March 31, 2022 – Texas Department of Transportation – Regular Commission Meeting: ENGLISH transcript


 >> GOOD MORNING!
 IT IS 10:00 A.M.
 AND I CALL TO ORDER THE MARCH 
 31st, 2022, MEETING OF THE 
 TEXAS TRANSPORTATION COMMISSION 
 IN AUSTIN, TEXAS.
 PLEASE NOTE FOR THE RECORD 
 PUBLIC NOTICE OF THIS MEETING 
 CONTAINING ALL ITEMS ON THE 
 AGENDA WAS FILED WITH THE 
 SECRETARY OF STATE AT 1:53 P.M. 
 ON MARCH 23, 2022, WHICH IS AT 
 LEAST SEVEN DAYS PRIOR TO THE 
 MEETING IN ACCORDANCE WITH 
 GOVERNMENT CODE SECTION 
 551.044.
 AT THIS TIME, I WOULD ASK THAT 
 BEFORE WE BEGIN TODAY'S 
 MEETING, YOU PLACE ALL CELL 
 PHONES AND OTHER COMMUNICATION 
 DEVICES IN THE SILENT OR OFF 
 MODE.
 TO COMMENT OR REGISTER YOUR 
 OPINION ON AN AGENDA ITEM, 
 PLEASE COMPLETE A YELLOW CARD 
 AND IDENTIFY THE AGENDA ITEM.
 BRING THAT CARD UP TO OUR DESK, 
 MS. LAWSON HERE AT THE DIAS.
 WHEN WE GET TO THAT AGENDA 
 ITEM, AND AFTER THE STAFF HAS 
 PRESENTED THE AGENDA ITEM, I 
 WILL CALL YOUR NAME TO THE 
 PODIUM, WHEN YOU COME UP TO THE 
 PODIUM, PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME 
 AND THE ORGANIZATION THAT YOU 
 REPRESENT.
 AND THEN STATE YOUR REMARKS.
 IF YOUR REMARKS DO NOT CERTAIN 
 AN AGENDA ITEM WE'LL TAKE YOUR 
 COMMENTS DURING OPENING COMMENT 
 PERIOD DURING THE END OF THE 
 MEETING.
 FOR THOSE COMMENTS PLEASE 
 COMPLETE A BLUE CARD.
 AGAIN, BRING THAT CARD UP TO 
 THE CLERK MS. LAWSON AT THE 
 LIST.
 WHEN YOU COME UP TOED PODIUM TO 
 SPEAK.
 PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME AND IF 
 YOU ARE SPEAKING ON BEHALF OF 
 AN ORGANIZATION PLEASE LET US 
 KNOW THAT NAME OF THE 
 ORGANIZATION.
 PLEASE NOTE DURING THE OPEN 
 COMMENT PERIOD THE COMMISSION 
 IS PROHIBITED BY LAW FOR 
 ANSWERING QUESTIONS AND 
 ENGAGING IN DIALOGUE CONCERNING 
 REMARKS NOT POSTED ON THE 
 AGENDA.
 REGARDLESS OF WHETHER YOU SPEAK 
 ON THE AGENDA ITEM ON OPEN 
 COMMENT PERIOD YOU HAVE HAVE 
 THREE MINUTES TO PROVIDE YOUR 
 REMARKS.
 WHEN 60 SECONDS REMAIN THE 
 YELLOW LIGHT AT THE PODIUM WILL 
 FLASH MEANING YOU SHOULD WRAP 
 UP YOUR COMMENTS.
 WHEN THE RED LIGHT FLASHES YOUR 
 THREE MINUTES HAVE EXPIRED.
 BEFORE WE BEGIN I'LL TURN THE 
 COMPLETING OVER TO OUR 
 EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, MARC 
 WILLIAMS.
 >> THANK YOU, CHAIRMAN.
 AT THIS TIME I WOULD LIKE TO 
 ASK FOR EVERYONE FULL ATTENTION 
 TO BE DIRECTED TO THE SCREEN AS 
 WE SHOW THE AGREE BUILDING 
 SAFETY VIDEO DESCRIBING 
 EMERGENCY EXITS AND OTHER 
 EMERGENCY PROCEDURES.
 ???
 >> VIDEO: ATTENTION, PLEASE,
 THE FOLLOWING IS A SAFETY VIDEO
 TO HELP ENSURE YOUR PERSONAL
 SAFETY WHILE AT THE TEXAS
 DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
 GREER BUILDING.
 IN CASE OF A MEDICAL EMERGENCY,
 PLEASE CALL 9-1-1.
 AN AUTOMATED EXTERNAL
 DEFIBRILLATOR UNIT IS LOCATED
 HERE ON LEVEL 1, IN THE MAIN
 LOBBY AT THE SECURITY BOOTH.
 FIRST-AID KITS ARE MARKED AND
 LOCATED ON EACH FLOOR.
 FIRE EXTINGUISHERS ARE MARKED
 AND LOCATED ON EACH FLOOR.
 IN THE EVENT OF AN EVACUATION,
 PROCEED TO THE NEAREST EXIT.
 ONCE OUTSIDE, PROCEED TO THE
 WEST PARKING LOT OF THE GREER
 BUILDING, LOCATED AT THE CORNER
 OF CONGRESS AVENUE AND 11TH
 STREET.
 IN CASE OF TORNADO OR INCLEMENT
 WEATHER, STAY INSIDE AWAY MOVE
 FROM EXTERIOR WALLS AND
 WINDOWS.
 THE DESIGNATED SHELTERS ARE:
 STAIRWELLS, BASEMENT, INTERIOR
 HALLWAYS, AND CENTRALLY LOCATED
 RESTROOMS.
 IN CASE OF ACTIVE SHOOTER OR
 BOMB THREAT, FOLLOW
 INSTRUCTIONS FROM THE PUBLIC
 ADDRESS SYSTEM AND ON-SITE
 SECURITY PERSONNEL FOR MORE
 DETAILS.
 THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME, HAVE A
 SAFE AND PRODUCTIVE MEETING.
 >> WITH OURSELF VIDEO COMPLETED 
 I'LL -- WITH OUR SAFETY VIDEO 
 COMPLETED I'LL TURN THE MEETING 
 BACK TO YOU, MR. CHAIRMAN.
 >> THANK YOU, MARC.
 BEFORE WE BEGIN WITH THE 
 COMMISSION THIS MORNING I WOULD 
 LIKE TO WELCOME STATE 
 REPRESENTATIVE DONNA HOWARD AND 
 ASK HER TO PLEASE COME FORWARD 
 AND SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS WITH 
 US.
 GOOD MORNING.
 >> GOOD MORNING.
 SORRY.
 THERE WE GO.
 THANK YOU, I APPRECIATE IT.
 MY FAMILY HAS BEEN PART OF 
 STATE SERVICE FOR MANY, MANY 
 YEARS.
 AND I WANTED TO MAKE SURE I HAD 
 AN OPPORTUNITY TO RECOGNIZE 
 THEM AND LET THEM COME AND MEET 
 YOU.
 FIRST OFF, I'M GOING TO JUST 
 BRIEFLY MENTION MY FATHER, 
 AUBREY SMEHTZER THAT STARTED 
 AFTER WORLD WAR II, FIRST JOBS 
 A DRAFTSMAN AT THE HIGHWAY 
 DEPARTMENT IN '46 WHERE HE 
 WORKED FOR THE STATE PATROL 
 WHERE HE WAS RESPONSIBILITY FOR 
 THE STATE CAPITOL COMPLEX.
 I'M HERE TODAY TO TALK ABOUT MY 
 MOM, JOANNE SMEHTZER, ACTUALLY 
 DETERMINED RETIRED FROM THE 
 HIGHWAY DEPARTMENT AFTER 33 
 YEARS OF SERVICE, ON THIS DAY; 
 ON MARCH 31st, 1986!
 SO 36 YEARS AGO!
 BUT THEY BOTH HAVE VALUED SO 
 MUCH THEIR SERVICE TO THE 
 STATE.
 AND WE WANTED TO, MY FAMILY A A AND 
 I WANTED TO MAKE SURE JOANNE 
 HAD A CHANCE TO COME HERE AND 
 BE RECOGNIZED FOR HER SERVICE 
 TO THE STATE, TO THE HIGHWAY 
 DEPARTMENT, TxDOT.
 I HAVE TO LOOK AT THE NAMES.
 SHE WAS HERE SO LONG AND WORKED 
 FOR THE CHIEF ENGINEER.
 AN ASSISTANT TO MR. DINGMAN, 
 MR. GOOD.
 WORKED FOR MR. GREER.
 AND WORKED WITH MR. DEBERRY.
 SO, A LOT OF THE BIG NAMES 
 AROUND HERE.
 SHE WAS IN THEIR OFFICES AS 
 THEIR ASSISTANT.
 SO, THANK WAY, THAT'S MAINLY 
 WHAT I WANT TO SAY.
 I WANTED TO JUST HAVE AN 
 OPPORTUNITY FOR, IF I COULD, 
 BRING HER UP FOR YOU TO SAY 
 HELLO TO.
 >> PLEASE DO.
 >> THANK YOU.
 SO I'M NOT GOING TO PUT HER UP 
 TO THE MICROPHONE.
 I'M JUST GOING TO LET HER SIT 
 HERE SO YOU ALL CAN SAY "HI" TO 
 HER.
 YOU WANT TO SAY ANYTHING, 
 JOANNE?
 >> I'VE BEEN IN THIS ROOM MANY 
 TIMES, BUT NEVER IN POSITION TO 
 COMMENT ON ANYTHING.
 [ LAUGHTER ]
 >> IT'S PRETTY SPECIAL, HUH?
 >> IT IS.
 VERY SPECIAL, YES.
 >> WELL, YOU PROVIDED A LOT OF 
 SERVICE TO THIS AGENCY AND TO 
 OUR STATE.
 AND I'M PROUD OF YOU.
 AND I THINK IT IS WONDERFUL 
 THAT THE COMMISSIONERS HERE 
 HAVE BEEN GENEROUS ENOUGH TO 
 LET YOU COME HERE TODAY SO THAT 
 THEY CAN RECOGNIZE YOU.
 >> WELL, THANK YOU.
 I'M PROUD OF ALL OF YOU, AS 
 WELL AS EVERYBODY INVOLVED 
 HERE.
 BECAUSE.
 >> THANK YOU.
 >> THAT IS SPECIAL.
 SPECIAL, TO ME, BEING BORN AND 
 RAISED IN THIS PART OF THE 
 STATE OF TEXAS.
 IT'S VERY INTERESTING, TO ME, 
 ANYTHING YOU SAY AND DO ABOUT 
 THIS PART OF TEXAS.
 >> VERY NICE.
 >> SO THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH WE 
 APPRECIATE IT.
 >> THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE.
 [ APPLAUSE ]
 THANK YOU, REPRESENTATIVE 
 HOWARD.
 THANK YOU.
 THANK YOU, REPRESENTATIVE 
 HOWARD.
 THAT WAS WONDERFUL TO MEET YOUR 
 MOTHER.
 AND AGAIN, THANK YOU FOR YOUR 
 YEARS OF SERVICE.
 >> THANK YOU.
 >> THANK YOU.
 AT THIS TIME, WE WOULD LIKE TO 
 INVITE U.S. COMMERCIAL 
 SECRETARY FORMER U.S. COMMERCE 
 SECRETARY, HE'S STILL 
 SECRETARY, DON EVANS, TO ME.
 BUT OUR FRIEND DON EVANS TO 
 PLEASE COME FORWARD AND SHARE 
 YOUR THOUGHTS, DON.
 , TODAY IS THE CHAIRMAN OF 
 PERMANENT STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIP 
 WITH THE NEWS OF RUSSIA AND 
 UKRAINIAN HOW THE RUSSIAN OIL 
 HAS COME OFF THE MARKET.
 AND NOW, HOW THE PERMEAN 
 PROMISE REALLY HELPED THE 
 NATIONAL SECURITY.
 AND PLAYED A ROLE IN THE ENTIRE 
 WORLD STAGE ON THE ENERGY 
 SECTOR, WE APPRECIATE YOU, 
 SECRETARY EVANS, FOR TAKING 
 TIME TO COME ADDRESS US TODAY 
 AND SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS ON THE 
 VERY IMPORTANT SEGMENT OF THE 
 ENERGY INDUSTRY, NOT ONLY TO 
 TEXAS, BUT FOR THE UNITED 
 STATES OF AMERICA.
 SO THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE.
 >> THANK YOU, CHAIRMAN, VERY 
 MUCH.
 I'M SORRY THE REPRESENTATIVE 
 LEFT.
 I WANTED TO THANK 
 REPRESENTATIVE HOWARD FOR 
 INTRODUCING ALL OF US TO HER 
 MOTHER, JOANNE.
 THAT WAS A SWEET MOMENT FOR ALL 
 OF US.
 MR. CHAIRMAN, COMMISSIONERS, 
 THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY 
 TO BE HERE, TO TALK WITH YOU 
 ABOUT THE PERMEAN BASIN AND 
 STRAG PARTNERSHIP OF THE 
 PERMEAN BASIN.
 I'M DON EVANS THE CHAIRMAN OF 
 THE PERMEAN STRATEGIC 
 PARTNERSHIP.
 I WOULD SAY TO YOU THAT TODAY 
 WE'RE GOING TO HIGHLIGHT KIND 
 OF THE GREAT PROGRESS WE'VE 
 MADE ON THE PERMEAN PROMISE.
 AND I THINK BACK IN A BOOK THAT 
 SAMMIAL MEYERS WROTE BACK IN 
 1977, AND IT WAS CONSIDERED AT 
 THE TIME THE KIND OF PIONEERING 
 BOOK OF PERMEAN BASIN IN THE 
 HISTORY.
 IN THE BOOK HE SAID A PERMEAN 
 BASIN, CALLED THE PETROLEUM 
 EMPIRE OF THE SOUTHWEST.
 HE SAID IT WAS A UNIQUE 
 PHENOMENON.
 HE HAD NO IDEA HOW UNIQUE AND 
 WHAT A PHENOMENON IT REALLY IS.
 IF HE WOULD HAVE LOOKED AT IT 
 50 YEARS LATER, TODAY, IT IS 
 JUST REMARKABLE WHAT IT MEANS 
 TO NOT ONLY WEST TEXAS, THE 
 STATE, BUT INDEED THE WORLD.
 I WOULD SAY THAT THE EYES OF 
 THE WORLD ARE ON THE PERMEAN 
 BASIN ON WEST TEXAS AT THIS 
 MOMENT BECAUSE OF WHAT YOU 
 REFERENCED, MR. CHAIRMAN, WHICH 
 IS WHAT IS GOING ON IN SOME OF 
 THE GLOBAL EVENTS OF TODAY.
 WHETHER THE HORRIFIC WAR THAT'S 
 TAKING PLACE BETWEEN RUSSIA AND 
 UKRAINE, IT SHOWS TO YOU THE 
 REALLY IMPORTANCE OF ENERGY.
 AND IT SHOWS YOU THE IMPORTANCE 
 OF ENERGY ABUNDANCE.
 WE LIVE IN A COUNTRY RIGHT NOW 
 THAT WAS ENERGY-SCARCE FOR 50 
 YEARS.
 FROM 1972 TO ABOUT 2012 OR '14, 
 WE WERE ENERGY-SCARCE.
 NOW, WE ARE ENERGY-ABUNDANT.
 IT CHANGED THE WHOLE POLITICAL 
 EQUATION, THE WHOLE FOREIGN 
 POLICY DISCUSSION, IT CHANGES 
 THE WHOLE GEOPOLITICAL DIP 
 NATURIC DISCUSSION.
 IT IS THE PATH THAT LEADS YOU 
 TO ENERGY SECURITY, ECONOMIC 
 SECURITY, AND NATIONAL 
 SECURITY.
 AND, AND BECAUSE OF WHAT'S 
 HAPPENED IN THE PERMEAN BASIN, 
 WE ARE, NOW, WE CAN CALL 
 OURSELVES A COUNTRY OF ENERGY 
 ABUNDANCE.
 AND I WANT TO TALK A LITTLE BIT 
 ABOUT THIS IMPORTANT 
 PARTNERSHIP WE'VE HAD BETWEEN 
 TxDOT AND PERMEAN STRATEGIC 
 PARTNERSHIP.
 PRIORITY NUMBER 1 WHEN WE 
 STARTED THE PERMEAN STRATEGIC 
 PARTNERSHIP SOME THREE AND A 
 HALF YEARS AGO WAS SAFELY.
 THAT'S YOUR PRIORITY.
 THAT'S YOUR NUMBER 1 PRIORITY.
 THAT'S WHAT WE WERE FOCUSED ON 
 VERY FIRST.
 WE LOOKED AT THE FATALITIES 
 TAKES PLACE ON THE ROADS IN 
 PERMEAN BASE A FATALITY A DAY 
 AND MORE ACCIDENTS THAN YOU 
 WANTED TO COUNT.
 SO WE CAME TO THIS COMMISSION 
 AND WE ASKED FOR SUPPORT TO 
 HELP BUILD OUT AND SAFER ROADS 
 IN THE PERMEAN BASIN.
 BECAUSE OF YOUR LEADERSHIP, 
 BECAUSE OF YOUR COMMITMENT, 
 BECAUSE OF WHAT YOU DID FOR US 
 OUT THERE, WE HAD NOT ONLY 
 OTHER LOCAL COUNTIES AND CITIES 
 AND THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT AS 
 WELL, I MIGHT ADD, WE REALLY 
 COME TO THE TABLE AND HELP US 
 BUILD SAFER ROADS, CONSTRUCTION -- SAFER ROADS IN 
 THE PERMEAN BASIN.
 WE FOCUS ON MORE THAN 
 INFRASTRUCTURE.
 LIKE YOU, I MEAN, SAFETY IS 
 FIRST.
 THAT'S THE MOST IMPORTANT 
 THING.
 AND I'M GLAD TO REPORT THE 
 TRENDS ARE GOOD.
 FATALITIES ARE DOWN.
 CRASHES ARE DOWN.
 ACCIDENTS ARE DOWN.
 WE WANT THOSE TRENDS TO 
 CONTINUE.
 WE HAVE MORE WORK TO DO, BUT 
 WE'RE ON THE RIGHT PATH.
 WHAT ELSE WE FOCUS ON IN PSP IS 
 WE FOCUS ON QUALITY EDUCATION.
 SCHOOLS NOT PERFORMING UP TO 
 STANDARD, NOT ANYWHERE CLOSE.
 WE NEED WORLD CLASS HEALTHCARE 
 AND NEED TO CONTINUE TO DEVELOP 
 A WORKFORCE TO DEVELOP AND 
 BUILD OUT THIS INCREDIBLE 
 RESOURCE WE HAVE FOR NOT ONLY 
 THIS STATE BUT THE COUNTRY, AND 
 INDEED, THE WORLD.
 YOU CAN'T ATTRACT THE BEST AND 
 THE BRIGHTEST AND THE CITIZENS 
 AND THE REALLY THE PATRIOTIC 
 WORKERS THAT WE HAVE.
 YOU CAN'T ATTRACT ENOUGH OF 
 THEM IF YOU DON'T HAVE GOOD 
 ROADS.
 IF YOU DON'T HAVE GOOD QUALITY 
 EDUCATION.
 AND GOOD WORLD CLASS 
 HEALTHCARE.
