House lawmakers next week will begin exploring ways to revitalize the nation’s crumbling infrastructure with the promise of a massive legislative package on the horizon. The House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee will hold its first hearing in the new Congress on Wednesday in an effort to hear input from business leaders and organized labor about what it will take to upgrade U.S. roads, bridges and other public works. The hearing will examine “the challenges fa

A group of senior Senate Democrats unveiled their own 10-year, $1 trillion infrastructure investment plan that would spend hundreds of billions on transportation systems, but included no proposal on how to pay for it. They said the plan would create more than 15 million jobs while modernizing various types of facilities that would help the economy grow while cutting costs for people from dealing with congestion, pavement damage and other infrastructure problems. The sponsors

Richard LeFrak, a real estate developer whom President Trump has asked to advise him on infrastructure projects, told CNBC Jan. 23 that he thinks there will be a "tug of war" between Trump and conservatives in his Republican Party over how to pay for a major infrastructure plan. LeFrak also said that while Trump would like to get the investment package's value up to $1 trillion, a figure of $550 billion is being discussed for the infrastructure package. "He [Trump] has to com

President Trump, who campaigned on a promise to invest as much as $1 trillion in infrastructure, now faces Republican opposition to any plan that adds to the deficit. “We have a country that needs new roads, new tunnels, new bridges, new airports, new schools, new hospitals,” Trump said during a September debate against Hillary Clinton, adding that U.S. airports are on par with “third world countries.” The investment promised on his transition website — $550 billion — is a bi

The president of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, Thomas Donohue, called for national policymakers to "seize the opportunity" to make major improvements in transportation and other infrastructure, and to include a sustainable revenue source for federal transportation programs. "We can generate more [economic] growth and jobs by making America's infrastructure the best in the world," Donohue said in his annual "State of American Business Address" that he delivered Jan. 11 at the

This week, the U.S. Department of Transportation published the latest Conditions & Performance report on the status of the nation’s roadway and transit systems. USDOT’s analysis shows a nearly $90 billion backlog in maintenance of transit assets across the country – a backlog that is projected to grow to $122 billion over the next 20 years if current levels of maintenance funding are kept at existing levels. The report, a joint effort of the Federal Highway Administration and

Elaine Chao, soon to be the 18th U.S. States Secretary of Transportation, pending confirmation, outlined her top priorities and challenges for her new role. Chao filled out a questionnaire (PDF) for the U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, & Transportation that was released to the public Dec. 20. In it are some clues about how she will lead the Department of Transportation (DOT). Citing her tenure as the Secretary of Labor under President George W. Bush, Chao said that

“People are crying out for relief,” said Sen. Bettencourt, who pegged relief under his proposal at $30 to $200 per year for average homeowners; cities fire back that lawmakers should be looking at school finance first. The Texas Senate is taking its strongest run yet at revenue caps next session, putting it at the top of the legislative agenda with a bill co-sponsored by key Senate Republican. Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick couldn’t signal any more strongly he intends to make property

AUSTIN — A specially created legislative panel on Wednesday approved a minimum for state savings that is likely to free up hundreds of millions over the next two years to help relieve congestion on Texas highways. Since voters approved a constitutional amendment two years ago, money in the state's rainy day fund that exceeds what the panel deems a "sufficient balance" is no longer roped off. The rainy day dollars, almost entirely derived from oil and gas production taxes, can

By Ben Wear - Austin American-Statesman Staff Highlights A new Sunset Commission report says that the agency might not be fully ready for a coming boost in funding. The report says TxDOT needs to make its road project selection process more objective and transparent. And it gigs the agency for bidding and construction that result in projects being late and overbudget. Admit it, you’ve had the lottery daydream. What if, you think to yourself, I bought a ticket or two or 10, an