Mobility Safety/Vision Zero

 

The promotion of road and mobility safety is a priority for the members of TEX-21. The volume of transportation-related deaths in the state of Texas is a dire situation that requires a concerted effort of our citizens, officials, and agencies to solve. TEX-21 recognizes that any plan to improve multimodal transportation policy and infrastructure in Texas must have safety at its core. A bigger and more efficient transportation system is useless if its users cannot traverse it safely. As a result, TEX-21 has passed a resolution adopting the Values and Mission of TxDOT's Traffic Safety Campaigns and the City of Dallas' Vision Zero Action Plan and encourages all TEX-21 members to develop individual safety action plans in a similar fashion to those of TxDOT and Dallas.

 

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The Third Coast Initiative

 

TEX-21 aims to increase economic development throughout the state via the expansion of our Texas Gulf seaports, along with the supporting railroads, docks, cranes, and roads necessary to handle the additional movement of freight. This is in response to the expansion of the Panama Canal in 2016, which allows the giant post-Panamax ships to traverse the Canal. Unfortunately, Texas currently spends little money on its ports, preferring to leave it for the local government entities to pay for with local taxes. As a result, these large Post-Panamax Ships cannot land in Texas. Other states on the Gulf Coast, however, are making capital improvements to be able to handle Post-Panamax Ships. Because of the efforts of TEX-21, the Texas Senate appointed a Select Committee on the Ports. In the past, some members of the legislature have traveled to Panama with TEX-21 to study the Canal expansion first-hand.

 

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Transit/Rail Task Force

 

This task force was created to serve as an interface between transit-interested members of TEX-21, including the six largest transit authorities in Texas, and state and federal agencies, especially TxDOT.

This task force aims to grow into a coalition of transit authorities and other entities that focuses on forward thinking solutions to today's transit issues.

 

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Commerce of Transportation and Technological Innovation Initiative

 

The commerce of transportation can be defined as the economic opportunities that follow new transportation infrastructure. TEX-21 believes that new or improved transportation infrastructure creates lasting, positive economic impacts on the surrounding communities. Additionally, TEX-21 is involved in the on-going discussion on the implementation of new technology into transportation infrastructure, such as autonomous vehicles, traffic control systems, EV charging solutions, and commercial delivery drones.

 

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TEX-21 Texas Border and Trade Infrastructure Initiative

 

TEX-21 aims to increase the support, partnership, and infrastructure on our border through a join initiative focused on the 1,254 miles that make up the border between Texas and Mexico. The Texas-Mexico border stretches from the Gulf of Mexico to El Paso, making up about 62% of the border between the United States and Mexico. With increased interest in TEX-21 from the cities and counties spanning the border and the constant influx of goods coming up through the border transported vertically and laterally, we hope to build partnerships that will help to increase the health of our multimodal transportation. This includes highways, passenger and cargo rail, and transit. By focusing on the border, TEX-21's already present highway coalitions and coastal focus will help to bring full circle our goals in the state. There is not a single evening news edition or daily paper published that doesn't have a focus on the international trade and commerce along the 1,254 miles of our state border. We predict that the new initiative will be enthusiastically received by our members and will help to further the goals and objectives of our organization.

 

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TEX-21 Space Task Force

 

With the growth of interest in space and space-related transportation, including passenger and cargo,

TEX-21 has taken on the challenge of growing the space industry in Texas through partnerships with already established and identified space-focused companies, as well as new and less widely known companies. With SpaceX rocket testing facilities in McGregor Texas, on our of our long time TEX-21 members, we have connections and experience to get us started on this new venture. There is not a single rocket launched by SpaceX that hasn't been tested at the facilities in McGregor. By focusing efforts on space, TEX-21 is furthering their goal of well-rounded multimodal transportation and helping to bring to Texas the next frontier of transportation, not on the ground but up in space. We hope to increase the interest of our members in this new initiative and work together to build a long-lasting TEX-21 space focus.

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Expiring Revenue Enhancement (ERE) Initiative

 

It is all but certain that toll roads and CDA funding, which TxDOT has used in the past, will not continue to be used in future transportation projects in Texas. To fill this enormous gap, TEX-21 has conceived of an idea, embraced by both sides of the aisle, named the ERE. This is NOT a new tax. If created by the Legislature, an ERE would allow TxDOT to fund new highway projects by creating state sales tax increment zones around the projects. This way, the future state-portion of sales tax growth would pay for the project. After a period of time, the state sales tax growth would revert to the general fund as it does now. TEX-21 members created this idea, and have done sales tax research with the Comptroller’s Office to show the Legislature how beneficial this approach will be.

 

Right of Way Preservation Initiative

 

TEX-21 is also researching the opportunity to preserve Right of Way for future transportation projects without additional land seizures. This approach would allow cities, counties and the state to preserve Right of Way before development begins. If the transportation project is not developed within a set period of time, then the ROW would be released for use to the owner. TEX-21 is looking for a solution that would be mutually beneficial to the land owner/developer and to the state.

 

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Property Taxes Initiative

 

With the public desire to limit property tax growth in Texas, TEX-21 is committed to working with the Legislature to make sure that sensible proposals are continually being discussed that will not cause any harm to TEX21 members and their infrastructure projects.