Story Created:
Oct 10, 2012 at 6:02 PM CDT
Story Updated:
Oct 11, 2012
More 18-wheelers on highways in South Texas is putting a heavier load on the Texas Department of Transportation.
And TX Dot is planning to turn to the oil and gas companies for help fixing the roads.
They're the heavy trucks putting the eagle ford project in motion.
But they're also putting a heavy load on TX Dot
“It creates pot holes ruts.”
“There are roads that have really taken a beating so to speak.”
TX Dot officials say truck traffic has jumped 42 percent since eagle ford began.
Multiplying the number of highway repairs needed.
“All that needs to be improved and maintained to keep the integrity of the road to make sure it is safe.”
It would take 373 million dollars to fix issues eagle ford has created in our area.
Two billion dollars statewide.
TX Dot wants oil and gas companies making money here to help foot the bill for fixing the roads they use.
“The need is great. TX Dot is trying to partner up with some of these companies to see how we can get their local dollars to their local companies for highway improvements.”
But private companies don’t have a legal avenue to that right now until Legislatures make it possible for them to donate to the state.
TX Dot is ready to plead their case.
All the numbers we spoke about have to do with state highways. So it doesn’t even include costs for small roads at the local level. TX Dot plans to be at the next legislative session to ask for the money it needs to get highways fixed.
