BIKE: Is TxDOT really as stupid as they seem?

[rcbaker]

TxDOT couldn't plan their way out of a paper bag. 

But its worse than that. They don't really try to plan because they're a bureaucracy in 
denial. If you go to TxDOT to appeal to their good judgement, Ric Williamson and the 
rest of the transpo Commission will try to ridicule you, as they have Tommy Eden and 
myself. They have to pretend that their toll roads are good investments to keep the 
lobbyists and road contractors happy in a state in which lobbyist influence peddling has 
become endemic. 

But those who live by corruption have to learn to accept the consequences. Today's 
Statesman carries a story about how the pork barrel politics behind the new federal 
transpo bill just bit Texas on the butt, at the cost of billions for roads. 

Its a vittual certainty that all the toll road debt that TxDOT is attempting to issue will 
cause their roads to default on their bonds ($2.5 billion so far in the Austin area alone).
That means TxDOT's credit is doomed in trying to borrow more. 

There are now more and more books and articles explaining the approaching energy 
crisis, like the following link. -- Roger

http://abcnews.go.com/sections/SciTech/DyeHard/oil_energy_dyehard_040211-1.html