Pleasantville Strategic Planning and Revitalization Committee

TxDOT ready to obligate much of stimulus money

Feb 22, 2009

TxDOT ready to obligate much of stimulus money

By Kate Alexander | Thursday, February 19, 2009, 02:49 PM

The Texas Department of Transportation is taking the need for speed in the federal stimulus package quite literally.

Next week, the Texas Transportation Commission will obligate a ?“significant?” portion of $1.5 billion highway and bridge money over which has the state has discretion.

Another $675 million will go to projects identified by the local transportation planning groups.

The federal legislation requires the state to act quickly. Half of the money needs to be obligated within 120 days of getting the money; the rest must be obligated within a year.

State Rep. Jim Dunnam, chairman of the select committee overseeing the stimulus money, said he is concerned that decisions are being made with little legislative input.

?“That says that they?’ve already decided how they?’re going to spend the money that we didn?’t know we were going to get until yesterday,?” Dunnam said.

?“Decisions that are being made while people are trying to get a copy of the bill,?” Dunnam said.

Transportation Department spokesman Chris Lippincott said state and local transportation leaders have been working since the fall to identify projects that can be launched quickly and meet certain criteria, such as improving safety and serve economically distressed areas.