 AND A WORKFORCE THAT YOU'RE 
 DEVELOPING.
 SO WHAT WE'VE DONE TO DATE IS 
 WE'VE INVESTED PSP ABOUT A 
 LITTLE OVER $100 MILLION.
 WE'VE, WITH THE PUBLIC/PRIVATE 
 PARTNERSHIPS BROUGHT IN ANOTHER 
 $950 MILLION AND WE'VE MADE 
 GREAT, GREAT PROGRESS.
 THE BIG PICTURE OF THE PERMEAN 
 BASIN IS IT IS JUST -- IT IS 
 REMARKABLE.
 I MEAN, THIS ONE BASIN, IF IT 
 WAS A COUNTRY, IT WOULD BE THE 
 THIRD-LARGEST PRODUCING COUNTRY 
 IN THE WORLD OF OIL.
 RIGHT NOW, WE ALL WOULD 
 PROBABLY SAY, WE'RE THE 
 SECOND-LARGEST PRODUCING 
 COUNTRY IN THE WORLD BECAUSE OF 
 WHAT'S GOING ON IN RUSSIA.
 I DON'T THINK THEY'RE NOT 
 PRODUCING AND MATCHING 
 CAPACITY.
 THINK ABOUT IT, THIS BASIN OUT 
 THERE, THE SECOND-LARGEST 
 PRODUCING COUNTRY IN THE WORLD 
 WOULD BE IF IT WAS A COUNTRY OF 
 OIL.
 IT IS PRODUCING AT A RECORD 
 LEVEL NOW.
 5.2 MILLION A DAY.
 IT IS INCREASING EVERY DAY.
 IT PEAKED OUT IN THE EARLY 
 '70s, AT ABOUT 3.1 BARRELS A 
 DAY.
 WE'RE WELL ABOVE THAT.
 FROM 1972 TO 2015, IT DECLINED 
 STEADILY.
 NOBODY SAW ANY REASON THAT WAS 
 GOING TO BE TURNED AROUND.
 BUT WITH TECHNOLOGY THAT CAME 
 ALONG, IT HAS BEEN TURNED 
 AROUND.
 BUT IN ADDITION TO OUR LEVELS 
 OF 5.2 MILLION A DAY, WHAT 
 E.I.A. SAYS IS THAT E.I.A. 
 PROJECTS THAT BY 2050, WHICH IS 
 SOME 30 YEARS FROM NOW, THE 
 DEMAND IN THE WORLD WILL BE 
 INCREASED BY 50% FOR ENERGY.
 I DON'T KNOW ANYBODY THAT 
 REALLY UNDERSTANDS THE GLOBAL 
 ECONOMY, THE DEMAND OF THE 
 WORLD, WILL BE CALLING FOR 
 ENERGY, THAT THINKS FOSSIL 
 FUELS WON'T CONTINUE TO PLAY A 
 MAJOR ROLE IN PROVIDING THE 
 WORLD WITH ENERGY FOR DECADES 
 AND DECADES TO COME.
 I WOULD ALSO SAY THAT WE ALL 
 KNOW THAT WHAT THE PRESIDENT 
 ANNOUNCED LAST WEEK.
 ANNOUNCED THAT WE WOULD BE 
 SUPPORTING EUROPE DURING THIS 
 TIME.
 AND WE WOULD PROVIDE ADDITIONAL 
 NATURAL GAS FOR THEM DURING 
 THIS TIME.
 IF WE WERE ENERGY-SCARCE WE 
 COULD NOT DO THAT.
 BECAUSE OF OUR ENERGY ABUNDANCE 
 WE CAN DO THAT; CERTAINLY, THE 
 PERMEAN BASIN STANDS READY TO 
 SUPPORT THE PRESIDENT AND BE 
 WILLING TO PROVIDE ADDITIONAL 
 NATURAL GAS FOR EUROPE AND 
 BEYOND.
 THE OTHER THING YOU NEED TO 
 KNOW ABOUT THE PERMEAN BASIN IS 
 IT IS, IT IS LOW CARBON OIL.
 IT IS A CLEANEST BARREL OF OIL 
 IN THE WORLD.
 IT IS A LOWEST COST BARREL OF 
 OIL IN THE WORLD.
 SO WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT IT, YOU 
 KNOW, IF YOU ARE DRILLING 
 ANYWHERE IN THE WORLD YOU ARE 
 GOING TO BE DRILLING IN THE 
 PERMEAN BASIN.
 THAT'S THE LAST PLACE WE WOULD 
 QUIT DRILLING.
 AGAIN, A REASON TO UNDERSTAND 
 THAT IT IS GOING TO BE THERE 
 FOR DECADES AND DECADES TO 
 COME.
 WHAT ELSE IS GOING ON IN THE 
 PERMEAN BASIN WHAT IS 
 INTERESTING TO ME, ALL OF THE 
 WORK BEING DONE MOVING ECONOMY 
 TOWARD A LOW-CARBON ECONOMY.
 IT WILL BE AN INCUBATOR FOR 
 LOTS OF DIFFERENT PROJECTS TO 
 WORK ON HOW DO WE MOVE THE 
 ECONOMY TO LOWER CARBON 
 ECONOMY?
 EXAMPLE OX DENTAL THIS LAST 
 WEEK A $1 BILLION PLANT TO 
 CAPTURE CO2 FROM THE ATMOSPHERE 
 AND SEQUESTER IN THE GROUND.
 PLAN TO BUILD 70 OF THEM 
 BETWEEN NOW AND 2035.
 YOU HAVE EXXON OUT THERE WITH, 
 WE'RE WORKING ON WHAT THEY CALL 
 LOW-CARBON SOLUTIONS.
 YOU HAVE CHEVRON OUT THERE, 
 WORKING ON WHAT THEY CALL NEW 
 ENERGY.
 I MEAN, THE INDUSTRY IS REALLY 
 RALLYING AROUND THIS WHOLE 
 CONCEPT.
 WE NEED TO MOVE TOWARD 
 LOW-CARBON ECONOMY.
 THAT MEANS FOR THE WORLD, WE 
 HAVE TO LEAD.
 THE OTHER COUNTRIES AREN'T 
 GOING TO LEAD, WE HAVE TO LEAD 
 THIS.
 WHAT ELSE IS HAPPENING, WHICH 
 IS REALLY INTERESTING, IS THAT 
 A LOT OF THESE DIFFERENT 
 TECHNOLOGIES AND INNOVATIONS 
 ARE HAPPENING ON CAMPUSES 
 ACROSS AMERICA.
 UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS, TEXAS A & 
 M, TEXAS TECH, M.I.T., 
 STANFORD.
 I MEAN, SOME OF THE BRIGHTEST 
 MINDS AND SCIENTISTS ARE 
 WORKING ON MOVING THIS ECONOMY 
 TO WHERE WE'RE LOW-CARBON 
 ECONOMY.
 I TALK ABOUT AGAIN CAN 
 MODERNIZING THE INFRASTRUCTURE, 
 I ALREADY MENTIONED IT, YOU 
 NEVER CAN MENTION IT QUITE 
 ENOUGH.
 WHICH IS, YOUR $600 MILLION 
 COMMITMENT TO THE PERMEAN 
 PROMISE AND PERMEAN BASIN HAS 
 ALLOWED US TO SEE A TREND THAT 
 REVERSED THE FATALITIES.
 WE SEE DECLINING FATALITIES.
 WE SEE DECLINING ACCIDENTS, 
 WHICH IS FIRST PRIORITY, WHAT I 
 CALL JOB 1.
 THAT'S JOB 1 FOR ALL OF US.
 WHEN I THINK ABOUT THE PERMEAN, 
 I ALSO THINK ABOUT KIND OF THE 
 ROLE IT IS GOING TO PLAY IN 
 SUPPORTING GLOBAL ECONOMIC 
 GROWTH.
 BECAUSE WITHOUT THE PERMEAN, I 
 MEAN, YOU CAN'T GROW THE 
 ECONOMY WITHOUT AFFORDABLE, 
 AVAILABLE ENERGY THAT'S 
 DELIVERED IN ENVIRONMENTAL 
 FRIENDLY WAY.
 THAT'S WHAT THE PERMEAN BASIN 
 IS GOING TO DO FOR NOT ONLY 
 TEXAS AND AMERICA, BUT THE 
 ENTIRE WORLD.
 WE HAD A STUDY CONDUCTED BY THE 
 PERMAN GROUP TO KIND OF LOOK AT 
 SOME OF THE DATA IN TERMS OF 
 WHAT THE WEST TEXAS PERMEAN 
 BASIN MEANS FOR THE STATE OF 
 TEXAS.
 WHAT THAT CAME UP WITH IS THE 
 TEXAS OIL AND GAS SEVERANCE 
 TAXES ARE PROJECTED IN ALL-TIME 
 HIGH IN 2022 AND '23.
 THE CONTROLLER ESTIMATES 2.3, 
 2.43 BILLION DOLLARS.
 WITH PRICES AND PRODUCTION, 
 THAT WAS A FORECAST BACK IN 
 NOVEMBER, WE WOULD SAY THAT 
 BECAUSE OF PRODUCTION AND 
 PRICES, THAT NUMBER IS LIKELY 
 TO BE MORE CLOSER TO 
 $3 BILLION.
 ECONOMIC BENEFITS INCLUDE:  AN 
 ESTIMATED $129 BILLION OF GROSS 
 PRODUCT; OVER 508,000 JOBS IN 
 TEXAS.
 THIS IS PROJECTED TO JUMP TO 
 $219 BILLION IN GROSS PRODUCT.
 UP TO MORE THAN 778,000 JOBS BY 
 2050.
 OVER 72% OF THE OIL PRODUCTION 
 IN THE STATE OF TEXAS COMES 
 FROM THE PERMEAN BASIN.
 OVER 50% OR ABOUT 50% OF THE 
 GAS PRODUCTION COMES FROM THE 
 PERMEAN BASIN.
 WE ALSO HAVE A LOT OF 
 RENEWABLES OUT THERE.
 30% OF NEW SOLAR FARMS ARE IN 
 THE STATE OF TEXAS OR PLANNED 
 FOR THE PERMEAN BASIN.
 WIND POWER.
 WE HAVE MORE WIND IN TEXAS 18 
 MEGAWATT CAPACITY OF WIND 
 THAT'S MORE THAN ANY OTHER 
 STATE IN AMERICA.
 WE'RE NOT JUST OIL AND GAS, 
 WE'RE WIND, WE'RE SOLAR.
 WE'RE WORKING ON HYDROGEN.
 KIND OF ALL-OF-THE-ABOVE 
 APPROACH.
 WHAT I WOULD JUST SAY TO YOU -- 
 I KNOW I TALKED -- GAVE YOU A 
 LOT OF INFORMATION IN A VERY 
 SHORT PERIOD OF TIME.
 I JUST WANT ALL OF YOU KNOW TO 
 KNOW HOW IMPORTANT THE PERMEAN 
 BASIN TO THE ECONOMIC SECURITY, 
 ENERGY SECURITY, NATIONAL 
 SECURITY OF THIS COUNTRY.
 AND I WOULD SAY, ALSO, THE 
 FREEDOM OF THIS COUNTRY.
 WE HAVE BEEN THROUGH -- WE TALK 
 ABOUT ENERGY TRANSITION.
 WE HAVE BEEN THROUGH A MAJOR 
 ENERGY TRANSITION.
 IN THAT WE HAVE GONE THROUGH 
 BEING ENERGY-SCARCE TO 
 ENERGY-ABUNDANT.
 AND I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE 
 KEEP THIS COUNTRY IN A POSITION 
 OF AN ENERGY-ABUNDANCE.
 SO WE CAN LEAD AND WE CAN HELP 
 OTHER COUNTRIES AROUND THE 
 WORLD WHEN THEY NEED THEIR 
 HELP.
 THANK YOU FOR ALL YOU'VE DONE 
 FOR THE PERMEAN BASIN.
 IT IS -- I BRING ON BEHALF OF 
 ALL OF THE PEOPLE OF WEST TEXAS 
 A BIG THANKS.
 PEOPLE OUT THERE NOW FEEL LIKE 
 THEY HAVE MUCH SAFER ROADS THAN 
 THEY HAD A COUPLE YEARS AGO 
 BECAUSE OF YOU.
 THANK YOU, MR. CHAIRMAN.
 APPRECIATE YOU.
 >> THANK YOU, SECRETARY EVANS.
 AND I WANT TO THANK YOU ON 
 BEHALF OF ALL OF US FOR YOUR 
 SERVICE TO THE STATE OF TEXAS.
 MANY DON'T KNOW THAT YOU SERVED 
 IN THE GEORGE W. BUSH 
 ADMINISTRATION WHEN HE WAS THE, 
 THEN, GOVERNOR.
 YOU SERVED A CHAIRMAN OF BOARD 
 OF REGIONS FOR THE UNIVERSITY 
 OF TEXAS.
 YOU WENT ON AND SERVED U.S. 
 SECRETARY OF COMMERCE WITH 
 PRESIDENT GEORGE W. BUSH.
 NOW YOU'RE SERVING THE PUBLIC 
 AGAIN IN VERY IMPORTANT ROLE AS 
 CHAIRMAN OF PERMEAN STRATEGIC 
 PARTNERSHIP.
 THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE, IF 
 YOU DON'T MIND STAYING I'LL 
 TURN TO OPENING COMMENT.
 >> ABSOLUTELY.
 I LOOK FORWARD TO IT.
 >> I GUESS MY COMMISSIONERS 
 WILL WANT TO SAY A FEW WORDS 
 ABOUT YOUR SERVICE AS WELL.
 >> THANK YOU, THAT WERE.
 >> THANK YOU, THANK YOU.
 WE'LL OPEN WITH COMMENTS FROM 
 COMMISSIONER VAUGHN.
 >> THANK YOU, CHAIRMAN.
 DON'T HAVE ANY COMMENTS THIS 
 MORNING, OTHER THAN I WANT TO, 
 AGAIN, THANK SECRETARY EVANS 
 FOR COMING TODAY.
 AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR REMARKS.
 AND FOR YOUR STAFF AND YOUR 
 TIME TO COME OUT AND 
 COMMUNICATE THIS IMPORTANT 
 INFORMATION TO US.
 I JUST HAVE ONE SUGGESTION, IF 
 YOU HAVEN'T ALREADY DONE IT, 
 YOU MAY HAVE, IS TO BASICALLY 
 PUT WHAT YOU JUST COMMUNICATED 
 IN WRITING FOR NOT ONLY 
 STATEWIDE, BUT NATIONWIDE 
 DISTRIBUTION.
 YOU KNOW, IT IS IMPORTANT TO 
 GET THIS AND TO THE NEWSPAPERS 
 AT BOTH SIDES OF THE POLITICAL 
 SPECTRUM, SEE, ALSO FOR THE 
 AMERICAN PUBLIC TO UNDERSTAND 
 THE IMPORTANCE OF WHAT TEXAS 
 PROVIDES THE COUNTRY AND, 
 PARTICULARLY, WEST TEXAS.
 THANK YOU.
 >> THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER 
 VAUGHN.
 COMMISSIONER NEW?
 >> I HAVE A COUPLE OF THINGS TO 
 TALK ABOUT.
 ONE OF THEM WILL TOUCH THE 
 PERMEAN BASIN.
 SO THE FIRST THING IS, I WANT 
 TO RELATE TO THE COMMISSION AND 
 THE PUBLIC WHAT WE WERE ABLE TO 
 DO WITH THE FEDERAL TRANSIT 
 AUTHORITY AND THE GRANTS THAT 
 WERE CREATED THERE.
 THE COMMISSION, THE TxDOT 
 RECEIVED $22.85 MILLION AWARD 
 FROM THE FEDERAL TRANSPORTATION -- OR FEDERAL 
 TRANSIT AUTHORITY.
 FUNDING TO REPLACE 194 OLDER 
 TRANSIT VEHICLES CONSTRUCT FOUR 
 NEW TRANSIT FACILITIES 
 SUPPORTING RURAL TRANSPORTATION 
 OPERATIONS IN ARAREAS SHERMAN, 
 LUBBOCK, ALICE.
 ELECTRONIC CATION OF ELECTRONIC 
 PROGRAM FOR ZERO FLEET AND 
 CHARGING STATE INFRASTRUCTURE 
 INTO EXISTING RURAL 
 TRANSDISTRICT FLEETS.
 THIS IS REALLY GREAT NEWS FOR 
 THE RURAL TRANSIT PROGRAMS.
 AND THE FTA AWARD FACTS TELL A 
 LOT.
 303 ELIGIBLE PROJECT REQUESTS, 
 TOTALLY $2.56 BILLION AWARDED 
 70S PROJECTS TOTALLY $409 
 MILLION.
 TxDOT RECEIVED THE 
 SINGLE-LARGEST AWARD.
 SO, I WANT TO SAY, 
 CONGRATULATIONS TO ERIC GLEASON 
 AND HIS TEAM AND 
 CONGRATULATIONS TO THE WAY 
 THESE GRANTS WERE WRITTEN.
 THE FACT THAT YOU DID A GREAT 
 JOB FOR RURAL TEXAS AND THE 
 TRANSIT AUTHORITY ACROSS THIS 
 STATE.
 SO THANK YOU ALL FOR THAT.
 AND THE SECOND THING I WANT TO 
 TALK ABOUT IS THE PORTS TO 
 PLANES DESIGNATION.
 TURNING THAT INTO BEING 
 DESIGNATED RECENTLY AS A FUTURE 
 INTERSTATE.
 SO THANKS TO THE ONGOING 
 SUPPORT OF SENATORS JOHN CORN 
 AND TED CRUZ AND CONGRESS 
 MANAGEDD ARRINGTON AND HARRY 
 QUAUAR AND REPRESENTATIVES 
 RONNIE JACKSON AND AUGUST 
 FLUGGER.
 FISCAL YEAR 2022 CONSOLIDATED 
 APPROPRIATION ACT NOW FEDERAL 
 LAW NAMED CORRIDOR 38 BY 
 STATUTE, BUT COMMONLY REFERRED 
 TO AS I-27 AS A HIGH PRIORITY 
 CORRIDOR AND FUTURE INTRASTATE.
 I ALSO WANT TO MAKE SURE I 
 THANK GOVERNOR ABBOT FOR HIS 
 SUPPORT OF THIS AND THIS 
 COMMISSION AND ADMINISTRATION 
 FOR SUPPORT OF THIS SO THIS 
 CAME TO PASS.
 I THINK THIS WILL BE GREAT FOR 
 THE STATE OF TEXAS AND SO 
 LISTEN TO THESE FACTS.
 VERY FUN.
 THIS FUTURE INTERSTATE CONNECTS 
 BUSIEST LAND PORT IN THE UNITED 
 STATES.
 TO THE LARGEST ENERGY-PRODUCING 
 AREA IN THE COUNTRY AND NEARLY 
 THE WORLD.
 AND, TO THE LARGEST 
 COTTON-PRODUCING AREA IN THE 
 COUNTRY.
 TO MARKETS LIKE DENVER, SALT 
 LAKE CITY, SEATTLE, MUCH MORE 
 EFFICIENCY.
 LOOKING FORWARD TO THIS PROCESS 
 AS IT MOVES TOWARD.
