The New Trans-Texas Corridor by Jason Marshall REDNews
Just 8 years ago the hot button topic in the state of Texas was the proposed new transcontinental highway system, the Trans-Texas Corridor, Governor Perry’s brainchild, intended to be one of the largest highway systems created – extending from Mexico, through Texas, and the Midwest, into Canada. The 4,000-mile “Super Highway” consisting of highways, toll roads and rails would have served as a gateway for trading and transportation, as well as bringing relief to congested roadways. A former member of the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDot), who was a proponent of TTC-35, worked closely with Cintra, the Spanish-based toll road developer and operator, who was signed on by Governor Perry for this project. Chris Lippincott, former Director of Media Relations with Chris Lippincott TxDot from 2006-11 and witness to the demise of TTC35, shared with me his thoughts on what could have been and the ultimate failure of the super highway system, the Trans-Texas Corridor. The former Director of Media Relations said that Governor Perry’s idea was to “interconnect all of our state’s major cities with additional corridors, with transportation pathways for cars, trucks and rail (freight and passenger). And for electricity – which has continued to be a problem for us, for the transport of water and natural gas.”
So, what ultimately killed the Trans-Texas Corridor? “I think people did not see the urgency of solving the transportation problem, or that the problem could be solved.” Lippincott continues, “I think there were people who took advantage of the situation and raised irresponsible allegations relating to foreign involvement or international conspiracies, to score political points.” Lippincott believes misinformation influenced the pushback. “We were never going to build something 1200feet wide that’s going to destroy everything”. In 2010, the Texas Legislature finally put the final nail in the proverbial coffin of Trans-Texas Corridor with the passage of HB 1201. With the demise of one proposition there came to the state of Texas another: the hope for a Super Highway Corridor no longer is a distant memory fading in the rearview mirror, but a light at the end of a not-so-distant tunnel. Enter the Interstate 69 Corridor – a multi-billion dollar proposed Highway ($742 million in current projects) that, along with the previously proposed Trans-Texas Corridor, would work its way from Mexico all the way into Canada. Instead of bisecting Central Texas, the I69 Corridor would originate at US 281 (McAllen, Pharr) US 77 (Brownsville) and US 59 (Laredo), which all come together as US 59, north of Corpus Christi, continue through East Texas, into Arkansas, the mid-Atlantic states and into Canada by way of Port Huron, Michigan. Titled “a future NAFTA Super Highway” by the Deep East Texas Council of Governments, Interstate 69 looks to accomplish Perry’s TTC system – a major intracontinental trade gateway, without having to be as vast and require as much infrastructure.
“The gas tax is not going to get changed…how do we fund transportation? Somehow, we’ve got to come up with the money. There’s no painless way to do it. Hopefully, we find the fairest and most economic way.” -Judge John Thompson 12 REDNews.com
With the Trans-Texas Corridor, we talked about what could’ve been – now talk is about what’s to come. A coalition was formed in 1994 with the purpose of improving the standards of East and Southeast Texas roadways, and then sustaining those highways. Now, the non-profit organization composed of cities, counties, port authorities and community leaders, is focused on the completion and sustainability of Interstate 69 from the Mexican border to Texarkana and Louisiana. I had the opportunity to speak with the Chairman of the Alliance for I-69 Texas, Judge John Thompson, about the Interstate 69 Corridor. In October of 2013, State Senator Robert Nichols and State Representative Joe Pickett were honored for their leadership in the 2013 legislature on Texas transportation funding. As a result, Texas transportation funding expects to see an estimated increase in highway funding of $1.2 billion, which will go before voters for approval in 2014. Judge Thompson believes I-69 will get its share – whether that is the lion’s share is to be determined. “TxDot has been a very good partner with us. I-69 is important to all of Texas, so we’re confident that if voters pass the bill, we’ll get our share of that $1.2 billion.” Thompson, however, emphasized that the $1.2 billion would only be a portion of what it will take to maintain and improve Texas’ highways. As far as funding goes, that has become a different story. “There’s no more 90/10 money (90% Federal funding, 10% State and Local). There is money
Judge John Thompson