Texas state legislators are holding to a promise not to spend voter-approved transportation funds on new toll roads. Local officials are scrambling.
"Texas lawmakers have gone from championing to criticizing toll roads, a shift that some Houston-area leaders worry has gone too far and could limit upcoming projects," reports Dug Begley.
Responding to the growing backlash against toll roads, Montgomery County Judge Craig Doyal is quoted in the article saying, "Without toll roads and that funding, I don't know what we are going to do."
Despite the state's continued growth, the Texas Transportation Commission recently pulled the plug on two projects in the Dallas and Austin areas from the state's ten-year transportation plan "because proposed expansions of Interstate 635 and Interstate 35 rely on a mix of state funding and toll revenues," according to Begley's explanation of the decision. Planetizen correspondent Irvin Dawid recently provided thorough coverage of the state government's pushback on toll roads. Begley's coverage focuses more on the options for local officials in the Houston area trying to plan for more growth.
FULL STORY: Pushback on toll roads rankles Houston-area leaders
New, 44-Mile Section of Houston's Grand Parkway Ready for Construction
When the newest section is complete, the Grand Parkway will connect I-69 southwest of Sugar Land, Cinco Ranch and Cypress, unincorporated Harris County and Spring, and Harris, Montgomery, Liberty, and Chambers counties.
Florida Highway Project Faces Opposition From All Sides
Critics worry the proposed 330-mile corridor would encourage sprawl, harm wildlife, and saddle the state with decades of debt.
How Not to Do Growth
The state of Florida is moving forward with the Multi-use Corridors of Regional Economic Significance (M-Cores) plan to build several new toll expressways in rural parts of the state.
Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.
DARTSpace Platform Streamlines Dallas TOD Application Process
The Dallas transit agency hopes a shorter permitting timeline will boost transit-oriented development around rail stations.
Congressman Proposes Bill to Rename DC Metro “Trump Train”
The Make Autorail Great Again Act would withhold federal funding to the system until the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA), rebrands as the Washington Metropolitan Authority for Greater Access (WMAGA).
Supreme Court Ruling in Pipeline Case Guts Federal Environmental Law
The decision limits the scope of a federal law that mandates extensive environmental impact reviews of energy, infrastructure, and transportation projects.
Texas State Bills to Defund Dallas Transit Die
DART would have seen a 30% service cut, $230M annual losses had the bills survived.
Bikeshare for the Win: Team Pedals to London Cricket Match, Beats Rivals Stuck in Traffic
While their opponents sat in gridlock, England's national cricket team hopped Lime bikes, riding to a 3-0 victory.
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Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
Roanoke Valley-Alleghany Regional Commission
City of Mt Shasta
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
Transportation Research & Education Center (TREC) at Portland State University
US High Speed Rail Association
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
Municipality of Princeton (NJ)