 AS YOU HEARD, IT IS JUST A 
 REMARKABLE IMPACT ON THE 
 ECONOMY, WHAT HAPPENS IN 
 LAREDO, WHAT HAPPENS I IN THE 
 MIDLAND AND ODESSA AREA AND 
 GREATER AREA AND WHAT HAPPENS 
 IN PANHANDLE AS IT RELATES TO 
 AGRICULTURE AND CATTLE AND 
 COTTON.
 THIS INTERSTATES PUTS IT 
 ALTOGETHERREN A ALLOWS MORE 
 EFFICIENT GETTING TO MARKET.
 HAPPY TO SEE THAT ALL COME 
 TOGETHER AND APPRECIATE 
 EVERYONE'S EFFORTS TO MAKE THAT 
 HAPPEN.
 >> THANK YOU, MR. NEW.
 COMMISSIONER RYAN?
 >> YES, CHAIRMAN, THANK YOU.
 GOOD MORNING, GOOD MORNING, 
 EVERYONE.
 SECRETARY EVANS THANK YOU FOR 
 BEING HERE FOR THE COMMENTS.
 I APPRECIATED THE BRIEFING 
 YESTERDAY.
 AS I SAID, I LEARNED SOMETHING, 
 WHICH I'M APPRECIATIVE EVERY 
 DAY OF LEARNING SOMETHING NEW.
 THE RENEWABLE ENERGY ASPECTS 
 GOING ON IN THE PERMEAN BASIN, 
 THE LEVEL OF THEM WAS 
 INFORMATION TO ME.
 NEW INFORMATION.
 SO I APPRECIATE THAT.
 AND ALL OF THAT YOU'RE DOING 
 OUT THERE.
 AND YOUR TEAM TO IMPROVE TEXAS.
 BECAUSE IT IS A BIG PART OF 
 WHAT MAKES US GREAT.
 SO THANK YOU FOR THE TIME TO BE 
 HERE WITH US TODAY.
 AND YESTERDAY.
 I ALSO, COUPLE OF THINGS THIS 
 MORNING.
 BUT TO START WITH, I WANT TO 
 WELCOME CAITLYN BACK.
 SHE'S BEEN GONE FOR A LITTLE 
 BIT.
 TO THAT NOTE, WANT TO THANK 
 EMILY COSBY COMMISSION POLICY 
 EDITOR TO PUT UP WITH ALL OF 
 US, SINGLE HANDILY, WITH THE 
 EXCEPTION OF THE CHAIRMAN, 
 THREE OF US, WHILE CAITLYN WAS 
 OUT.
 SHE DID A GREAT JOB.
 ON THAT NOTE, THIS MARKS 
 10-YEAR ANNIVERSARY.
 >> 10-YEAR ANNIVERSARY.
 >> WITH TxDOT.
 SEVEN OF THAT HAS BEEN WITH THE 
 COMMISSION.
 I THINK THAT'S AN AWARD IN AND 
 OF ITSELF.
 THANK YOU, JUST WANTED TO 
 CONGRATULATE HER.
 [ APPLAUSE ]
 SO THANK YOU FOR ALL OF THAT DO 
 FOR US.
 ALSO, QUICKLY, IT IS THE LAST 
 DAY OF WOMEN'S HISTORY MONTH.
 WE HAD A REMARKABLE TESTAMENT 
 TO THIS THIS MORNING WITH 
 MRS. HOWARD -- WELL, NOT 
 MRS. HOWARD -- YES.
 THAT 37 YEARS AGO RETIRING 
 TODAY.
 I JUST WANT TO THANK ALL OF THE 
 WOMEN OF TxDOT.
 FOR ALL OF THAT DO.
 AND THE VALUE THAT YOU ADD.
 IT IS YOUR DIVERSITY OF 
 THOUGHT, APPROACH, INSIGHTS, 
 SKILL AND UNIQUE QUALITIES THAT 
 HELP CONTRIBUTE TO MAKING 
 TxDOT GREAT.
 SO THANK YOU FOR THAT.
 KEEP DOING WHAT YOU'RE DOING.
 YOU'RE VERY MUCH APPRECIATED, 
 ALL OF YOU.
 ON THAT, I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO 
 FOLLOW UP ON THE COMMENTS OF 
 SAFETY THAT WERE ALREADY MADE 
 THIS MORNING AND TOUCH ON THE 
 ROAD TO ZERO COMMITMENT.
 TODAY MARKS 7,814 DAYS SINCE WE 
 LAST HAD A DEATH-FREE DAY ON 
 THE ROADS.
 THAT'S MORE THAN 78,000 
 FAMILIES THAT LOST A LOVED ONE.
 SEVERAL YEARS AGO, THIS 
 COMMISSION VOTED TO PUT OUR 
 EFFORTS AND RESOURCES BEHIND 
 REDUCING FATALITIES.
 WE HAD TWO GOALS:  ONE TO CUT 
 FATALITIES IN HALF BY 2035; TO 
 END FATALITIES COMPLETELY.
 SO ZERO BY 2050.
 WITH REGARD TO THE 2035 GOAL, 
 THAT IS TO REACH NO MORE THAN 
 1,812 FATALITIES.
 THE ONLY WAY I CAN REALLY GET 
 COMFORTABLE WITH SAYING I'M 
 LOOKING FORWARD TO HAVING 1,812 
 FATALITIES ON THE OUR ROADS IS 
 TO ACCEPT THAT WE HAVE HE 
 ACCOMPLISHED A GOAL THAT WOULD 
 HAVE SAVED 2700 LIVES, BASED ON 
 THE NUMBER FROM LAST YEAR.
 SO YEAR-TO-DATE, I WANT TO 
 BRING TO EVERYONE'S ATTENTION 
 WE'RE NOT HEADED IN THE RIGHT 
 DIRECTION.
 AS OF THIS MORNING, WE'VE HAD 
 892 FATALITIES IN THE STATE OF 
 TEXAS YEAR-TO-DATE SINCE 
 JANUARY 1.
 THAT MARKS ABOUT 40, ALMOST 50% 
 OF THAT 1,800 GOAL.
 AND WE'RE ONLY 25% INTO THE 
 YEAR.
 SO WITH THAT, I REALLY WANT TO 
 ENCOURAGE EVERYONE AND REMIND 
 EVERYONE THAT WE REALLY DO NEED 
 BETTER DRIVER ACCOUNTABILITY 
 AND BETTER DRIVER 
 DECISION-MAKING.
 THE MOST POWERFUL SOLUTIONS WE 
 HAVE ARE EASY.
 AND THEY'RE TO BUCKLE UP.
 BECAUSE IT WILL SAVE LIVES.
 DRIVE AT A SAFE SPEED.
 KEEP THE PHONE DOWN.
 PLEASE REMIND EVERYONE THAT YOU 
 KNOW TO DO THE SAME.
 ON OUR NOTE TO SAFETY.
 AS A FOLLOW-UP TO SAFETY AND 
 TRAFFIC AND OUR ROADS, I WANT 
 TO TOUCH ON A SUBJECT, ALSO A 
 LITTLE CLOSER TO HOME.
 A COUPLE OF ARTICLES RECENTLY, 
 I THINK THERE'S A SLIDE THAT 
 KIND OF -- THAT'S HOUSTON, 
 LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, RECENTLY.
 BUT COUPLE OF ARTICLES IN 
 "HOUSTON CHRONICLE" RECENTLY 
 TALKED ABOUT TRAFFIC AND 
 CONGESTION.
 THEY ALSO MENTIONED THE NHHHIP 
 PROJECT.
 THE INFORMATION IN THE ARTICLE 
 FOCUSED ON THE POPULATION 
 GROWTH.
 AND THE INCREASE IN COMMUTE 
 TIMES GOING ON IN THE HOUSTON 
 REGION.
 HOUSTON IS ONE OF THE MOST 
 CONGESTED CITIES IN THE U.S.
 ACTUALLY, NUMBER 3 IN THE 
 COUNTRY, BEHIND NEW YORK AND 
 BOSTON ACCORDING TO THE REPORT 
 CITED IN THE ARTICLE.
 INTERESTING ENOUGH, TxDOT HAS 
 SPENT CLOSE TO TWO DECADES 
 WORKING TO DEVELOP A PLAN FOR 
 THE REGION.
 AND AS OF THIS MONTH, THAT 
 PROJECT HAS BEEN ON HOLD 
 EXACTLY ONE YEAR.
 THIS REGION'S POPULATION 
 CONTINUES TO GROW.
 WE CONTINUE TO IMPORT AND 
 EXPORT ACTIVITY THROUGH OUR 
 PORTS.
 FREIGHT MOVEMENT CONTINUES TO 
 GROW.
 AND THIS PROJECT IN ALL OF THE 
 BENEFITS HAVE BEEN PLACED ON 
 HOLD WITH NO CLEAR TIME TIME 
 FOR RESOLUTION.
 THE NEGATIVE IMPACT TO THE 
 REGION THAT THIS PAUSE WILL 
 CAUSE WILL CONTINUE TO IMPACT 
 THE REGION FOR YEARS.
 THIS PROJECT BRINGS WITH IT AN 
 IMMENSE AMOUNT OF IMPROVEMENT 
 FOR SAFETY, ACTUALLY A PORTION 
 OF ROADWAY THAT THIS PROJECT 
 WOULD FIX IS DESIGNATED AS, 
 CLAIM TO BE ONE OF THE 
 DEADLIEST SECTIONS OF HIGHWAY 
 IN THE COUNTRY.
 THIS PROJECT WILL REDUCE 
 CONGESTION.
 IT WILL PROVIDE INCREASED 
 CAPACITY FOR PUBLIC TRANSIT.
 AND MANAGE LANES.
 UPDATES ON MUCH-NEEDED 
 EVACUATION ROUTE FOR THE 
 COASTAL REGION OF THE STATE.
 IMPROVES FLOODING MITIGATION 
 AND SYSTEMWIDE DRAINAGE AND 
 BRINGS ALMOST MILLION DOLLARS 
 MITIGATION EFFORTS AND 
 RESOURCES FOR POTENTIALLY 
 NEGATIVE IMPACTED IDENTIFIED 
 THROUGH THE ENVIRONMENTAL 
 PROCESS AND COMMUNITY 
 INVOLVEMENT AND PUBLIC COMMENT 
 ASPECTS.
 WHAT I AM MOST CONCERNED ABOUT 
 IS THE RESIDENTS WE CONTINUE TO 
 HEAR FROM THAT WANT ANSWERS ON 
 WHAT'S GOING ON BECAUSE WE'VE 
 HAD THEIR LIVES IN LIMBO FOR 
 ALMOST A YEAR AND WE'RE UNABLE 
 TO PROVIDE THEM ANSWERRINGS DUE 
 TO THIS PAUSE.
 IT'S TIME THAT WE ALL, "WE" 
 FHWA CITY OF HOUSTON AND HARRIS 
 COUNTY FOCUS ON THE PEOPLES 
 WHOSE LIVES WE'VE PUT ON HOLD.
 WHOSE LIVES HAVE BEEN IN LIMBO 
 AND FIND A COLLABORATIVE 
 SOLUTION.
 THAT SAID, I WOULD LIKE TO TAKE 
 A COUPLE MINUTES, CHAIRMAN, AND 
 SHOW A VIDEO THAT WAS CREATED 
 TO HIGHLIGHT A LOT OF BENEFIT 
 THIS IS PROJECT WILL BRING TO 
 THE REGION I STRONGLY BELIEVE 
 WITH NOT WELL-KNOWN.
 BECAUSE A LOT OF THE NEGATIVE 
 IMPACT.
 WITH THAT, I WOULD LIKE TO SHOW 
 THE VIDEO, PLEASE.
 >> VIDEO:
 ?? [ MUSIC ] ??
 >> CYNTHIA WINBORN PROUD TO 
 TELL ANYONE AND EVERYONE ABOUT 
 THE APARTMENT IN WEST HOUSTON 
 ONE SHE WAS CONCERNED ABOUT 
 FINDING ESPECIALLY BECAUSE SHE 
 TAKES CARE OF HER 80-YEAR-OLD 
 MOTHER.
 >> I WAS REALLY WORRIED, VERY, 
 VERY SCARED.
 >> SHE USED TO LIVE IN AN 
 APARTMENT COMPLEX NEAR DOWNTOWN 
 HOUSTON SHE SAID VIOLENCE WAS A 
 CONSTANT THREAT.
 THAT PROPERTY WAS NEEDED FOR 
 THE I-45 ROADWAY PROJECT 
 EXPANSION.
 SHE SAID A RELOCATION COMPANY 
 HIRED BY THE TEXAS DEPARTMENT 
 OF TRANSPORTATION OR TxDOT 
 MADE THE LIFE EASIER BY WALKING 
 HER THROUGH EVERY STEP.
 THE RENT IS HIGHER, TxDOT IS 
 PAYING HER AND OTHERS 42 MONTHS 
 OF THE DIFFERENCE.
 IN HER CASE THAT, COMES OUT TO 
 $13,000.
 >> I DIDN'T KNOW THAT, YOU 
 KNOW, THE COMPANY THAT YOU GUYS 
 HAVE WAS GOING TO COME IN AND 
 JUST LIFT EVERYTHING UP AND 
 TAKE CARE OF EVERYTHING THAT 
 NEEDED TO BE TAKEN CARE OF.
 EVERYTHING WAS SMOOTH.
 >> NEAR DOWNTOWN HOUSTON THE 
 HOUSTON HOUSING AUTHORITY OR 
 HHA, ASKED TEXAS FOR EARLY BY 
 OUT OF CLAYTON HOMES AFTER 
 FLOODING OF HARROVIAN 2017 AND 
 HHA ASKED FOR BUYOUT OF KELLY 
 VILLAGEONITS SINCE BOTH 
 LOCATIONS ARE IMPACTED.
 THE NUMBER OF CLAYTON HOME 
 UNITS, 296, INCLUDING 112 
 DESTROYED BY HARVEY.
 THE NUMBER AT KELLY, 50, MAKING 
 THE TOTAL 346.
 FORMER CLAYTON HOME AND KELLEY 
 VILLAGE RESIDENTS HAVE FIRST 
 PRIORITY FOR NEW PUBLIC HOUSING 
 RELOCATIONS INCLUDING NEW 
 CONSTRUCTION NEARBY PROMOTING 
 COHESION.
 THE HHA PLANS TO BUILD A NEW 
 PROJECT AT 800 MIDDLE STREET 
 AND ANOTHER AT JENSON AND 
 CLINTON STREETS BOTH LOCATIONS 
 MINUTES AWAY FROM CLAYTON AND 
 KELLY.
 >> THE FALSE NARRATIVE IS YOU 
 NEED TO MOVE NOW BEFORE YOU 
 COME -- THEY COME AND TAKE YOUR 
 PROPERTY.
 YOU NEED TO MOVE NOW OR YOU 
 WILL BE OUT ANYTHING.
 >> WITH REGARD TO PRIVATE 
 PROPERTY, EVER AT WORRIES ABOUT 
 PREDATORY INVESTORS SHE SAYS 
 ARE COMING IN AND BUYING 
 IMPACTED PROPERTIES AND THEN 
 SELLING THEM.
 SHE ALSO WORRIES THE FEDERAL 
 PROJECT PAUSE IS LESSENING 
 TxDOT'S ABILITY TO PROVIDE 
 BENEFITS TO THE RESIDENTS IT 
 INTENDED TO HELP.
 >> THIS PROJECT IS 
 REVOLUTIONARY IN THAT WHILE IT 
 DOES AFFECT A CERTAIN SEGMENT 
 OF THE POPULATION, IT REMEDIES 
 THE RELOCATION OF THAT 
 POPULATION.
 AND INCREASES THEIR HOUSING, 
 THEIR STANDARD OF LIVING AND 
 THEIR ACCESS TO HOME OWNERSHIP 
 IN A WAY THAT HAS NEVER BEEN 
 DONE BEFORE IN THE HISTORY OF 
 THIS COUNTRY.
 >> WHAT WE WANTED TO DO WITH 
 THE TxDOT PROJECT WAS TO MAKE 
 SURE THEY UNDERSTOOD THAT 
 GENTRIFICATION WAS HAPPENING.
 >> TAMMY DEBOYS DESCENDER OF 
 FOUNDER OF INDEPENDENT HEIGHT A 
 NEIGHBORHOOD HER FAMILY GREW UP 
 AND FIRST INCORPORATED 
 AFRICAN-AMERICAN MUNICIPAL IN 
 THE STATE OF TEXAS.
 SHE AND OTHERS WORKED WITH 
 TxDOT FOR YEARS TO MAKE SURE 
 THE I-45 PROJECT CAN BE A 
 WIN-WIN FOR THE AGENCY AND THE 
 COMMUNITY.
 AND THE $27 MILLION TxDOT IS 
 MAKING AVAILABLE FOR AFFORDABLE 
 HOUSING AND IMPACTED 
 COMMUNITIES IS A HUGE STEP.
 >> AND THAT MONEY WOULD BE MADE 
 AVAILABLE SO THAT RESIDENTS, WE 
 CAN BUILD ON A LOT, PURCHASE 
 LOTS, BUILD ON THE LOT AND 
 BRING RESIDENTS BACK TO THIS 
 COMMUNITY.
 WHICH IS SOMETHING THAT HAND 
 BEEN DONE BEFORE.
 >> SHE SAYS THE PROJECT WOULD 
 BRING FLOOD IMPROVEMENTS, DOO.
 MULTIPLE FLOODS OVER THE YEAR 
 LED TO BUY-OUTS IN INDEPENDENCE 
 HEIGHTS ON SOME STREETS THE 
 EMPTY LOTS STAND OUT.
 IT OVERFLOWED THE BANKS TOO 
 OFTEN, TxDOT PROPOSES 
 MITIGATION TO ACTUALLY TAKE 
 THIS COMMUNITY OUT OF THE FLOOD 
 PLAIN.
 >> WHAT WE WANTED IT TO DO IS 
 NOT DISPLACE OR RERACE BUT 
 BRING PEOPLE AND KEEP -- ERASE 
 BUT BRING PEOPLE AND KEEP 
 PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY AND IF 
 WE HELP THE FLOODING, IT WILL 
 HELP.
 >> FROM ECONOMIC, TxDOT SAID 
 EVERY DOLLAR SPENT THE HOUSTON 
 AREA HAS $7 IN RETURN.
 $9 BILLION IN TRAVEL TIMES AND 
 $10 UNTIL IN ECONOMIC BENEFITS 
 INCLUDING TENS OF THOUSANDS OF 
 NEW JOBS.
 BACK IN WEST HOUSTON CYNTHIA 
 SAYS THERE'S ANOTHER BENEFIT, 
 THE PROJECT DOES NOT 
 DISCRIMINATE.
 >> IN MY MIND'S EYE I CAN'T 
 CLEARLY SAY WHERE THEY SAY IT 
 HURTS PEOPLE OF COLOR.
 I'M OF COLOR.
 ???
 >> CHAIRMAN, THANK YOU.
 I JUST WANTED TO BE ABLE TO 
 HIGHLIGHT THE PEOPLE THAT THAT 
 PAUSE IS ACTUALLY HARMING.
 AND THE GOOD THAT -- THE WORK 
 THAT TxDOT HAS DONE TO MAKE 
 SURE THE REGION ACTUALLY IS 
 IMPROVED.
 SO THANK YOU.
 >> THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER RYAN 
 FOR BRINGING THE OTHER SIDE OF 
 THE STORY TO OUR ATTENTION 
 TODAY.
