Meetings

DOT Stimulus Payouts Hit $10.26 Billion
The Journal of Commerce
April 9, 2010

The Journal of Commerce reported this week that the U.S. Department of Transportation has now distributed over $10 billion of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) funds. Most of these funds have been reimbursements to states for highway and bridge repair and new road and bridge projects. In March alone, the DOT mailed checks to states totaling $1 billion.

The $10.26 billion in reimbursements represents a little over one fourth of ARRA appropriations that the DOT has authorized. Another $10 billion is expected to be appropriated in the near future. Most of this will come from monies set aside for passenger rail development. Some of these funds are discretionary that were reserved in part for rail and port freight projects.

To read The Journal of Commerce article, please click here

TxDOT Executive Director Quarterly Meetings

June 18

September 17

Private Money May be Used to Build Cotton Belt Corridor Rail Line
The Dallas Morning News
April 9, 2010

The North Central Texas Council of Governments is attempting to take on a new role in transportation planning. The Council, comprised of a 43 member board made up mostly of local city and county officials from the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex, has stepped up and offered to expedite the Cotton Belt corridor project. The 62-mile rail line, which will run from downtown Fort Worth to northeast Dallas, connecting to DFW International Airport along the way, has been in planning for quite some time. However, the funds needed to complete the project are not currently available. There is some concern that funds could end up being redirected from existing projects like the DART Orange Line that is supposed to connect to DFW Airport by 2013. The Council, with the support of both the Dallas Area Rapid Transit and "The T" in Fort Worth, are attempting to form a partnership with private investors to get the Cotton Belt corridor under construction. If approved, this would be the first time that the Council has taken the helm at negotiating a contract for a new rail line.

In addressing the Council's board this week, Michael Morris, Director of Transportation for the Council, said, "From our point of view, we have an obligation to look out for all modes of transportation. We've seen how innovative financing has helped us on the highway side, so our thought is, why not try to bring some of that same innovation to other modes and help our transit agencies develop rail lines as well."

To read The Dallas Morning News article, please click here