BIKE: TxDOT wants to transfer bike/ped funds to toll roads

[rcbaker]

This issue is coming up at the CAMPO meeting on Monday Dec. 8 at 6 
pm at the JC Thompson Center, as a followup to the hearing last month 
-- at which many of us testified to keep the traditional biike funds. 

Essentially, TxDOT is now telling CAMPO not to decide how to spend 
its STP 4c federal funds as scheduled on Monday (including whether to 
continue to reserve 15% for bike and ped) because TxDOT is working 
on a toll road study that might conclude the toll roads need the money 
more than the other alternatives CAMPO is considering.

You don't have to be very good at reading between the lines to see that 
TxDOT is telling CAMPO it wants a big share of the unusually big 2007 
$23 million windfall for its toll roads. Of course under federal law 
CAMPO outranks TxDOT, but since Rick Perry and the Republicans 
have control of both TxDOT and the legislature, TxDOT thinks it is 
politically safe to give orders to CAMPO. 

Below is the text of the letter from TxDOT district 14 director Bob Daigh, 
who until recently worked for the Texas Turnpike Authority building 
(SURPRISE!) toll roads. So now he has moved into an unelected 
position on CAMPO where he can continue to lobby for toll roads to get 
extra cash, plus he gets to vote for them.  Talk about a process where 
the politics are wired.  -- Roger 

           ******************************************************

(Dec. 4, 2003 letter to CAMPO TPB

Dear Transportation Policy Board Members:

As many of you are aware, the department is in the final stages of 
analyzing data to report on the viability of certain Austin area roadway 
corridors for development as toll facilities. The report should be ready 
for release in Jan. of 2004.

As this toll viability report could serve as a foundation for discussions 
on how to accelerate much needed improvements to the region's 
transportation system, I am requesting that the TRB at its Dec. 8th 
meeting delay its decision on allocating FY 2007 STP MM funding to 
projects. The approximately $23 million available in FY 2007 could be 
an important financing element for consideration by the region's 
partners in developing an accelerated schedule for improvements to the 
region's transportation system. 

Thank you for consideration of this important request. Should you have 
any questions, please call me at 512-832-7022.

Sincerely Robert B. Daigh, PE
District engineer