 AND BY THE WAY, HAPPY BIRTHDAY!
 >> THANK YOU.
 >> TODAY IS COMMISSIONER RYAN'S 
 BIRTHDAY.
 [ APPLAUSE ]
 JUST TURNED 21!
 [ LAUGHTER ]
 I GOT THAT ON GOOD INFORMATION.
 >> GOING OUT FOR A DRINK 
 TONIGHT.
 [ LAUGHTER ]
 >> WELL, I WOULD LIKE TO START 
 BY WELCOMING BACK MY RIGHT ARM, 
 KATE LYNN DWYER.
 COMMISSIONER RYAN MENTIONED 
 HERE.
 SHE CAME BACK AND SHE IS THE 
 MOTHER OF A NEW MEMBER OF THE 
 TxDOT FAMILY, MICHAEL.
 I MET MICHAEL YESTERDAY THE 
 FIRST TIME WHEN KATE LYNN 
 BROUGHT HER NEWBORN SOONEST 
 MEETING.
 MICHAEL AND I MADE A DEAL, I 
 WOULDN'T INTERFERE WITH HIS 
 MILK BOTTLE AND HE WOULDN'T 
 INTERFERE WITH ANY OF OUR 
 COMMISSION MEETINGS AS WE MOVE 
 FORWARD.
 [ LAUGHTER ]
 HE'S OFF TO A GREAT START.
 CONGRATULATIONS TO KATE LYNN 
 SHE'S NOW BEEN PROMOTED TO 
 DEPUTY CHIEF OF STAFF HERE AT 
 TxDOT.
 WE'RE GLAD TO HAVE KATE LIN 
 BACK AND ADD MY THANKS TO CORY 
 HENDRICKSON AND EMILY CLIS BY 
 THEY STEPPED IN AND HELPED 
 DRAMATICALLY.
 I GUESS I NEED A LOT OF HOPE.
 [ LAUGHTER ]
 I MEAN I TRY TO KEEP THAT A 
 SECRET AROUND HERE.
 MY WIFE HAS KNOWN THAT FOR 31 
 YEARS OF MARRIAGE.
 ANYWAY, EVERYBODY PITCHED IN 
 AND I REALLY APPRECIATE IT, 
 PARTICULARLY CORY AND EMILY AND 
 THANK YOU FOR EVERYTHING THAT 
 YOU DID.
 COUPLE OF THINGS I WANT TO 
 TOUCH ON.
 WE DID GET THE, OUR PORTION OF 
 THE NEW INFRASTRUCTURE BILL 
 FUNDED.
 AND SO PRESIDENT BIDEN SIGNED 
 INTO LAW IN MARCH 15TH ALL OF 
 THE FUNDING TO, BASICALLY, NOW 
 COMPLETE WHAT WE ARE PLANNING 
 FOR UNDER THE NEW 
 INFRASTRUCTURE BILL.
 IT IS BETTER KNOWN, I GUESS, AS 
 THE INFRASTRUCTURE INVESTMENT 
 AND JOBS ACT.
 AND A LOT OF PEOPLE LIKE TO 
 CALL IT THE I.I.J.A.
 I'M GOING TO GET USED TO THE 
 ACRONYMS.
 ANYWAY, IT IS VERY IMPORTANT 
 PART OF FUNDING, AS WE GO 
 FORWARD.
 SPEAKING OF FUNDING, AND I JUST 
 WANT TO HIGHLIGHT THAT WE'RE 
 GOING TO START, WE HAVE STARTED 
 THE WHOLE UTP UPDATE PROCESS.
 IT FEELS LIKE WE APPROVE IT IN 
 AUGUST EVERY YEAR AT COMMISSION 
 MEETING.
 IT JUST SEEMS LIKE AT THE NEXT 
 COMMISSION MEETING WE'RE 
 ALREADY TURNING AROUND AND 
 PLANNING FOR THE YEAR AHEAD.
 BUT THIS IS GOING TO BE A VERY 
 IMPORTANT UPDATE TO OUR UNIFIED 
 TRANSPORTATION PROGRAM THAT 
 WILL OCCUR WITH, CULMINATING IN 
 FINAL COMMISSION ACTION AT OUR 
 AUGUST COMMISSION MEETING.
 WITH THE NEW FUNDING, WE 
 ANTICIPATE THAT WE'RE GOING TO 
 HAVE AN HISTORIC RECORD NEW 
 FUNDING FROM I.I.J.A.
 I MIGHT ALSO MENTION GOING BACK 
 WHAT SECRETARY EVANS MENTIONED 
 BY THE PERMEAN PROMISE.
 YOU KNOW, THE SEVERANCE TAXES 
 FORM A LARGE PART OF 
 PROPOSITION 1 PASSED BY 80% OF 
 THE VOTERS IN NOVEMBER 2014.
 THAT'S GOING TO WEIGH HEAVILY 
 ON WHAT THE FUNDING STREAMS 
 WILL BE ON A GOING-FORWARD 
 BASIS.
 SO WE LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING 
 THROUGH THE PATH AS WE COME TO 
 THE AUGUST MEETING.
 AND SECRETARY EVANS, I WOULD 
 LIKE TO INVITE YOU TO COME 
 BACK, IF YOU WOULD, AND IF YOU 
 HAVE TIME, TO COME BACK FOR OUR 
 AUGUST MEETING.
 BECAUSE THE FUNDING FOR THE 
 ENERGY SECTOR IS GOING TO BE 
 PROMINENT.
 I THINK WITH YOUR REPORT TODAY, 
 ALL OF US FEEL GOOD ABOUT THE 
 DECISION WE MADE FOR THE $600 
 MILLION SURGE FUNDING FOR THE 
 PERMEAN PROMISE.
 PARTICULARLY, ON THE WORLD 
 STAGE, IT JUST, AGAIN, 
 REITERATES WHY THE PERMEAN IS 
 SO IMPORTANT TO TEXAS, BUT 
 TEXAS IS SO IMPORTANT TO THE 
 UNITED STATES, AND THE UNITED 
 STATES IS NOW VERY IMPORTANT TO 
 THE WORLD ON THE ENERGY FRONT.
 AND IT ALL REALLY COMES BACK TO 
 THE FIVE COUNTIES THAT YOU HAVE 
 IN YOUR BACKYARD IN MIDLAND, 
 TEXAS.
 SO THANK YOU FOR ENLIGHTENING 
 US TODAY.
 AND, PLEASE, COME BACK, IF YOU 
 CAN, TO OUR AUGUST MEETING.
 WE WILL BE DISCUSSING THAT IN A 
 VERY THOROUGH BASIS AND, 
 HOPEFULLY, TAKE THE FINAL 
 ACTION FOR THE INCREASED 
 FUNDING AT THAT TIME.
 ALSO, GOVERNOR ABBOT HAS 
 DESIGNATED THE TEXAS DEPARTMENT 
 OF TRANSPORTATION TO BE THE 
 LEAD IN THE FUNDING UNDER THE 
 NEW I.I.J.A., AS IT RELATES TO 
 THE ELECTRIC VEHICLE 
 INFRASTRUCTURE DEPLOYMENT PLAN 
 NA IS FUNDED UNDER THIS NEW 
 FEDERAL LEGISLATION.
 AND I REALLY APPRECIATE AND I 
 WANT TO RECOGNIZE GOVERNOR 
 ABBOT FOR DESIGNATED THE TEXAS 
 DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION, I 
 THINK WE'VE EARNED THE 
 GOVERNOR'S TRUST.
 AND WE'LL LEAD AND WORK WITH 
 AND COLLABORATION WITH THE 
 OTHER STATE AGENCIES TO MAKE 
 THIS THING, IN REALITY, IN 
 MARKET FALLS TO YOU AND YOUR 
 TEAM -- AND IT FALLS TO YOU AND 
 YOUR TEAM TO REALLY IMPLEMENT 
 THAT.
 I WANTED TO MENTION THAT.
 I THINK THAT'S A GREAT 
 OPPORTUNITY FOR THE TEXAS 
 DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION TO 
 ONCE GENTRY TO SHOW LEADERSHIP 
 AND MOVE THE -- ONCE AGAIN SHOW 
 LEADERSHIP AND MOVE THE STATE 
 FORWARD ON THE NEW LEADERSHIP.
 I WANT TO SEGWAY BACK TO WHAT 
 COMMISSIONER RYAN SHARED WITH 
 ALL OF US WITH REGARD TO THE 
 NORTH HOUSTON HIGHWAY 
 IMPROVEMENT PROJECT.
 OF.
 THAT WAS A WONDERFUL VIDEO TO 
 BRING TO OUR ATTENTION TODAY.
 I HOPE THAT VIDEO IS KIND OF, 
 AS I SAID IN MY OPENING 
 STATEMENT TO YOU, KIND OF THE 
 OTHER SIDE OF THE STORY.
 BECAUSE OUR SIDE OF THE STORY 
 JUST FOR WHATEVER REASON, IS 
 NOT REALLY BEEN WELL-EMBRACED.
 I'LL PUT IT THAT WAY.
 FROM THE MEDIA.
 HOWEVER, I WANT TO BRING, THIS 
 IS THE MARCH '22 COMMISSION 
 MEETING OF COURSE.
 AT THE MARCH '21 COMMISSION 
 MEETING, I BROUGHT TO 
 EVERYONE'S ATTENTION THAT WE 
 RECEIVED THIS LETTER ADDRESSED 
 TO THE TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF 
 TRANSPORTATION REGARDING THE 
 NORTH HOUSTON HIGHWAY 
 IMPROVEMENT PROJECT.
 THIS LETTER DATED MARCH 8, 
 2021, FROM THE FEDERAL HIGHWAY 
 ADMINISTRATION.
 AND IMPORTANTLY, IT MAKES TWO 
 KEY POINTS.
 NUMBER 1, IS, IT SAYS THAT THEY 
 HAD RECEIVED THREE LETTERS FROM -- WELL, U.S. 
 CONGRESSWOMAN SHEILA 
 JACKSON-LEE, THE SECOND LETTER 
 FROM AIR ALLIANCE IN HOUSTON.
 THE THIRD LETTER WAS FROM A 
 COMMUNITY ORGANIZATION, TEXAS 
 HOUSERS.
 AND BASED ON THAT, THERE WERE 
 ALLEGATIONS THAT RAISED 
 CONCERNS TO THE FEDERAL HIGHWAY 
 ADMINISTRATION UNDER TITLE XI 
 OF CIVIL RIGHTS ACT OF 1964 AND 
 RELATED ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE 
 CONCERNS.
 IT CONCLUDES BY ASKING US TO DO 
 TWO THINGS -- WELL, ONE THING.
 IT PUT A COMPLETE STOP ON THE 
 $9 BILLION PROJECT THAT WAS 
 UNDER WAY IN HOUSTON.
 WE HAD JUST SIGNED THE PRIOR 
 MONTH IN FEBRUARY 4TH OF 2021, 
 THE RECORD OF DECISION.
 SO THAT WE COULD MOVE FORWARD 
 ON THIS VERY IMPORTANT 
 $9 BILLION PROJECT.
 SO THEY JUST DIRECTED THAT WE 
 STOP EVERYTHING ON THAT 
 PROJECT, WHICH WE HAVE COMPLIED 
 WITH.
 BUT THEY CONCLUDED THAT THE 
 PAUSE, AS THEY CALLED IT, WOULD 
 BE REQUIRED UNTIL FHWA HAS 
 COMPLETED ITS REVIEW AND 
 DETERMINED WHETHER ANY FURTHER 
 ACTIONS ARE NECESSARY TO 
 ADDRESS THOSE CONCERNS.
 FHWA WILL EXPEDITE ITS EFFORTS 
 TO RESOLVE ANY ISSUES AS 
 QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE.
 SO WE'RE ONE YEAR LATER AND WE 
 HAVE REACHED OUT BRANDYE HAS 
 REACHED OUT, IN PARTICULAR, AND 
 IS WORKING WITH MARC WILLIAMS, 
 OUR EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, BRANDYE 
 OUR DEPUTY EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR 
 TO WORK WITH RESOLVING THIS 
 MATTER.
 WE HAVE, I THINK, EXTENDED THE 
 OLIVE BRANCH IN EVERY WAY WE 
 KNOW HOW TO TRY TO RESOLVE THIS 
 MATTER.
 AND BRANDYE, I WOULD ASK THAT 
 YOU COME FORWARD AT OUR MEETING 
 IN MAY WHEN WE HAVE A KIND OF A 
 DEEP DIVE ON THE PATH FORWARD 
 ON THE UNIFIED TRANSPORTATION 
 PROGRAM.
 I KNOW YOU AND MARC ARE IN 
 CONTINUING DIALOGUE WITH THE 
 FHWA.
 BUT WE, NOW, MARK ON OUR 
 CALENDARS, ONE YEAR LATER.
 AND THEIR WORDS TO US WERE 
 TWO-FOLD.
 NUMBER 1, WE HAD TO PAUSE THE 
 WHOLE PROJECT, WHICH WE HAVE 
 COMPLIED WITH, AS I SAID.
 AND NUMBER 2, THEY WERE GOING 
 TO WORK AS EXPEDITIOUSLY AS 
 POSSIBLE TO RESOLVE, YOU KNOW, 
 THIS SITUATION.
 AND AGAIN, ONE YEAR LATER, AND 
 WITH THE VIDEO THAT 
 COMMISSIONER RYAN BROUGHT, 
 THOSE FACTS NEED TO BE BROUGHT 
 FORWARD.
 THE OTHER FACT THAT NEEDS TO BE 
 BROUGHT FORWARD AND 
 COMMISSIONER RYAN MENTIONED 
 SOME LOCAL PUBLICITY.
 THIS IS THE ARM THAT APPEARED 
 JUST DAYS AGO IN THE "HOUSTON 
 CHRONICLE."
 THE HEADLINE IS $750 MILLION.
 THAT'S HOW MUCH MONEY IT WILL 
 COST TO REBUILD I-45.
 WHAT THEY'RE TALKING ABOUT IS 
 IN ADDITION TO THE $9 BILLION 
 THAT WE HAD SET ASIDE.
 THE DELAY HAS ALREADY COST -- 
 AND IT IS ONGOING -- THE DELAY 
 HAS ALREADY COST TAXPAYERS IN 
 THE STATE OF TEXAS $750 
 MILLION.
 THAT'S THEIR NUMBER.
 THAT'S NOT OUR NUMBER.
 I HAD ACTUALLY ASKED FOR A COST 
 OF WHAT THE COST OF THE DELAY 
 IS, NOT EVEN GIVING REFERENCE 
 TO INFLATION, JUST WHAT THE 
 COST OF TRYING TO GET THIS 
 PROJECT RESTARTED.
 THIS IS KIND OF LIKE, IF YOU 
 WILL, A VERY COMPLEX, WE'VE ALL 
 BEEN ON, YOU KNOW, AN AIRPLANE 
 AND THEY SAY WE GOT TO, YOU 
 KNOW, WE GOT TO BRING THE 
 ENGINEER ON BOARD BECAUSE THE 
 LIGHT IS OUT AND ALL OF THAT 
 KIND OF STUFF.
 BY THE TIME YOU GET THE LIGHT 
 REINSTALLED OR THE SEAT BELT 
 BUCKLE GETS REINSTALLED.
 THEN, THEY FIND OUT WHEN YOU 
 CAN, BASICALLY, TAXI BACK OUT, 
 I MEAN, IT IS -- YOU KNOW, YOU 
 ARE -- YOU THOUGHT YOU WERE 
 GETTING READY TO PULL OUT OF 
 THE GATE AND TAKE OFF IN ABOUT 
 15 MINUTES, AND IT TURNS OUT TO 
 BE AN HOUR OR TWO DELAY.
 WE'VE ALL SAT ON THE TARMAC 
 WAITING FOR ALL OF THESE THINGS 
 TO HAPPEN.
 TAKE THAT AND EXTRAPOLATE THAT 
 WITH BILLIONS OF DOLLARS AND 
 MONTHS OF TIME DELAYS.
 NOT HOURS, BUT MONTHS.
 THAT'S WHAT WE'RE FACED WITH.
 THIS PROJECT IS SO IMPORTANT TO 
 THE COMMUNITY OF HOUSTON, 
 TEXAS.
 THIS PROJECT IS SO IMPORTANT TO 
 THE STATE OF TEXAS.
 AND I WILL SAY THIS PROJECT IS 
 EXTREMELY IMPORTANT TO THE 
 UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.
 BECAUSE OF WHERE IT IS LOCATED; 
 AND WHAT A HUGE PART OF 
 ECONOMIC ACTIVITY THAT HOUSTON 
 PLAYS FOR THE ENTIRE NATIONAL 
 ECONOMY.
 SO IT IS REALLY A NATIONAL 
 ISSUE.
 IT IS THE FEDERAL HIGHWAY 
 ADMINISTRATION IN WASHINGTON 
 THAT WE'RE WORKING WITH.
 I JUST WANTED TO MARK IT'S BEEN 
 A YEAR.
 AND BRANDYE, THANK YOU FOR YOUR 
 PATIENCE IN WORKING WITH THEM, 
 AND MARC.
 BUT WE NEED TO MAKE PROGRESS 
 AND WE NEED TO GET THE GREEN 
 LIGHT SO WE CAN MOVE FORWARD.
 WE LOOK FORWARD TO YOUR REPORT 
 AT THE MAY MEETING.
 AND WOULD APPRECIATE THAT.
 AND THAT'S REALLY ALL I HAVE.
 AGAIN, SECRETARY EVANS, THANK 
 YOU FOR COMING HERE TODAY.
 AND WE WELCOME YOU BACK IN 
 AUGUST.
 YOU'RE WELCOME ANY TIME.
 BUT I THINK AUGUST WOULD BE A 
 GREAT TIME, IF YOU COULD COME 
 BACK AND JOIN US.
 WITH THAT, THANK YOU.
 WITH THAT, I'LL TURN THE AGENDA 
 BACK OVER TO OUR EXECUTIVE 
 DIRECTOR.
 THANK YOU.
 >> THANK YOU, SECRETARY.
 THANK YOU, CHAIRMAN.
 ITEM 3A.
 WELL, WAIT A SECOND.
 ON THE AGENDA I BELIEVE WE NEED 
 TO DO THE APPROVAL OF MINUTES.
 >> AH!
 WE HAD SO MANY IMPORTANT 
 OPENING COMMENTS THAT WE SHOULD 
 TURN TO THE FEBRUARY 23, 2022, 
 MINUTES OF THE REGULAR MEETING 
 OF THE TEX TRANSPORTATION 
 COMMISSION DO I HAVE A MOTION 
 TO APPROVE?
 THANK YOU COMMISSIONER VAUGHN.
 SECOND?
 THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER NEW.
 ALL IN FAVOR PLEASE SAY "AYE.
 >> AYE.
 >> ANY OPPOSED IN THE MINUTES 
 ARE APPROVED, THANK YOU.
 >> ALL RIGHT.
 THANK YOU, AGAIN, CHAIRMAN.
 WE WILL BEGIN WITH ITEM 3A THAT 
 IS THE CONSIDERATION OF THE 
 AWARD OF HIGHWAY IMPROVEMENT 
 TRANSPORTATION FACILITIES 
 CONTRACTS OUR CONSTRUCTION 
 DIVISION DIRECTOR DUANE 
 MILLIGAN WILL PRESENT THIS 
 ITEM.
