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In Attorney General Opinion KP-0077, the question being answered is: Does TXDOT have authority to neter into design-build contracts for 2016-2017?
How did the question arise? A conflict between the appropriations bill & Section 223.242, Transportation Code.
The Attorney General’s conclusion: Yes, TXDOT can enter into design build contracts, with limits.
What limits does the Attorney General note on TXDOT’s design-build authority?
This week’s settlement of lawsuits in California and Massachusettes maintains the indepdent contractor status of Uber drivers.
Court sign off will occur when the judge approves the settlement.
KOLO | Uber settlement keeps drivers as contractors in 2 states
The Recorder | Uber Strikes Expensive Peace Pact With Drivers
Did TXDOT come up with eliminating tolls on their own? No, it is a legisltive mandate from HB 2612 by Pickett
How do tolls and the Texas A&M Transportation Institute estimate, that Texas needs of $5 Billion more per year in transportation funding, correlate? The $5 billion per year funding shortage assumed that Texas would receive toll revenue.
Texas Legislative Council reminds us that the 2015 Legislature passed a bunch of bills with a bunch of interim study requirements.
The transportation related interim studies from 2015 bills:
How did addressing a business interest help bridge traffic flow problems? Senate Bill 797/House Bill 979 from 2015 created a grant program to fund pay for more agricultural inspectors at Texas’ border bridges.
The grant fund program helps the agriculture business and the traffic flow on the bridges? Yes, by not slowing bridge traffic with understaffed agriculture inspectors, the congestion at international trade bridges is alleviated.
How does the money flow? The Texas Department of…
Who? Vidor Mayor Robert Viator Jr. has “trust issues” with the Texas Turnpike Authority proposed 10 mile toll road from Vidor to Beaumont
Why does the mayor have trust issues? The company altered its projections to add 25 years to reach $9 billion in profits. The company projects that it will take a total of 75 years for the private toll company to reach $9 billion in profits.
What opposition groups and issues are emerging?
Those challenging the project include:
Weren’t private toll roads stripped of their eminent domain power by the 2015 Texas Legislature? Yes.
So, how is a private toll road near Beaumont building a new toll road? The private toll comapny asked local governments to enter into an intrerlocular agreement. If, eminent domain needs to be exercised, it will be through the local governmental entities.
What’s the reception to the private tollroad in SE Texas? SE Texas appears to have learned from 2014 Dallas area defeat of the Texas…
News West 9 | Texas Lt. Gov. Discusses State Propositions at Odessa Country Club