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The 2012 Road Show presented by ‘Texas Road Show’ recently came to town to explain the real cost of doing nothing to Texas highways.
The hidden cost of doing nothing to maintain and improve Texas roadways is too great, and Texas is having a funding crisis. District 62 House Representative Larry Phillips and District 1 House Representative George Lavender explained the importance of maintaining roadways and the underfunding that Texas now faces.
According to information provided during the Texas Good Roads program, Texas faces increased growth of 1000 to 1200 people per day but has not increased the funding for maintenance and expansion of roadways to accommodate the additional traffic or wear and tear caused by this population explosion. The Texas gas tax has not changed since 1991 and only 15 cents per gallon of gas sold actually goes to fund road maintenance, however the cost of repairs and maintenance on roads has increased, said Rep. Phillips.
Citizens are already paying extra through loss of time, safety and added expenses incurred with poorly maintained roads and delays in transporting goods and services according to the Texas Good Roads – Transportation Association. The average Texas resident pays $948 annually in accident-related costs and each Texas driver pays an additional $343 annually for repair costs, increased fuel consumption and wear on tires due to poorly maintained roads.
The Good Roads Program educates the public to urge their congressmen to invest in highways again.
For more information on the Texas roadways and funding crisis, please visit www.infrastructuretexas.org.
Josh Allen Josh is the Managing Editor of www.eParisExtra.com. If you have a suggestion or comment about a story or possible story, you may email him at josh@eparistexas.com.
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