 DUANE?
 >> GOOD MORNING.
 >> GOOD MORNING.
 >> THE HIGHWAY IMPROVEMENT 
 CONTRACTS AND THE ROUTINE 
 MAINTENANCE CONTRACTS ARE 
 SEPARATED INTO TWO MINUTE 
 ORDERS WITH A COMBINED LETTING 
 TOTAL $688.05 MILLION.
 WITH THE ADDITION OF LOCAL LET 
 MAINTENANCE PROJECTS THAT TOTAL 
 COMES TO $706.85 MILLION.
 THE TOTAL LETTING DOLLAR VOLUME 
 FOR THE FISCAL YEAR TO DATE 
 $5.67 BILLION.
 OR 94.43% OF THE PLANNED 
 $6 BILLION FOR THE PERIOD OF 
 SEPTEMBER 2021 THROUGH MARCH OF 
 2022.
 IN MARCH, WE REPORTED ON-TIME, 
 ON-BUDGET PERFORMANCE FOR 
 HIGHWAY PROJECTS COMPLETED BUT 
 THE SECOND QUARTER OF THE FACE 
 CAL YEAR.
 THE PROJECT -- FISCAL YEAR.
 THE PROJECTS COMPLETED THROUGH 
 THE SECOND QUARTER 70% ON TIME 
 UP TO 68% FOR THE SAME PERIOD 
 IN FISCAL YEAR 2021.
 81% OF THE PROJECTS COMPLETED 
 THROUGH THE SECOND QUARTER 
 CONSIDERED ON BUDGET UP FROM 
 80% FROM THE SAME PERIOD FISCAL 
 YEAR 2021.
 WHEN WE CONSIDER THE CHANGE 
 ORDERS 90% COMPLETED ON TIME AS 
 COMPARED TO 89% THIS TIME LAST 
 YEAR.
 94% OF PROJECTS COMPLETED ON 
 BUDGET, AS COMPARED TO 98% AT 
 THIS TIME LAST YEAR.
 CHANGE ORDERS ARE ISSUED ON 
 HIGHWAY IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS TO 
 MANAGE UNANTICIPATED CHALLENGES 
 ENCOUNTERED DURING THE 
 CONSTRUCTION PHASE.
 OUR METRO, URBAN, RURAL 
 DISTRICTS REVIEW AND EVALUATE 
 CHANGE ORDERS TO DETERMINE 
 WHETHER THEY ARE NEEDED TO IN 
 ORDER TO COMPLETE THE PROJECT 
 SUCCESSFULLY.
 HERE ARE SOME EXAMPLES OF 
 CHANGE ORDERS AND PROJECTS 
 COMPLETED DURING THE SECOND 
 QUARTER OF FISCAL YEAR 2022.
 THE FIRST EXAMPLE ON A PROJECT 
 FOR HAZARD ELIMINATION AND 
 SAFETY.
 THE ATLANTA DISTRICT APPROVED A 
 CHANGE ORDER TO ADDRESS PRICE 
 ESCALATION OF RAW MATERIALS 
 USED IN HIGH FRICTION SURFACE 
 TREATMENT.
 PRODUCERS HAD ISSUES AFTER THE 
 FEBRUARY 2021 STORMS WITH PLANT 
 CLOSURES WITH SHORTAGE OF 
 MATERIALS AND INCREASED PRICES 
 AND INCREASED COST $259,000, 
 BUT NO ADDITIONAL TIME WAS 
 NEEDED.
 THE CONTRACT WAS NOT COMPLETED 
 ON BUDGET, AS A RESULT, BUT IT 
 WAS COMPLETED ON TIME.
 THE SECOND EXAMPLE, ON A 
 PROJECT FOR RAISING STATE 
 HIGHWAY 87 ON THE PENS LA.
 THE HOUSTON DISTRICT DISCOVERED 
 THE QUANTITIES OF BASIN 
 EMBANKMENT AND THE PLANS WOULD 
 NOT BE SUFFICIENT TO COMPLETE 
 THE SCOPE OF WORK AND CHANGED 
 TO INCREASE QUALITIES IN ORDER 
 TO MINIMIZE DROPOFFS AND ENSURE 
 SAFELY FOR THE TRAVELING PUBLIC 
 AND CHANGED COST BY $3.15 
 MILLION AND ADDED 48 DAYS TO 
 CONTRACT DURATION CONTRIBUTING 
 TO CONTRACT NOT BEING COMPLETED 
 ON TIME OR ON BUDGET.
 AND THIRDLY, ON A PROJECT FOR 
 WIDENING FM 681 NORTH OF MACK 
 GALLEN THE FAR DISTRICT 
 IMPROVED CHANGE ORDER TO 
 IMPROVE SAFETY AND ADDED 
 CAPACITY BY PROPOSING TO 
 REPLACE GRASS MEDIAN WITH 
 ADDITIONAL LANE AND RAISED 
 MEDIAN.
 THIS CHANGE ORDER INCREASED THE 
 CONTRACT CAST BY $659,000 AND 
 ADDED 53 DAYS TO CONTRACT 
 DURATION CONTRIBUTING TO 
 CONTRACT NOT COMPLETED ON TIME 
 OR ON BUDGET.
 NOW FOR THE SPECIFIC DEAL T 
 DETAILS OF ITEM 3A AND B.
 3A CONSIDERATION OF AWARD OR 
 REJECTION FOR CONTRACTS ON 
 HIGHWAY IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS 
 LET ON MARCH 3 AND 42022.
 WE PRESENT 43 PROJECTS WITH 
 OVERALL AVERAGE OF 4.56 BIDS 
 PER PROJECT.
 THE LOW BID VALUE, 
 APPROXIMATELY, $629.8 MILLION, 
 OVERALL OVERRUN OF 12.9%.
 THIS DOES NOT INCLUDE ONE 
 PROJECT THAT DID NOT RECEIVE 
 ANY BIDS.
 THE MARCH 2022 PROJECTS ARE 
 CATEGORIZED UNDER THE FOLLOWING 
 PERFORMANCE AREAS.
 CONGESTION REDUCTION; 221.97 
 MILLION.
 ENHANCED CONNECTIVITY, 147.47 
 MILLION.
 PAVEMENT PRESERVATION, 142.3 
 MILLION.
 SAFETY, 80.27 MILLION.
 BRIDGE PRESERVATION AT 37.93 
 MILLION.
 BASED ON THE CROSS WALK OF THE 
 629.8 MILLION IN THIS MONTH'S 
 LETTING, 80.27 MILLION IS 
 DIRECTLY RELATED TO SAFETY.
 BUT IN LOOKING AT OUR PROJECTS 
 OVERALL, EVERY PROJECT DOES 
 HAVE STARIOUS SAFETY ASPECTS 
 INVOLVED.
 THERE ARE -- VARIOUS SAFETY 
 ASPECTS INVOLVED.
 THERE ARE EIGHT OUTSTANDING 
 RIGHT OF WAY AND ONE NEARED 
 NEXT MONTH, TWO IN THREE 
 MONTHS, FOUR HAVE MANAGEMENT 
 PLAN.
 STAFF RECOMMENDS AWARD OF ALL 
 HIGHWAY IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS 
 WITH EXCEPTION OF TWO, THE 
 FIRST, HARVEY, BR2021 (530) JOB 
 NUMBER 3221.
 TWO BIDS WERE SUBMITTED FOR 
 THIS PROJECT.
 AND THE LOW BID WAS $88.37 OR 
 $487.00 OVER THE ENGINEER'S 
 ESTIMATE.
 THIS PROJECT FOR REPLACING 
 COUNTY ROAD 101 BRIDGE AND 
 APPROACHES FLAT CYPRESS CREEK 
 WEST OF COONTZ.
 IT PUTS BRIDGE ITEMS 
 RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE MAJORITY 
 OF THE OVERRUN.
 BASED ON AVERAGE LOW BID PRICES 
 BUT DID NOT ACCOUNT FOR 
 PROJECT'S RURAL LOCATION OR 
 RECENT INFLATION OF MATERIALS 
 AND LABOR.
 THE DISTRICT HAS REQUESTED THE 
 OPPORTUNITY TO REEXAMINE SOME 
 OF THE MAJOR DESIGN ELEMENTS 
 AND REVERSE THE ESTIMATE TO 
 ENCOURAGE INCREASED 
 PARTICIPATION AND A BETTER 
 VALUE FOR THE DEPARTMENT.
 WE CONCUR AND, THEREFORE, 
 RECOMMEND THE PROJECT BE 
 REJECTED AND RELET LATE PER THE 
 SECOND PROJECT IN TARRANT 
 COUNTY PROJECT C-1330-2-49 JOB 
 NUMBER 3012, ONE BID SUBMITTED 
 FOR THIS PROJECT.
 THE LOW BID WAS 61.7% OR 
 $1,013,030.75 OVER THE 
 ENGINEER'S ESTIMATE.
 THIS PROJECT FOR THE REPAIR AND 
 OVERLAY OF FM 1187 FROM I-35 TO 
 WEST OF HUNTERS FIELD BOULEVARD 
 IN BURLESON INCLUDING WIDENING 
 TO ADD A TURN LANE.
 THE DISTRICT INCREASED THE 
 ESTIMATES OVER THE AVERAGES TO 
 ACCOUNT FOR INFLATION.
 AND THE PROJECT SMALL 
 QUANTITIES, BUT THE BID ITEMS 
 FOR FLEXIBLE BASE AND PAVEMENT 
 AND STRUCTURE REPAIR HOT MIX 
 ASPHALT AND COST OVERRUN AS 
 MUCH CAN'TLY.
 THE DISTRICT DOES NOT FEEL ONE 
 BIDDER IS ADEQUATE COMPETITION 
 AND HAS REQUESTED THE 
 OPPORTUNITY TO REVISE THE 
 PLANS.
 AND THE ALLOWABLE WORK HOURS TO 
 ENCOURAGE INCREASED COMPETITION 
 AND A BETTER VALUE FOR THE 
 DEPARTMENT.
 WE CONCUR AND, THEREFORE, 
 RECOMMEND THE PROJECT BE 
 REJECTED AND RELET LATER.
 I'LL BE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY 
 QUESTIONS THE COMMISSION MAY 
 HAVE AT THIS TIME.
 >> BEFORE WE GO TO QUESTIONS I 
 WOULD LIKE TO ASK THE CHIEF 
 ENGINEER BILL HALE TO PLEASE 
 COME TO THE PODIUM.
 BILL, I HAVE BASICALLY TWO 
 QUESTIONS I THINK ARE ON THE 
 MINDS OF ALL OF THE 
 COMMISSIONERS.
 ONE IS, CAN YOU SHARE HOW 
 TxDOT IS FACTORING IN THE 
 RISING PRICES OF MATERIALS IN 
 OUR CONTRACTS?
 AND THE SECOND THING IS, HOW 
 IS TxDOT ADDRESSING 
 INFLATION?
 AND ONE OF THE REASONS WHY I 
 ASK IS, DURING THIS SEGMENT, 
 WE'RE ALWAYS TALKING ABOUT THE 
 OVER AND UNDER AND, YOU KNOW, 
 WHAT TxDOT BASICALLY THOUGHT 
 THE BID SHOULD COME IN AT.
 AND, YOU KNOW, I'VE BEEN IN 
 COMMUNICATION WITH OUR 
 CONTRACTING COMMUNITY AND 
 THEY'RE THE ONES THAT ARE 
 ACTUALLY DEALING WITH THE COST 
 OF MATERIALS INCREASING, THE 
 COST OF, AS WE TALKED ABOUT, 
 ENERGY INCREASING.
 THESE ARE TWO KEY COMPONENTS OF 
 THEIR BIDS.
 AND THE CONCERN HAS BEEN 
 EXPRESSED TO ME BY MANY THAT 
 WHEN THEY PUT THEIR BIDS 
 TOGETHER, EVEN THOUGH IT IS A 
 COMPETITIVE BID SITUATION, 
 THAT TxDOT KIND OF KEEPS PACE 
 WITH WHAT THEY'RE HAVING TO 
 DEAL WITH IN REALITY, AND IF 
 TxDOT DOESN'T KEEP UP WITH 
 WHAT THEY'RE LOOKING AT, THEN 
 IT MIGHT LOOK LIKE THE BIDS ARE 
 COMING IN HIGHER THAN YOU 
 ANTICIPATED.
 AND WE WANT TO HAVE A VERY 
 HEALTHY AND COMPETITIVE BIDDING 
 PROCESS.
 SO CAN YOU KIND OF SHARE WITH 
 ALL OF US HOW WE'RE KIND OF 
 KEEPING UP WITH THE REALITY OF 
 INFLATION AND HOW THAT FACTORS 
 INTO HOW WE CAN KIND OF LOOK AT 
 WHEN THE COMPETITIVE BIDDING 
 PROCESS COMES IN; AND THEN, WE 
 LOOK AT WHAT OUR ESTIMATES ARE, 
 HOW WE KIND OF FLANGE THOSE TWO 
 THINGS UP, PLEASE.
 >> YES.
 IT INVOLVES BASICALLY TWO 
 ASPECTS OF THE PRE-BID AND 
 POST-BID.
 WE LOOK AT THE PRE-BID AND GET 
 THE ESTIMATES READY TO LET.
 WE USUALLY HAVE ENGINEERING 
 ESTIMATE WE PUT TOGETHER.
 WE DEVELOP A PLAN WAY IN 
 ADVANCE USING THE BALLPARK 
 FIGURE.
 AND COMING UP WITH NUMBERS.
 THEN, IT PULLS US INTO, AS WE 
 GET CLOSER, THAT'S LIKE THE UTP 
 WE'LL HAVE ISSUES THERE WITH 
 THE COST.
 BUT AS WE GET CLOSER WE [ 
 INDISCERNIBLE ] WE GET CLOSING 
 TO LETTING DATE AND KNOW THE 
 SCOPE AND WORK IT AND WE 
 DEVELOP A DETAILED PLAN.
 WE USE RECENT ESTIMATES AND 
 INFORMATION THAT WE HAVE FOR 
 INDEXES ON MATERIALS GOING UP 
 AND WHAT'S GOING ON TO VERIFY 
 OUR PRICES ARE GOOD.
 EVEN UP TO FOUR MONTHS OUT WE 
 DEVELOP OUR ESTIMATE BASED ON 
 THOSE PRICES AS CLOSE AS WE CAN 
 GET TO THEM.
 SEE IF IT INCLUDED THAT 
 INFLATION.
 RIGHT NOW, THE INFLATION IS 
 PRETTY HIGH.
 AS WE GET EVEN UP TO A MONTH 
 OUT, WE WILL ADJUST THE PLANS 
 WORKING WITH CONTRACTORS, TOO.
 THEY WILL SAY YOUR ESTIMATE YOU 
 ALL HAVE ON THE ENGINEER 
 ESTIMATE IS WAY OUT AND WE TRY 
 TO ADJUST THAT.
 WE WANT TO MAKE SURE WE CAN 
 COVER THE COST, IF IT COMES IN 
 OVER, 1, IT'S A GOOD BID AND 
 MAKE SURE WE TAKE CARE THAT 
 HAVE.
 WHEN WE GO INTO LETTING WE HAVE 
 A GOOD IDEA AND YOU NOTICE OUR 
 NUMBERS ARE PRETTY CLOSE.
 WE NOTICED THE CONTRACTORS HAVE 
 TO USE THAT TO FIGURE OUT IF 
 THEY HAVE THE EQUIPMENT, THE 
 MATERIALS, THE LABOR.
 FINALLY, THEIR MARGIN.
 AND SO WHEN WE GET IN THERE, 
 THE ONLY THING THEY HAVE TO 
 MAKE UP FOR IS EMBARKING.
 WE LET THE PROJECTS.
 WE NOTICE RIGHT NOW THERE'S A 
 LOT OF INFLATION ISSUES AND 
 IT'S EVIDENT THE LAST YEAR.
 WE'VE GOT CONTRACTORS THAT 
 CONTRACTS COME IN HIGH IN SOME 
 AREAS AND PARTICULARLY HIGH IN 
 PROJECTS LONG-TERM THE MATERIAL 
 SUPPLIERS ARE HAVING A 
 DIFFICULT TIME LIVING UP TO 
 THEIR QUOTES.
 THEY'LL GIVE A QUOTE BUT THEY 
 CAN'T HOLD THAT QUOTE FOR A 
 PRICE AND ITEMS THEY BID.
 WHEN THEY CAN'T HOLD THE QUOTE 
 THEN IT, 1, AFFECTS THE 
 SUBCONTRACTOR; AND, 2, THE 
 PRIME, ULTIMATELY.
 THEY MAY ONLY HAVE ONE ITEM AND 
 A YEAR DOWN THE ROAD THEY CAN'T 
 GET A QUOTE TO SUPPLY THAT.
 WE WORK THEM TO TRY TO TAKE 
 CARE OF THAT AFTER IT'S LET.
 POST-BID AS WE START WORKING ON 
 THAT.
 BECAUSE WE WORK THROUGH THAT, 
 GOT A MAKE SURE WE ADJUST AND 
 SUBCONTRACTORS ARE GOING OUT OF 
 BUSINESS AND WE DON'T WANT THE 
 PIPES GOING OUT OF BUSINESS.
 THEY HAVE A PROBLEM BECAUSE OF 
 A LOSING MARGIN AND ULTIMATELY 
 CAN'T DO THAT ON A REGULAR 
 BASIS AND WE'RE WORKING TO 
 ADJUST THE CONTRACTS AND MAKE 
 SURE WE CAN ADDRESS THAT.
 WE HAVE EIGHT DIFFERENT 
 PROCESSES TO WORK WITH THE 
 CONTRACTORS AND DO THAT.
 WHEN WE GET INTO THE CONTRACT, 
 WE ACTUALLY ARE NOTICING WE'RE 
 HAVING A LOT OF CONTRACTORS SAY 
 I CAN'T KEEP QUOTES THAT LAST 
 OVER A WEEK.
 THEY ASKED US TO ADDRESS THAT.
 WE HAVE ABOUT SEVEN WAYS TO 
 TAKE CARE OF THAT.
 WE HAVE MATERIALS ON HAND.
 WE'LL PAY FOR MATERIALS ON HAND 
 NOW SO TO GET THE QUOTE NOW.
 THEN MAYBE STORE IF, YOU KNOW, 
 ON OUR SITES TO WORK WITH 
 CONTRACTORS FOR THAT.
 ALSO, WORKING WITH THEM TO ON A 
 QUANTITY INCREASING.
 SOMETIMES WE HAVE TO ADD SCOPE 
 TO IT AS WE GO.
 THE EXTRA ITEM MAYBE AREN'T IN 
 THE PLANS WILL ADD THE PRICE TO 
 THAT BECAUSE IT'S INFLATED.
 BUT NOT FOR THE EXISTING PRICE 
 AS THEY HAVE ON THEIR.
 WE WORK WITH THAT.
 THEN WE HAVE DELAYS.
 WE CAUSE DELAY OF THE PROJECT.
 SO WE MAY ADD INCREASES FOR THE 
 DELAYS THAT, THAT WE CAUSE WITH 
 OUR PROJECT.
 NOT THE CONTRACTOR, BUT THE 
 OTHERS.
 AND THEN, THE DELETIONS.
 SAFETY.
 WE'LL MAKE SURE SAFETY ITEMS 
 TAKE THE STATE IN THERE.
