TxDOT: Some paved roads could return to gravel in oil patch

[TexasTowelie]

As legislative negotiators worked Thursday to break a deadlock on road funding, Texas Department of Transportation officials painted a bleak — and notably timely — picture of roads in the state’s booming oil patch areas.

TxDOT executive John Barton, saying he was “embarrassed” as the agency’s chief engineer to do so, announced that 12 short, farm-to-market road segments are in such rotten shape that they’re not worth repairing. TxDOT, in what might be a first in the agency’s 96-year history, plans to convert 83 miles of paved roads into gravel roads. Their speed limits would then be reduced from a typical 55 mph to 30 mph, Barton said.

More at http://www.statesman.com/news/news/transportation/txdot-some-paved-roads-could-return-to-gravel-in-o/nY4W4/ .
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[hobbit709]

1. To be expected from the party that wants to take us back to the 19th century.

[TexasTowelie]

2. Excerpt from the Texas Tribune:

The impacted roads are in four South Texas counties — Live Oak, Dimmit, LaSalle and Zavala — and two West Texas counties — Reeves and Culberson. The list of impacted roads includes a three-mile stretch of frontage road for Interstate 37 in Live Oak County. Barton said a plant that processes oil and natural gas has dramatically increased the truck traffic on that road.

http://www.texastribune.org/2013/07/25/with-funds-lacking-txdot-converts-road-to-gravel/

[mbperrin]

3. It's what you get when you don't charge enough in taxes to maintain what you build.

These huge trucks pound the streets into gravel, but they pay virtually pennies a year in taxes to do so.

Well, I do believe I will try to get out the next time it rains and watch a rig move across the mud and rocks.

Could be funny.