Third Time's the Charm for Road Funding Plan?
The second special session starting Monday gives transportation advocates a third chance to find some extra money for road construction and maintenance. Full Story
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Roads Funding Plan Draws Debate on State's Piggy Bank
Two days after Gov. Rick Perry added transportation funding to the special session agenda, the Senate Finance Committee debated a bill that would increase road dollars by slowing the flow of money into the state's Rainy Day Fund. Full Story
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![August 29th Senate Committee on Finance with newly appointed Chair Sen. Tommy Williams R-The Woodlands]()
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House and Senate Hoping to Quickly Find Money for Roads
With transportation funding added to the special session call, lawmakers are already planning hearings and considering different proposals. The Senate Finance Committee has scheduled a hearing for Wednesday. Full Story
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A Dead End for Road Funding at the Capitol?
Gov. Rick Perry's interest in keeping the special session on issues where he can expect success suggests transportation funding won't be included. The chances for any transportation funding proposal in a special session are mixed at best. Full Story
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Perry Expands Special Session Agenda to Include Transportation Funding
Gov. Rick Perry on Monday added transportation funding to the agenda of the special session. He said Texas' transportation network is facing added pressure because of the state's growing economy and population. Full Story
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TxDOT Outsourcing IT Operations to Private Firm
The Texas Department of Transportation has announced that a private firm will take over most of its information technology operations. Full Story
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![Traffic congestion on Interstate 35 in Austin. The freeway through central Austin is among the state's most congested road segments, according to a TxDOT study.]()
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Fix for Roads in Shale Counties Might Be Short
Lawmakers allocated $450 million this session to repairing roads destroyed by truck activity related to a drilling boom. The Legislature likely isn't done with the issue, though, because the amount is less than advocates said was needed. Full Story
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TxDOT May Sweeten Pot to Draw Private Funds to Projects
Citing a lack of public funding, the Texas Transportation Commission voted Thursday to agree to consider changing its rules to allow it to share financial risk with the private sector on some toll projects. Full Story
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![Interstate 45 Gulf Freeway's HOV and Toll lanes exit into Metro's Eastowood Transit Center in Houston Friday, October 19, 2012.]()
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To Finance State Roads, Legislature Backed More Tolls, Debt Over Cash
While lawmakers came up short on funding for road construction and maintenance this session, several other bills made it to Gov. Rick Perry's desk that are expected to help Texas communities develop road projects. Full Story
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House Rejected Late Senate Proposal for Roads Money
In the final days of the session, Senate budget leaders came up with an ambitious proposal to find more money for road construction and maintenance. House leaders made it clear they weren't interested. Full Story
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![Part of the elevated section of Chisholm Trail Parkway that is under construction near downtown Fort Worth TX.]()
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Hope Remains for Partial Victory on Road Cash
With less than two weeks before the end of the 83rd legislative session, efforts to find more funding for the Texas Department of Transportation are sputtering. Full Story
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Agenda Texas: What's Left to Do?
On the latest Agenda Texas, from KUT News and the Tribune: Water, transportation and education were priorities at the beginning of this year's legislative session, but how much progress has been made on each? Full Story
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Institute's Report Says Texting While Driving Unsafe by Any Means
In the midst of a battle among lawmakers over a bill to ban texting while driving, a new report by the Texas A&M Transportation Institute suggests that voice-to-text technology is no safer than typing out a text message. Full Story
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House Passes Bill That Makes Texting While Driving a Crime
UPDATED: A bill that would make texting while driving a crime passed the House on Wednesday after a lengthy debate. The measure now heads to the Senate. Full Story
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![Demonstration car placed by the Brown family to raise awareness on dangers of texting while driving. March 9th, 2011]()
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Perry Backs Dedicated Car Sales Taxes for Highway Fund
Gov. Rick Perry on Friday said he likes the idea of dedicating a portion of future car sales taxes to road projects and also said he's open to spending up to $6 billion of the Rainy Day Fund on infrastructure projects. Full Story
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![The Texas Tribune Festival 2012 Opening Session: A Conversation with Gov. Rick Perry and Evan Smith, Sept. 21, 2012.]()
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Roadblocks Emerge for Transportation Funding
With less than two months left in the legislative session, some lawmakers are lowering expectations on what can get done related to funding for roads. Full Story
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Texas Roads Paved With Taxes, Tolls and Debt
Voters want better roads. Lawmakers want happy voters. Roads require taxes, tolls, debt or some combination of the three, which is why conservative officeholders are using those three dirty words. Full Story
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Citing Sequester, Perry Taps TxDOT Cash for Airports
Gov. Rick Perry and the Texas Department of Transportation are arranging to temporarily fund air traffic control towers slated to close next month at 13 Texas airports due to federal budget cuts related to the sequester. Full Story
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Speed Incentives, Toll Lanes Get Senate Attention
The Senate Transportation Committee heard testimony Wednesday on two bills addressing criticisms stemming from the proliferation of toll roads and toll lane projects around the state. Full Story
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GOP Senator Challenging His Party on Debt, Taxes
State Sen. Kevin Eltife, R-Tyler, is engaged in a long-term campaign to convince his fellow legislators that the state's bond debt is an urgent problem and that tax increases are part of a conservative solution. Full Story
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![Kevin Eltife in his office in 2013, when he was a state senator. Eltife now serves as a member of the University of Texas System Board of Regents.]()
Credit: Tamir Kalifa
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