 SOME ITEMS ARE REMOVED AND WORK 
 WITH REMOVED ITEMS BECAUSE THE 
 PRICES ARE SO HIGH THEY CAN'T 
 GET THE QUOTE.
 IT MAY BE A SUB THAT DOES ONE 
 ITEM AND PUT IN THE POSITION TO 
 BID $0.50 AAR THAT COMES IN $1 
 A YARD AND THEY CAN'T COVER IT 
 AND IT WILL PUT THEM OUT OF 
 BUSINESS.
 WE'RE VERY CONCERNED ABOUT THE 
 SUB AND SECONDARY PEOPLE THAT 
 WORKING BECAUSE THAT'S A LABOR 
 MARKET.
 YOU GET THEM OFF THE PROJECT 
 AND THEY GO OUT YOU HAVE NO 
 LABOR NA THAT AREA, THAT BECOME 
 AS PROBLEM.
 SUB SOURCING.
 MAKING SURE WE GET THE VARIETY.
 WE'RE REDUCE AND REPLACE 
 PRODUCTS THAT ARE SIMILAR, MUCH 
 AS IT WORKS WITH THEM, WORK 
 WITH THE CONTRACTORS TO DO 
 THAT.
 THEN, TIME CONSIDERATION.
 THE TIME TO WORK WITH THEM TO 
 TAKE CARE OF THAT.
 WE DON'T WANT TO SUBSIDIZE A 
 LOW BID THAT IS A GOOD LOW BID 
 BECAUSE A SECOND OR THIRD 
 BIDDER SAID I TOOK THAT INTO 
 CONSIDERATION TO TAKE CARE OF 
 IT.
 WE DO WORK TO TRY TO ADDRESS 
 THE INFLATION ISSUE WE'VE GOT 
 GOING RIGHT NOW.
 IT'S BEEN VERY HUGE.
 FINALLY, LAST RESORT, WE'LL 
 EVEN CONSIDER AND WORK WITH 
 CONTRACTORS ON PRICE INCREASES, 
 BASED ON INDEXES GOING ON THE 
 PRICE OF CONCRETE, ASPHALT, AND 
 OTHERS.
 WE'VE BEEN WORKING WITH 
 SEVERAL, A LOT RIGHT NOW TO GET 
 THE CONTRACTS IN PLACE AND 
 ADDRESS OUR OPERATIONS.
 >> BILL, THAT'S VERY HELPFUL.
 BECAUSE, OF COURSE, YOU CAN 
 APPRECIATE BETTER THAN PROBABLY 
 ANY OF US THAT WE WANT TO MAKE 
 SURE THAT WE DON'T HAVE SOME 
 KIND OF A BID IN OUR MINDS THAT 
 IT SHOULD COME IN, BECAUSE IT 
 IS VERY EVIDENT TO ME THAT THE 
 CONTRACTING COMMUNITY PUTS A 
 LOT OF WORK IN PUTTING THEIR 
 BIDS TOGETHER.
 AND BECAUSE IT IS A COMPETITIVE 
 BID SITUATION, TO PUT IT BACK 
 OUT FOR REBID WOULD BE VERY 
 DETRIMENTAL TO THE BIDDING 
 PROCESS.
 SO THANK YOU FOR ARTICULATING.
 BECAUSE YOU'RE SPEAKING TODAY 
 TO THE WHOLE CONTRACTING 
 COMMUNITY ABOUT HOW TxDOT IS, 
 IN FACT, LOOKING AT HOW WE ARE 
 BEING AWARE OF THIS, OF THE 
 REALITY OF INFLATION; NOT ONLY 
 JUST ACROSS THE BOARD AND WHAT 
 OUR FAMILIES ARE GOING THROUGH 
 AT THE GROCERY STORE, BUT WHAT 
 THE CONTRACTING COMMUNITY IS 
 GOING THROUGH, IN TERMS OF THE 
 BASE MATERIALS.
 THEIR OWN LABOR COSTS.
 THE COST OF ENERGY.
 SO THANK YOU FOR ARTICULATING 
 ALL OF THAT.
 I THINK THAT WILL BE VERY 
 HELPFUL.
 >> AND IT DOES, BECAUSE IT -- 
 YOU CONSIDER THE SETUPS AND 
 PRIMES, TYPICALLY HAVE A 
 SITUATION 1 + 1 EQUALS 3 AND 
 YOU CAN'T GET THEM ALTOGETHER 
 AND MAKE IT WORK AND WE DEAL 
 WITH THAT ON A REGULAR BASIS.
 >> RIGHT.
 VERY GOOD.
 COMMISSIONERS ANY COMMENTS OR 
 QUESTIONS FOR DIRECTOR 
 MILLIGAN?
 >> QUICK COMMENT ON WHAT YOU'RE 
 DESCRIBING.
 ONE THING THAT I THINK IS, YOU 
 KNOW, IS FAIR TO ALL PARTIES 
 CONCERNED, SOMETIMES WE HAVE 
 TIMES WHERE OUR BIDS, ALL OF 
 THE BIDS ARE CONSISTENTLY BELOW 
 WHAT WE'RE ESTIMATING.
 WE HAVE TO KIND OF REMEMBER IT 
 RUNS BOTH WAYS A LITTLE BIT.
 THE SECOND THING THAT I WANT TO 
 BRING UP IS, I THINK IN, YOU 
 KNOW, IN MOST OF THE CAREER 
 LIFETIMES, NOT THE ACTUAL LIFE 
 TIMES, MOST OF THE CAREER 
 LIFETIMES, THERE HASN'T BEEN A 
 TIME LIKE THIS WHERE INFLATION 
 HAS BEEN AT THIS LEVEL FOR THIS 
 LONG.
 AND SO I THINK EVERYONE I IS 
 HAVING TO LEARN A LITTLE BIT 
 HOW DO THAT.
 I APPRECIATE THE EFFORTS TO 
 HAVE AN EXPLANATION WHAT WE'RE 
 DOING.
 >> RIGHT.
 >> AND HOW WE'RE DOING IT AND 
 HOW WE'RE AWARE OF IT.
 THAT KIND OF THING.
 GOOD LORD IT IS VERY DIFFERENT 
 FROM PROBABLY ANYTHING ANYONE 
 SEEN IN THEIR CAREER.
 I THINK THE AGC AND ALL OF THE 
 CONTRACTORS ARE GOING THROUGH 
 THE SAME THINGS AS IT RELATES 
 TO LABOR, AND MATERIALS, AND 
 EVEN GETTING EQUIPMENT.
 YOU KNOW THAT YOU NEED AND SO 
 FORTH.
 WE'RE ALL LIVING THROUGH.
 >> I CAN ASSURE YOU I'M GOING 
 THROUGH MY BUSINESS IN THE 
 BANKING BUSINESS BECAUSE OF 
 LABOR COSTS.
 AND YOU KNOW TO REMAIN 
 COMPETITIVE.
 SO ALL BUSINESSES, YOU'RE 
 RIGHT.
 THIS IS KIND OF A NEW 
 PHENOMENON THAT WE HAVE TO GO 
 BACK IN OUR MEMORY BANK AND, 
 WHERE INFLATION IS REALLY AN 
 ISSUE AND IT IS TODAY.
 THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER NEW.
 ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR 
 COMMENTS?
 >> I APPRECIATE THE QUESTIONS 
 AND INFORMATION.
 THANK YOU FOR THAT.
 I WANT BILL TO KNOW THAT'S ONE 
 OF THE BEST-LOOKING TIES I EVER 
 SEEN!
 [ LAUGHTER ]
 >> ALL RIGHT.
 VERY GOOD.
 THANK YOU, BILL.
 WELL, WE DON'T HAVE ANY PUBLIC 
 COMMENTS.
 SO MAY I HAVE A MOTION TO AWARD 
 OR REJECT THE HIGHWAY 
 IMPROVEMENT AND TRANSPORTATION 
 FACILITIES' CONTRACTS AS LISTED 
 IN EXHIBIT A TO THE MINUTE 
 ORDER IN ACCORDANCE WITH STAFF 
 RECOMMENDATIONS.
 >> SO MOVED.
 >> THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER NEW.
 A SECOND?
 THANKS YOU, COMMISSIONER RYAN.
 ALL IN FAVOR PLEASE SAY "AYE."
 ANY OPPOSED IN MOTION PASSES 
 UNANIMOUSLY.
 DIRECTOR WILLIAMS.
 >> THANK YOU, MANAGESSER.
 DIRECTOR MILLIGAN CONTINUE WITH 
 3B THE CONSIDERATION OF ROUTINE 
 MAINTENANCE CONTRACTS.
 >> ITEM 3B FOR THE 
 CONSIDERATION OF THE AWARD OR 
 REJECTION OF CONTRACTS FORATEIN 
 MAINTENANCE PROJECTS LET ON 
 MARCH 3rd AND 4TH, 2022.
 WE PRESENT 43 PROJECTS WITH HE 
 OVERALL AVERAGE 3.35 BIDS PER 
 PROJECT.
 LOW BID VALUE APPROXIMATELY 
 $58.42 MILLION OVERALL OVERRUN 
 1.92% AND DOES NOT INCLUDE ONE 
 PROJECT THAT DID NOT RECEIVE 
 ANY BIDS.
 STAFF RECOMMENDS AWARDS OF ALL 
 ROUTINE MAINTENANCE PROJECTS 
 EXCEPTION OF ONE.
 TOM GREEN COUNTY PROJECT 
 RMC6392-45001, JOB NUMBER 4219.
 ONE BID SUBMITTED.
 LOW BID WAS 58.2% OR 
 $275,153.01 OVER THE ENGINEER'S 
 ESTIMATE.
 BIENNIUM SWEEPING CONTRACT FOR 
 THE CITY OF SAN ANGELO.
 ALL OF THE BID ITEMS FOR 
 SWEEPING AND MOBILIZATION OVER 
 END SIGNIFICANTLY LIKELY DUE TO 
 THE LIKE OF COMPETITION, ISSUES 
 WITH WORKFORCE AVAILABILITY AND 
 UNCERTAINTY WITH THE CURRENT 
 ECONOMIC CLIMATE.
 THE DISTRICT HAS REQUESTED THE 
 OPPORTUNITY TO REVISE THE PLANS 
 AND ESTIMATES AS WARRANTED TO 
 OBTAIN A BETTER VALUE FOR THE 
 STATE.
 AND WILL PERFORM THE WORK USING 
 STATE FORCES IN THE INTERIM.
 WE CONCUR AND, THEREFORE, 
 RECOMMEND THE PROJECT BE 
 REJECTED AND RELET LATER.
 I'LL BE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY 
 QUESTIONS THE COMMISSION MAY 
 HAVE AT THIS TIME.
 >> COMMISSIONERS ARE THERE 
 REMARKS OR QUESTIONS FOR 
 DIRECTOR MILLIGAN?
 >> THAT REJECTED BID IS IN MY 
 HOMETOWN.
 SO I WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT I 
 LOOKED AT MY CALENDAR TO SEE IF 
 I COULD VOLUNTEER TO DRIVE A 
 SWEEPER.
 JUST CAN'T FIND TIME.
 [ LAUGHTER ]
 AND SO, I THINK WE'LL HAVE 
 TO -- HAVE TO TRY AGAIN.
 OKAY?
 >> COMMISSIONER?
 >> I THINK YOU CAN ONLY HOLD 
 ONE JOB HERE AT A TIME.
 I'LL CHECK INTO THAT!
 THAT'S WHY WE HAVE GENERAL 
 COUNSEL HERE.
 [ LAUGHTER ]
 AT THIS TIME WE DO HAVE A 
 COMMENT CARD.
 AND BEFORE I CALL FOR A VOTE, I 
 WOULD LIKE TO INVITE MR. DON 
 DIXON.
 PLEASE COME FORWARD.
 STATE YOUR NAME FOR THE RECORD.
 AND THE ORGANIZATION YOU 
 REPRESENT, MR. DIXON.
 >> THANK YOU, MR. CHAIRMAN, AND 
 COMMITTEE.
 MY NAME IS DON DIXON I AM 
 REPRESENTING MYSELF.
 IT WAS GOOD TO HEAR FROM 
 SECRETARY EVANS THEY'RE 
 IMPROVING THE ROADS OUT IN THE 
 PERMEAN BASIN.
 I WAS TRAVELING FROM FORT 
 STOCKTON UP TO NEW MEXICO AND 
 GOT CAUGHT IN ALL OF THAT 
 TRAFFIC.
 AND AT ONE OF THE -- THERE WAS 
 TWO MAJOR STATE H HIGHWAY E 
 INTERSECTIONS STOP SIGN AND SAT 
 THERE 30 MINUTES EVERYONE 
 TRYING TO GET THROUGH.
 GOOD TO HEAR THAT.
 CONGRATULATIONS ON 31.
 YOU ARE BUILDING OUT THAT 
 INTERSTATE THERE.
 I MEAN, THE FREEWAY THERE AT 
 THE COLORADO RIVER.
 AND CONGRATULATIONS, MR. NEW, 
 ON YOUR INTERSTATE OUT IN WEST 
 TEXAS.
 AND WE PLEAD FOR ONE IN CENTRAL 
 TEXAS, I OF COURSE I'M AGGIE 
 AND TRAVEL THERE PROBABLY THREE 
 OR FOUR TIMES A MONTH, AT 
 LEAST, PROBABLY MORE BY 21 UP 
 THROUGH BASSTROP AND UP TO 
 BRYAN COLLEGE STATION.
 AWANT TO TELL YOU THAT, THAT IS -- I WANT TO TELL YOU, THAT 
 IS A DANGEROUS ROAD THAT NEEDS 
 TO BE AN INTERSTATE.
 WE NEED CONNECTIVITY BETWEEN 
 SAN MARCUS AND BRYAN COLLEGE 
 STATION AND JACKSONVILLE ON UP 
 INTO PITTSBURGH AND EAST TEXAS.
 WE NEED THAT.
 WE DON'T HAVE THAT.
 WE NEED IT TREMENDOUSLY.
 PART OF YOUR NEW MONEY, I WAS 
 LOOKING AT THAT, I DON'T SEE 
 ANY RED SURVEY SIGNS OUT THERE 
 ON 21.
 I WOULD LIKE TO SEE SOME OF 
 THAT, SOME OF THIS NEW MONEY GO 
 TO BUILDING AN INTERSTATE OR AT 
 LEAST A MINIMUM A FOUR-LANE 
 DIVIDED OVERPASS ROUTE UP 
 THROUGH TEXAS.
 AND, AS YOU KNOW, I MEAN, YOU 
 CAN READILY SEE THAT WOULD BE A 
 GREAT BYPASS FOR A LOT OF 
 CONGESTION THAT YOU HAVE IN 
 THIS PARTICULAR AREA.
 SAN MARCUS, AUSTIN, ON UP.
 A LOT OF THAT TRAFFIC WOULD 
 BYPASS UP THERE.
 SO I MEAN YOU'VE HEARD THIS 
 STORY FROM ME BEFORE.
 BUT, YOU KNOW, I'M NOT GOING TO 
 GET OFF OF IT BECAUSE IT'S A 
 TREMENDOUS NEED FOR THE STATE.
 AND THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE.
 I WAS UP THERE AT SPRING BREAK 
 AT A & M AND TRAVELED THAT, OF 
 COURSE, 74,000 STUDENTS ON THE 
 A&M CAMPUS NOW, EVERY ONE HAS A 
 CAR, MAYBE TWO.
 DRIVING FROM COLLEGE STATION TO 
 SAN ANTONIO, IT WAS STOP-AND-GO 
 TRAFFIC ON 21.
 BETWEEN SAN MARCUS AND THE 
 BASSTROP.
 A NEED THAT WE NEED TO TRY TO 
 GET IT IN THE PLANNING, IF YOU 
 CAN, IT WOULD HELP THE PEOPLE 
 OF TEXAS.
 THANK YOU, MR. CHAIRMAN.
 >> THANK YOU.
 >> OH, I DO HAVE ONE OTHER 
 THING.
 I WANTED TO COMMENT.
 I'VE BEEN HEARING TALK ABOUT 
 THE BROADWAY THING IN SAN 
 ANTONIO.
 I TESTIFIED AT THE MPO WHENEVER 
 THAT CAME UP ELIMINATING THE 
 STATE LANES.
 AND NARROWING IT DOWN TO DO 
 WHAT I THINK THEY WERE CALLING 
 A COMPLETE STREAK.
 I LIVE IN TERRO HILLS PARALLELS 
 BROADWAY.
 THAT'S MY MAIN ROUTE OF TRAVEL.
 THE CHURCH TO ACTIVITIES TO 
 ENTERTAINMENT, BUSINESS, 
 DOWNTOWN SAN ANTONIO.
 AND A LOT OF, I DON'T KNOW, 
 TERRO HILLS AND THE PARK ALL 
 HAVE THE SAME ISSUE.
 DO NOT REDUCE THOSE SIX LANES.
 THEY ARE, EVERY ONE NEEDED ON 
 YOUR STATE HIGHWAY.
 I CAN'T REMEMBER, A LOOP, LOOP 
 3006, BUT IT'S BROADWAY.
 SO WHATEVER YOU DO, DON'T PAY 
 ATTENTION TO THIS MPO STUFF 
 WHERE THEY WANT TO REDUCE IT 
 DOWN TO ONE OR TWO LANES.
 NO.
 NO.
 WE NEED WHAT WE GOT.
 SO YOU GUYS STAY TOUGH ON THAT.
 THANK YOU.
 >> THANK YOU, MR. DIXON.
 MAY I HAVE A MOTION TO AWARD OR 
 REJECT THE ROUTINE MAINTENANCE 
 CONTRACTS LISTED IN EXHIBIT A 
 TO THE MINUTE ORDER IN 
 ACCORDANCE WITH STAFF 
 RECOMMENDATIONS?
 >> SO MOVED.
 >> THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER NEW.
 MAY I HAVE A SECOND?
 >> THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER 
 VAUGHN.
 ALL IN FAVOR PLEASE SAY "AYE."
 ANY OPPOSED IN MOTION PASSES 
 UNAME MOUSILY.
 EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR WILLIAMS I 
 TURN IT BACK TO YOU, PLEASE.
 >> I'VE 3C A CONSIDERATION OF 
 THE BUILDING CONTRACTS IN OUR 
 FACILITIES PLANNING AND 
 MANAGEMENT SECTION DIRECTOR 
 WARREN ROSE WILL PRESENT THIS 
 ITEM.
 >> OKAY.
 PRESENTED FOR CONSIDERATION IS 
 THE AWARDING OF ONE BUILDING 
 CONTRACT.
 FOR TOTAL AWARD $308,000.
 WHICH IS 12% LESS THAN THE 
 ENGINEER'S ESTIMATE $350,000.
 WE RECEIVED A TOTAL OF TWO BIDS 
 FOR THE PROJECT.
 STAFF RECOMMENDS APPROVAL OF 
 THE BUILDING CONTRACT.
 I'M AVAILABLE FOR ANY 
 CONVERSATION.
 >> COMMISSIONERS, ANY REMARKS 
 OR QUESTIONS FOR SECTION 
 DIRECTOR ROSE?
 IF NOT, MAY I HAVE A MOTION TO 
 AWARD THE BUILDING CONTRACTS AS 
 LISTED IN THE EXHIBIT A TO THE 
 MINUTE ORDER?
