotions.
And, finally, I wanted to thank a couple of
persons in the audience here who have been very
helpful in putting all this together. I
mentioned Tom Ellis, Paris district engineer.
He's been very helpful, and Jay Nelson in the
Dallas district office, and also State Senator
David Cain's office. Our chairman is Hunt County
Judge Joe Bobbitt, and we are represented very
well by communities and counties all up and down
the Interstate 30 corridor.
Our committees will be meeting in the
coming months, and we hope to make a presentation
to you with goals and objectives of the I-30
Corridor Coalition at your upcoming February
1999 meeting in Austin, and we welcome any
questions that you might have.
CHAIRMAN LANEY: Thank you,
Mr. Wittingham. I don't have any questions.
COMMISSIONER NICHOLS: I have no
questions.
MR. WITTINGHAM: We appreciate you coming
to North Texas today. Thank you very much.
CHAIRMAN LANEY: Thank you. We
appreciate your comments. Do you have anything
to add before we conclude?
COMMISSIONER NICHOLS: No.
CHAIRMAN LANEY: That concludes our
agenda. If there's no further business before
the commission, in a moment I will entertain a
motion to adjourn, but as one final act of the
commission today, I want to recognize again and
state our deep appreciation for the hospitality
we've had since we've been up here. It has been
a delight. So we appreciate that very much.
With that, I'll entertain a motion to adjourn.
COMMISSIONER NICHOLS: Second.
CHAIRMAN LANEY: All in favor?
(Commissioners respond.)
CHAIRMAN LANEY: Meeting is concluded.
 

(End of meeting.)