 ACCORDANCE WITH STAFF 
 RECOMMENDATIONS.
 >> SO MOVED.
 >> THANK YOU COMMISSIONER RYAN 
 AND VAUGHN.
 ALL IN FAVOR PLEASE SAY "AYE."
 >> AYE.
 >> ANY OPPOSED IN MOTION PASSES 
 UNAME MOUSILY.
 THANK YOU.
 >> ITEM 4 INVESTING IN RURAL 
 TEXAS.
 DEPUTY EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR 
 BRANDYE HENDRICKSON WILL LEAD 
 THE SECTION.
 >> SECRETARY EVANS AND BILL ARE 
 ALL HARD ACTS TO FOLLOW.
 GOOD MORNING, CHAIRMAN, 
 COMMISSIONERS, MARC.
 I'M EXCITED TO BE HERE TODAY TO 
 REALLY JUST PUT A BIG 
 EXCLAMATION POINT ON THE GREAT 
 PRESENTATIONS YESTERDAY AT THE 
 SPECIAL COMMISSION MEETING THAT 
 LOOKED AT STATEWIDE AND RURAL 
 CONNECTIVITY AND MAINTENANCE.
 AND I REALLY WANT TO HIGHLIGHT 
 THE IMPORTANCE OF THE WORK THAT 
 WE'RE DOING TO ADDRESS THE 
 NEEDS OF RURAL TEXAS, 
 PARTICULARLY AS WE ARE WORKING 
 THROUGH THE DEVELOPMENT AND 
 ULTIMATELY THE ADOPTION OF THE 
 2023 UTP.
 YOU SAW THIS YESTERDAY.
 IN MUCH GREATER DETAIL THE 
 STATEWIDE AND RURAL 
 CONNECTIVITY NETWORK SUPPORTS 
 STATE'S KEY ECONOMIC SECTORS 
 AND PLAYS IMPORTANT ROLE IN THE 
 NATION'S ECONOMY.
 THE BOTTOM LINE HERE IS THAT 
 THIS NETWORK RESULTS IN JOBS, 
 TAX REVENUE, AND TRADE VALUE.
 IT'S CRITICAL TO GET RAW 
 MATERIALS FROM RURAL TEXAS TO 
 MANUFACTURING CENTERS IN URBAN 
 AND METRO AREAS AND FLOWS BACK 
 OUT TO STATEWIDE NATIONAL AND 
 INTERNATIONAL MARKETS.
 I WANT TO HIGHLIGHT SOME OF THE 
 DEMOGRAPHICS FOR OUR RURAL 
 URBAN AND METRO DISTRICTS.
 AND NOTABLY, RURAL DISTRICTS 
 COMPRISE A SMALLER PORTION OF 
 THE POPULATION BUT A 
 SIGNIFICANT SHARE OF TRUCK VMT 
 AND LANE MILES.
 THERE'S A LOT OF GROUND TO 
 COVER IN OUR RURAL PARTS OF THE 
 STATE.
 I THINK IF IS AN IMPORTANT 
 BACKDROP AS WE CONTINUE UTP 
 DISCUSSIONS.
 AS DISCUSSED IN JANUARY OF 2022 
 THE DEPARTMENT'S 10-YEAR 
 PLANNING DOCUMENT UTP GUIDES 
 TRANSPORTATION PROJECT 
 DEVELOPMENT OVER A 10-YEAR 
 TIMEFRAME.
 IT IS FLECKTUATED BASED ON THE 
 FORECAST CHANGES GIVEN VARIOUS 
 CIRCUMSTANCE CIRCUMSTANCES AND 
 THE ECONOMY.
 2017 UTP SIGNIFICANT INCREASED 
 BASED ON PROP FUNDS.
 HOWEVER, THE CURRENT 2023 UTP 
 THAT'S BEING DEVELOPED IS 
 PROJECTED TO REACH RECORD 
 HEIGHTS.
 BASED ON THE NEW INFRASTRUCTURE 
 BILL, THE I.I.J.A. AND THE 
 STATE'S PROPS 1 AND 7 AS WELL 
 AS THE TEXAS MOBILITY BOND 
 FUNDS.
 THIS OVERALL GROWTH IS DRIVING 
 INCREASED INVESTMENTS TOWARD 
 METRO, URBAN, AND RURAL 
 DISTRICTS AS WELL.
 THIS GRAPHIC HELPS ILLUSTRATE 
 THE DISTRIBUTION TREND FOR THE 
 2016 TO 2022 UTPs.
 SINCE 2016 UTP THAT WAS ADOPTED 
 IN AUGUST OF 2015, FUNDING TO 
 RURAL DISTRICTS HAS INCREASED 
 FROM 6.1%, WHICH REPRESENTS 
 ABOUT 2.1 BILLION, TO 16.5%, OR 
 12.3 BILLION IN THE 2022 UTP.
 SO GROWTH OF OVER 10% AND OVER 
 $10 BILLION TO RURAL AREAS.
 IN TERMS OF PUTTING THOSE 
 DOLLARS TO WORK, SINCE FISCAL 
 YEAR 2016 TxDOT HAS COMPLETED 
 ALMOST 1740 PROJECTS IN RURAL 
 TEXAS DISTRICTS AND 664 ARE 
 CURRENTLY UNDER CONSTRUCTION.
 OUR STATEWIDE RURAL 
 CONNECTIVITY NETWORK SUPPORTS 
 ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT THROUGH 
 THE TEXAS AND STRENGTHENSER.
 >> NATIONAL TRADE ROUTES.
 YOU CAN SEE WHAT'S DONE ON 
 TEXAS TRUNK SYSTEM SIS FISCAL 
 2016 AND WHAT'S UNDER 
 DEVELOPMENT.
 TYPES OF MAJOR PROJECTS INCLUDE 
 RIDGE REPLACEMENT NEW 
 INTERCHANGES AND CAPACITY 
 IMPROVEMENTS AND FREEWAY 
 UPGRADES.
 WITHIN STATEWIDE RURAL 
 CONNECTIVITY NETWORK WE ALSO 
 IDENTIFIED KEY RURAL CORRIDORS.
 THE KEY CORRIDOR FOCUSED ON 
 FOUR LANE HIGHWAY CAPACITY.
 BACK TO 201511 PROJECTS ARE 
 COMPLETED AND SIX ARE UNDER 
 CONSTRUCTION.
 THESE PROJECTS PROMOTE NOT ONLY 
 FREIGHT MOBILITY AND ECONOMIC 
 DEVELOPMENT, BUT IMPROVEMENTS 
 BRING CRITICAL SAFETY VALUE 
 GIVEN THE DISPROPORTIONATE 
 SAFETY ISSUES ON RURAL ROADS.
 TURNING TO ANOTHER ISSUE THAT 
 IS ABSOLUTELY CRITICAL TO 
 TEXAS, INCLUDING RURAL TEXAS, 
 AND THUS IMPORTANT TO TEXAS, 
 TO TxDOT, TOO, BROADBAND 
 DEPLOYMENT.
 TxDOT RELIES ON CONNECTIONS 
 FOR DYNAMIC MESSAGE SYSTEMS, 
 TRAFFIC SIGNALS, CAMERAS AND 
 OTHER ITS EQUIPMENT.
 THIS WILL BECOME EVEN MORE 
 IMPORTANT AS CONNECTED VEHICLES 
 BECOME MORE COMMON AND THE 
 OPPORTUNITY FOR VEHICLE TO 
 INFRASTRUCTURE COMMUNICATION 
 GROWS.
 ADDITIONALLY, TxDOT HAS OFFS 
 AROUND THE STATE INCLUDING IN 
 RURAL AREAS AND CONNECTIVITY IS 
 IMPORTANT FOR THEM TO BE ABLE 
 TO ACCESS NETWORK APPLICATIONS 
 TO SUPPORT OUR CITIZENS IN 
 THOSE PARTS OF THE STATE IN THE 
 WORK THAT WE DO.
 WE'RE RECENTLY AWARDED $6 
 MILLION FROM THE COMMISSIONER 
 TROLLER BROADBAND DEVELOPMENT 
 OFFICE FOR BROADBAND 
 DEPLOYMENTS IN FIVE SAFETY 
 AREAS IN RURAL EL PASO AND 
 CULVERSON COUNTIES.
 TxDOT IS WORKING WITH 
 SOUTHWEST RESEARCH INSTITUTE TO 
 INVENTORY OTHER OWN FIBER AND 
 IDENTIFY GAPS.
 WE ALSO HAVE SHARING AGREEMENTS 
 WITH LOCAL JURISDICTIONS TO 
 HELP SCHOOLS AND HOSPITALS AND 
 HELP REALIZE OTHER PUBLIC 
 BENEFITS.
 UNDER NEW LEGISLATION, OUR 
 RIGHT OF WAY IS ACCESSIBLE VIA 
 PERMIT FOR BROADBAND PROVIDERS.
 RULES WE'LL TALK ABOUT LATER IN 
 THE AGENDA ENCOURAGES DUCT 
 BANKS SO MULTIPLE ENTITIES CAN 
 RUN FIBER AND CONDUITS IN THE 
 SAME DUCT BANK AND SAVE 
 CONFUSION AND UNCLUTTER RIGHT 
 OF WAY AND FACILITATE COST 
 SHARING.
 ANOTHER CONNECT TO THE RURAL 
 PARTS OF STATE WE'RE 
 FACILITATING RELATES TO 
 ELECTRONIC VEHICLE 
 INFRASTRUCTURE.
 I.I.J.A. SIGNED INTO LAW 
 NOVEMBER 15TH ESTABLISHES 
 NATIONAL ELECTRONIC VEHICLE 
 INFRASTRUCTURE FORMULA PROGRAM 
 THE CHAIRMAN REFERENCED EARLIER 
 AND WILL PROVIDE FUNDING THE 
 STATES TO DEPLOY ELECTRONIC 
 VEHICLE CHARGING INFRASTRUCTURE 
 ALONG PUBLIC ROADS.
 TO RECEIVE THE FUNDS, EACH 
 STATE DEPARTMENT OF 
 TRANSPORTATION MUST SUBMIT 
 INFRASTRUCTURE DEPLOYMENT PLAN 
 BY AUGUST 1st TO FFWA AND 
 WE'RE WORKING VERY HARD HERE AT 
 THE STATE TO DO THAT.
 AS OUTLINED IN THIS RECENT 
 LETTER, FROM THE GOVERNOR 
 ABBOT, TxDOT WILL TAKE THE 
 LEAD.
 WE'RE EXCITED TO BE ABLE TO DO 
 THAT ON THE DEVELOPING THE 
 PLAN.
 WE'VE BEGUN COLLABORATING WITH 
 TEXAS ON THE ENVIRONMENTAL 
 QUALITY AND CONSERVATION OFFICE 
 AND TEXAS COMPTROLLER TO CREATE 
 THE DEPLOYMENT PLAN AND WE'RE 
 ALSO PLANNING ADDITIONAL 
 STAKEHOLDER OUTREACH IN PUBLIC 
 INVOLVEMENT TO RECEIVE INPUT ON 
 THAT PLAN.
 THE GOVERNOR'S DIRECTIONS 
 SUPPORTS A CORRIDOR-FOCUSED AND 
 RURAL-FIRST APPROACH THAT WILL 
 GUIDE OUR STRATEGY AS WE 
 DEVELOP AND FINALIZE THE PLAN.
 IT WAS TALKED A LITTLE BIT 
 EARLIER IN COMMISSIONER NEW'S 
 OPENING REMARKS TEXAS RURAL 
 TRANSIT PROVIDERS ARE A LITERAL 
 LIFELINE FOR MANY OF OUR 
 RESIDENTS.
 THE DEPARTMENT ADMINISTER AS 
 COMBINATION OF STATE AND 
 FEDERAL PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION 
 GRANT PROGRAMS TO SUPPORT A 
 BROAD NETWORK OF BASIC MOBILITY 
 SERVICES THAT PROVIDE 
 CONNECTIONS TO JOBS, 
 HEALTHCARE, EDUCATION, FAITH 
 AND FAMILY EVENTS THAT ARE 
 REALLY VITAL TO THE FABRIC OF 
 TEXAS AS RURAL CULTURE.
 WE WORK COLLABORATIVELY WITH 
 RURAL TRANSIT DISTRICTS AND 
 NONPROFITS THROUGHOUT THE STATE 
 TO ENSURE ACCESS TO SAFE AND 
 RELIABLE PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION.
 AND THE DEPARTMENT ALSO 
 PROVIDES OVERSIGHT, TRAINING, 
 AND TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE TO ALL 
 RECIPIENTS OF THE PROGRAM 
 FUNDING.
 THE DEPARTMENT ROUTINELY 
 SUPPLEMENTS ANNUAL PROGRAM 
 FUNDING AMOUNTS WITH 
 DISCRETIONARY GRANT FUNDING 
 PARTICULARLY TO ASSESS ASSET 
 MANAGEMENT AND MODERNIZATION.
 AND SO AS WAS MENTIONED 
 EARLIER, WE RECENTLY RECEIVED 
 AN AWARD OF $22.85 MILLION FOR 
 FLEET REPLACEMENT, FACILITY 
 CONSTRUCTION AND IMPLEMENTATION 
 OF ELECTRONIC TRANSIT VEHICLE 
 AND CHARGING STATION PILOT AT A 
 HANDFUL OF RURAL TRANSIT 
 DISTRICTS.
 I WOULD BE REMISS IF I DID NOT 
 MENTION AND EVEN IF WE HAD TWO 
 FULL HOURS TO TALK ABOUT THIS, 
 WHICH I KNOW YOU'RE GLAD WE 
 DON'T, IT WOULD NOT BE ENOUGH 
 TIME TO TALK ABOUT THE GREAT 
 WORK THAT HAPPENS IN OUR OTHER 
 MODEL OFFICES.
 OUR MARITIME, AVIATION, AND OUR 
 RAIL DIVISIONS ALL PLAY AN 
 IMPORTANT ROLE IN CONNECTIVITY 
 AND THEY WORK TIRELESSLY WITH 
 OUR PARTNERS TO HELP FACILITATE 
 THE MULTIMODAL SYSTEM ACROSS 
 THE STATE THAT'S VITAL TO OUR 
 ECONOMIC PROSPERITY.
 SO BRINGING BECAUSE BACK TO THE 
 DEVELOPMENT OF UTP THIS HAS NOT 
 CHANGED SINCE JANUARY AND WE 
 PROVIDED OVERVIEW OF DRAFT 2023 
 UTP DISTRIBUTION UNDER 
 DEVELOPMENT.
 TODAY I WANTED TO TALK THROUGH 
 INVESTMENTS TO RURAL DISTRICTS 
 AT A HIGH LEVEL, BASED ON THIS 
 INFORMATION.
 AS YOU CAN SEE, THE TOTAL UTP 
 FORECAST INCREASED BY 
 $11 BILLION WHICH HAS A 16.7% 
 INCREASE.
 AS PREVIOUSLY MENTIONED, THE 
 INVESTMENT TREND HAS BEEN 
 CONSISTENT OVER TIME AND 
 PROJECTED TO CONTINUE WITH THE 
 2023 UTP.
 OF THE 12 DATABASE GORES OF 
 FUNDING, 86% OF FUNDING 
 INVESTMENTS TO RURAL DISTRICTS 
 COME FROM CATEGORIES 1, 4 
 RURAL, 11, AND 12.
 AS YOU'LL SEE ON THE RIGHT, THE 
 INVESTMENT LEVELS IN THESE 
 CATEGORIES IS ANTICIPATED TO 
 INCREASE BY 23%, WHICH IS 
 GREATER THAN THE OVERALL 
 PROJECTED UTP INCREASE.
 SOY STAFF CONTINUES THE 
 DEVELOPMENT OF THE 2023 UTP AND 
 IS CURRENTLY WORKING ON PROJECT 
 RECOMMENDATIONS WITH 
 DISCUSSIONS ONGOING.
 WE ARE ON PACE TO PRESENT THE 
 DRAFT 2023 UTP INCLUSIVE OF 
 PROJECT RECOMMENDATIONS IN 
 JUNE.
 START PUBLIC INVOLVEMENT 
 THEREAFTER TO PRESENT THE FINAL 
 2023 UTP TO THE COMMISSION IN 
 AUGUST.
 THIS IS AN ALL-HANDS ON DECK 
 EFFORT WITHIN TxDOT.
 OUR DIVISIONS AND OUR DISTRICTS 
 AND ADMINISTRATION ARE ALL VERY 
 FOCUSED ON THIS ACTIVITY.
 I HOPE THAT THE INFORMATION 
 THAT WE CONTINUE TO PROVIDE TO 
 YOU IS HELPFUL.
 AS YOU PREPARE TO ASSUME THE 
 IMPORTANT RESPONSIBLE OF THE 
 ADOPTION OF THE ADOPTION OF 
 2023 UTP.
 I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR YOUR 
 COMMITMENT AND YOUR ENGAGEMENT 
 ON THIS CRITICAL, ANNUAL, 
 YEARLONG ACTIVITY OF THE 
 DEPARTMENT.
 WITH THAT, I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER 
 ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU MIGHT 
 HAVE.
 >> THANK YOU.
 ARE THERE ANY COMMENTS OR 
 QUESTIONS FROM THE FELLOW 
 COMMISSIONERS FOR DEPUTY 
 EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR HENDRICKSON?
 >> I HAVE A COUPLE.
 IF YOU COULD GO BACK TO THE 
 KIND OF FLOW CHART THAT SHOWS 
 16%?
 THAT ONE.
 YES.
 I DON'T -- I DON'T WANT THIS 
 EXPLANATION NOW, BUT COULD 
 SOMEONE EXPLAIN TO ME WHAT THE 
 8.3 DOWN FROM 41.9 PERCENT IN 
 STATEWIDE FUNDING, THE HISTORY 
 OF THAT?
 AND WHAT IT IS NOW?
 WHAT IT WAS?
 AND THOSE KINDS OF THINGS.
 BECAUSE THAT DEFINITELY IS WHAT 
 IS FUNDING THE WAY THINGS LOOK 
 NOW.
 I WANT.
 >> DEFINITELY.
 >> TO UNDERSTAND THAT, OKAY?
 THEN, THE NEXT SLIDE WAS NUMBER 
 20, I THINK?
 BROADBAND.
 YOU TOUCHED ON IT.
 I JUST WANT TO GIVE A LITTLE 
 COLOR TO THIS.
 WHEN I FIRST STARTED GOING OUT 
 TO THE MAINTENANCE DEPARTMENT 
 FACILITIES IN COUNTIES ALL OVER 
 RURAL TEXAS, YOU KNOW, WE -- 
 WE'RE IN A -- WE LIVE IN A 
 WORLD WHERE IT IS EXPECTED THAT 
 PEOPLE CAN COMMUNICATE 
 DIGITALLY.
 AND SEND INFORMATION.
 AND SO WE PUT POLICIES IN PLACE 
 THAT REQUIRE THAT.
 AND BOY HOWDY, THEY WERE IN A 
 TERRIBLE PLACE.
 IT WOULD TAKE THEM MUCH LONGER 
 TO DO SOMETHING ON A COMPUTER 
 THAN THEY COULD HAVE WRITTEN IT 
 DOWN AND DRIVEN IT TO AUSTIN.
 I AM MAYBE OVERPLAYING THAT A 
 LITTLE.
 BUT IT WAS RIDICULOUS BECAUSE 
 THEIR CONNECTIONS WERE SO SLOW.
 AND THEY WERE HAVING TO DO 
 THINGS WITH HOTSPOTS ON THEIR 
 OWN PHONES, THAT THEY WERE 
 DOING THINGS AT HOME BECAUSE 
 THAT HAVE.
 SOME OF THEM, THE WHOLE TOWN, 
 MORTON, TEXAS, COMES TO MIND, 
 MOTLEY CRUE IN MOTLEY COUNTY 
 COMES TO MIND.
 SO THIS IS A -- THIS IS A VERY 
 GOOD THING FOR TxDOT AND FOR 
 RURAL TEXAS.
 AND I'M EXTRAORDINARILY HAPPY 
 TO SEE THIS COMING TO FRUITION.
 >> I ALSO JUST WANT TO ADD 
 UNDER THE LEADERSHIP OF OUR 
 I.T. DIRECTOR SHE P PUT INTENT 
 FOCUS TO BRINGING BROADBAND 
 THROUGHOUT THE RURAL TEXAS.
 >> I SECOND THAT THOUGHT AND 
 KUDOS TO THE EFFORTS.
 THEY WERE DOING EVERYTHING THEY 
 COULD TO FIX THE PROBLEM.
 ALL OF A SUDDEN, THEY HAVE A 
 TOOL IN THE TOOLBOX TO MAKE 
 LIFE EASIER FOR THEM TO GET 
 THIS DONE.
 SO.
 >> ANY OTHER COMMENTS OR 
 QUESTIONS?
 >> NO.
 I WOULD -- I HAD THE SAME 
 QUESTION ON SLIDE 5, AS 
 COMMISSIONER NEW RAISED.
 I WOULD APPRECIATE THAT 
 INFORMATION, ALSO.
 >> OKAY.
 ALL RIGHT.
 BEFORE I CALL FOR A VOTE, WE DO 
 HAVE A COMMENT CARD.
 I WOULD LIKE TO INVITE MR. DON 
 DIXON.
 PLEASE COME FORWARD, STATE YOUR 
 NAME FOR THE RECORD.
 AND THE ORGANIZATION YOU 
 REPRESENT, MR. DIXON.
 WELCOME BACK.
 >> THANK YOU, MR. CHAIRMAN, DON 
 DIXON AND RECOMMENDING MYSELF.
 HIGH ACCOLADES TO THE SAN 
 ANTONIO DISTRICT IN GINA FOR AN 
 IMPROVEMENT ON A ROAD I USE A 
 LOT.
 IT IS FARM-TO-TO MARKET 1376 
 THROUGH THERE.
 THEY HAVE DONE WONDERFUL -- 
 THAT'S VERY, VERY HEAVILY 
 TRAVELED ROAD.
 FARM-TO-MARKET THEY'VE IMPROVED 
 IT, EIGHT MILES OUT OF BERNIE, 
 TOWARDS SISTERDALE.
 UP TO THE HERPS RANCH.
 THEY WIDEN -- PUT LOOKS LIKE 18 
 INCHES ADDITIONAL PAVEMENT ON 
 THAT, THOSE VERY NARROW LANES.
 AND THEN, HAVE TURNING LANES.
 AND IT IS -- IT IS IMPROVED 
 TREMENDOUSLY.
 BUT WHAT I WANT TO -- WHAT I 
 WANT TO ENCOURAGE YOU TO DO, AS 
 A STATE, AND AS COMMISSION, IS 
 TAKE A LOOK AT THESE HEAVILY 
 TRAVELED FARM-TO-MERCK ROADS 
 AND SEE IF YOU CAN MAKE 
 IMPROVEMENTS FOR SAFETY.
 I HAD A PROBLEM MYSELF R R RUNNING 
 FROM SISTERDALE UP TO 
 FREDERICKSBURG LIKE THE BLACK 
 HOLE DIVIDE THERE.
 THE TRUCKS HAVE FOUND THAT 
 ROAD.
 WHEN THE 18-WHEELERS GET ON IT 
 ONE OF THE WHEELS RUNS OFF THE 
 PAYMENT.
 IT EATS UP THE EDGE OF IT.
 THERE WAS A POTHOLE ABOUT LIKE 
 THIS.
 A MOTORCYCLE COMING BY, I 
 WANTED TO GIVE THEM ROOM AND I 
 HIT THE POTHOLE.
 BOOM!
 $50 TIRE WENT JUST LIKE THAT -- 
 $150 TIRE WENT JUST LIKE THAT 
 WHEN I HIT IT, OF COURSE, I 
 DIDN'T GO INTO THE MOTORCYCLE 
 BUT OVER THE BAR DITCH TO 
 CONTROL IT.
 THE SAFETY ITEMS ON THE RURAL 
 FARM-TO-MARKET ROAD I THINK THE 
 STATE OUGHT TO HAVE VERY, VERY 
 HIGH PRIORITY ON THEM.
 I'M NOT SURE WHAT ALL OF THE 
 WORK YOU ALL HAVE DONE ON THIS.
 IT NEEDS TO BE IMPROVED IN 
 TERMS OF IMPROVING 
 FARM-TO-MARKET ROADS IN THE 
 RURAL AREA.
 THANK YOU, MR. CHAIRMAN, THOSE 
 ARE MY COMMENTS.
 >> THANK YOU, MR. DIXON.
 >> IF I COULD?
 >> YES.
 >> BRIEFLY ON THE ITEM.
 TWO QUESTIONS.
 BOTH COMMISSIONER NEW AND 
 COMMISSIONER RYAN NOTED THE 
 LARGE PERCENTAGE OF UN -- OF 
 STATEWIDE SHOWN EARLY ON IN THE 
 2016-2017 UTP.
 I CONSULTED WITH OUR EXPERTS 
 MILDRED AND JESSICA BACK HERE 
 ON IT.
 AS I RECALLED AND THEY 
 CONFIRMED THAT TIME PERIOD WE 
 RECENTLY RECEIVED PROPOSITION 1 
 AND 7 FUNDING.
 AT THAT TIME, THERE WAS LARGE 
 AMOUNT OF UNALLOCATED IN THE 
 UTP AT THAT POINT.
 THE WAY WE CATEGORIZE THOSE IN 
 THE CHARTS ALONG WITH OTHER 
 CATEGORIES IF NO SPECIFIC 
 PRODUCT CATEGORIZATION CATEGORY 
 12, 4U AND OTHERS, NOT 4U, THAT 
 WOULD BE REPRESENTED IN THIS 
 STATEWIDE APPORTIONMENT.
 THAT'S WHAT IS DRIVING THOSE, 
 THOSE LARGER PERCENTAGES IN 
 2016-2017-2018.
 >> AND THAT MAKES A LOT OF 
 SENSE.
 BECAUSE IF YOU LOOK, THE 2018 
 UTP WAS REALLY ABOUT THE TIME 
 THAT COMMISSIONER NEW, YOU CAME 
 ON, AND WE REALLY KIND OF WERE 
 ABLE TO -- I BECAME CHAIRMAN IN 
 SEPTEMBER OF 2017, WE PUT A 
 PRIORITY ON TRYING TO ALLOCATE 
 THOSE FUNDS IN THE VARIOUS 
 AREAS.
 AND THAT'S -- THAT WORK IS KIND 
 OF BEEN BORNE OUT IF YOU LOOK 
 AT WHERE WE WERE, AS YOU 
 POINTED OUT, GO ALL OF THE WAY 
 BACK TO THE 2016 UTP, AND THEN, 
 YOU GO ALL OF THE WAY TO THE 
 RIGHT SIDE OF THE PAGE, ON 
 SLIDE 5 OF THE 2022 UTP, WHICH 
 ARE OBVIOUSLY EXISTING UTP, I 
 THINK THIS COMMISSION HAS DONE 
 A GREAT JOB ON TRYING TO 
 BALANCE THE NEEDS AND ALLOCATE 
 THAT ACROSS THE STATE.
 AND SO JUST ACTUALLY AS A 
 SCHEMATIC A SMALLER PERCENTAGE 
 IS UNALLOCATED.
 I THINK THAT REFLECTS THE WORK 
 OF THIS COMMISSION.
 THAT'S GOOD.
 OKAY.
 NO OTHER COMMENT CARDS.
 THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENTS, 
 MARC.
 AT THIS TIME, I WOULD LIKE TO 
 JUST SAY THAT WE DON'T NEED TO 
 TAKE ANY VOTE TODAY.
 YOU KNOW, THIS IS KIND OF OUR 
 PROCESS IS WE MOVE TOWARDS 
 AUGUST.
 BUT BRANDYE, THANK YOU FOR KIND 
 OF BRINGING ALL OF THIS TO OUR 
 ATTENTION TODAY.
 IT IS A GOOD SUMMARY OF THE 
 WORK WE DID YESTERDAY.
 I THOUGHT WE HAD REALLY, REALLY 
 GOOD PRESENTATIONS YESTERDAY.
 YOU KIND OF CONDENSED IT DOWN.
 THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRESENTATION 
 TODAY.
 WE'LL MOVE FORWARD AND TURN 
 BACK TO THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR.
 >> ENGINEERING THAT YOU, 
 CHAIRMAN, ITEM 5 THE 
 CONSIDERATION OF A REQUEST FROM 
 THE CITY OF CAMERON FOR A STATE 
 INFRASTRUCTURE BANK LOAN.
 CONTRACTS AND STRATEGIC 
 DIVISION DIRECTOR BEN ASHER 
 WILL PRESENT THIS ITEM.
 BEN?
 >> THANKS, MARC, GOOD MORNING, 
 COMMISSIONERS, CHAIRMAN, AGAIN, 
 MARC.
 KEEP GOING?
 >> YOU'RE GOING THE WRONG WAY.
 >> OH,.
 [ LAUGHTER ]
 EVERYBODY.
 OKAY.
 LET'S TRY AGAIN.
 >> THEY GAVE YOU THE WITHOUT 
 THE BATTERIES IN IT, I DON'T 
 KNOW WHY.
 >> LIKE MY HOME ONE.
 I NEVER KNOW.
 >> YOU DO SO MANY THINGS RIGHT; 
 YOU DO ONE THING WRONG.
 >> YEAH.
 A TOUGH CROWD.
 IT'S A TOUGH CROWD.
 WE'LL RALLY I'M SURE.
 GOOD MORNING.
 I WOULD LIKE TO FIRST PROVIDE A 
 BEEF OVERVIEW OF STATE 
 INFRASTRUCTURE BANK OUTLINED IN 
 THE SLIDE BEFORE THE COMMISSION 
 CONSIDERS THE ITEM OP TODAY'S 
 AGENDA.
 THE CASH BALANCE TO MAKE LOANS 
 APPROXIMATELY $376 MILLION.
 WE CURRENTLY HAVE 39 
 OUTSTANDING LOANS WITH 
 REMAINING BALANCE APPROXIMATELY 
 $136 P MILLION.
 IF THE COMMISSION PROVIDED 
 ULTIMATE APPROVAL OF THE LOAN 
 TODAY THE AVAILABLE STATE 
 INFRASTRUCTURE BANK CASH 
 BALANCE WOULD REMAIN 
 APPROXIMATELY $376 
 APPROXIMATELY.
 THE CITY OF CAMERON HAS ONE 
 PREVIOUS SIB LOAN AND PAID OFF 
 AND NO CURRENT OUTSTANDING 
 LOANS.
 ADDITIONALLY, THE SIB HAS THREE 
 ADDITIONAL LOAN APPLICATIONS 
 UNDER REVIEW, TOTALLY 
 APPROXIMATELY $41 
 APPROXIMATELY.
 IF ALL OF THE APPLICATIONS WERE 
 TO BE ULTIMATELY APPROVED, THE 
 REMAINING SIB BALANCE 
 APPROXIMATELY $335 MILLION.
 THE SIBS 135 LOANS, THERE HAVE 
 BEEN NO DEFAULTS TO DATE.
 AND WITH THAT OVERVIEW, THIS 
 ITEM IS THE CONSIDERATION OF A 
 FINAL APPROVAL OF A REQUEST 
 FROM THE CITY OF CAMERON FOR 
 STATE INFRASTRUCTURE BANK LOAN 
 TO BORROW UP TO $275,000 TO PAY 
 FOR THE COST OF UTILITY 
 RELOCATION NECESSARY FOR  
 NON-TOLLED STATE HIGHWAY 
 IMPROVEMENT PROJECT TO IMPROVE 
 FM 845 ALONG TEXAS.
 A REQUEST FOR TxDOT PROJECT 
 LESS THAN $10 MILLION THIS IS 
 THE ONLY TIME TO COME BEFORE 
 YOU FOR SUCH APPROVAL AND STAFF 
 RECOMMENDS APPROVAL AND HAPPY 
 TO ANSWER QUESTIONS.
 >> VERY GOOD.
 ANY QUESTIONS FOR DIRECTOR 
 ASHER?
 HEARING NONE, MAY I HAVE A 
 MOTION TO APPROVE A REQUEST FOR 
 A STATE INFRASTRUCTURE BANK 
 LOAN TO THE CITY OF CAMERON, IN 
 ACCORDANCE WITH THE STAFF 
 RECOMMENDATIONS?
 >> SO MOVED.
 >> THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER NEW.
 SECOND?
 COMMISSIONER VAUGHN, THANK YOU.
 ALL IN FAVOR PLEASE SAY "AYE."
 >> AYE.
 >> ANY OPPOSED, MOTION POSS 
 UNANIMOUSLY.
 DIRECTOR WILLIAMS.
 >> ITEM 6 A CONSIDERATION OF A 
 REQUEST FOR QUALIFICATIONS TO 
 DESIGN CONSTRUCT AND 
 POTENTIALLY MAINTAIN I-35 
 NORTHEAST EXPANSION SOUTH 
 PROJECT.
 DIRECTOR BRYAN BARTH WILL 
 PRESENT THE ITEM.
 BRYAN?
 >> TRY NOT THO PUT AN ASHER 
 HERE.
 THANKS, MARC.
 [ LAUGHTER ]
 THIS PLENT -- PRESENTATION WILL 
 PROVIDE A MINUTE ORDER AND 
 OVERVIEW OF I-35 SOUTH PROJECT 
 AND ANTICIPATED PROCUREMENT 
 SCHEDULE.
 THE MINUTE ORDER WILL AUTHORIZE 
 THE DEPARTMENT TO ISSUE A 
 REQUEST FOR QUALIFICATIONS TO 
 DESIGN, CONSTRUCT, AND 
 POTENTIALLY MAINTAIN THE I-35 
 NORTHEAST EXPANSION SOUTH 
 PROJECT.
 IN THE SAN ANTONIO DISTRICT AS 
 A NON-TOLLED FACILITY.
 I-35 IS A MAJOR NORTH-SOUTH 
 TRANSPORTATION CORRIDOR.
 AND THIS PORTION RANKS AS 
 NUMBER 61 ON THE TOP 100 LIST 
 OF MOST CONGESTED ROADWAYS IN 
 TEXAS.
 IT ALSO CONNECTS TO NUMBER 38, 
 AND THE NUMBER 68.
 THE DESIGN BUILD PROJECT LIMITS 
 ARE REPRESENTED BY THE BLUE 
 LINE.
 THE GREEN LINE REPRESENTS 
 DESIGN-BID-BUILD PROJECTS.
 THIS COMBINATION OF PROJECTS 
 WILL DELIVER THE IMPROVEMENTS 
 ENVISIONED AS THE NEX SOUTH 
 PROJECT.
 THE PROJECT IS INTENDED TO 
 PROVIDE LONG-TERM 
 TRANSPORTATION IMPROVEMENTS TO 
 IMPROVE SAFETY, TO IMPROVE 
 MOBILITY, TO ADDRESS 
 CONGESTION, AND DELIVER 
 OPERATIONAL IMPROVEMENTS.
 THIS TEXAS CLEAR LANES IS ONE 
 OF THE TOP PRIORITIES IN THE 
 REGION.
 THE PROJECT IS FOUR MILES FROM, 
 APPROXIMATELY, I-410 SOUTH TO 
 I-410 NORTH.
 INCLUDING TRANSITIONS ALONG 
 I-35 FROM PETROLEUM DRIVE TO 
 I-410 SOUTH.
 AND ALONG THE PORTION OF I-10 
 SOUTH, I-410 SOUTH FROM THE 
 I-35, I-410 SOUTH INTERCHANGE 
 TO .3 MILES NORTH OF FM 78.
 THIS PROJECT WILL PROVIDE THE 
 ADDITION OF ELEVATED EXPRESS 
 MAIN LANES CONSISTING OF TWO 
 NON-TOLLED GENERAL PURPOSE 
 LANES.
 AND ONE NON-TOLLED HIGH 
 OCCUPANCY VEHICLE LANE IN EACH 
 DIRECTION.
 IT WILL ALSO PROVIDE TWO 
 ADDITIONAL DIRECT CONNECTORS AT 
 I-35/I-410 SOUTH INTERCHANGE.
 AND IT WILL CONNECT TO THE 
 ELEVATED LANES THAT ARE BEING 
 CONSTRUCTED AS PART OF I-35 
 KNACKS CENTRAL PROJECT AT I-35 
 I-410 NORTH INTERCHANGE.
 TOTAL DESIGN-BUILD COST 
 ANTICIPATED TO BE, 
 APPROXIMATELY, $630 MILLION.
 SO THE ALTERNATIVE DELIVERY 
 SUPPORT TOOL CONSIDERS PROJECT 
 GOALS AND CHARACTERISTICS TO 
 DETERMINE WHETHER THE DESIGNED 
 BY BUILD DELIVERY METHOD OR THE 
 DESIGN BUILD DELIVERY METHOD IS 
 MORE APPROPRIATE FOR THE 
 PROJECT.
 FOR THE I-35 NEX SOUTH PROJECT 
 THE RESULT OF THE TOLL IS A 
 SCORE OF 0.49, WHICH INDICATES 
 A DESIGN -- THE DESIGN BUILD IS 
 THE MOST APPROPRIATE DELIVERY 
 METHOD FOR THIS PROJECT.
 WITH YOUR APPROVAL OF THIS 
 MINUTE ORDER, THE NEXT STEPS IN 
 THE PROCUREMENT PROCESS WILL 
 INCLUDE ISSUANCE OF THE RFQ IN 
 APRIL OF 2022.
 BASED ON THIS SCHEDULE, WE 
 ANTICIPATE THE COMMISSION 
 CONSIDERING THE FOLLOWING 
 ACTIONS, ISSUANCE OF THE 
 REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS IN AUGUST 
 OF 2022.
 AND CONDITIONAL AWARD IN SUMMER 
 OF 2023.
 CONSTRUCTION IS ANTICIPATED TO 
 BE COMPLETE IN 2028.
 STAFF RECOMMENDS APPROVAL OF 
 THIS MINUTE ORDER AND IS 
 AVAILABLE FOR QUESTIONS.
 >> COMMISSIONERS, ANY REMARKS 
 OR QUESTIONS FOR DEPUTY 
 EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR BARTH?
 COMMISSIONER VAUGHN?
 >> YES, THANK YOU.
 BRYAN, DIRECTLY AND INDIRECTLY 
 RELATED TO THIS PROJECT, WE 
 KNOW THAT, IT IS GOING TO 
 DOUBLE IN POPULATION.
 IT IS NOT "IF" IT'S "WHEN."
 WE'RE GOING TO GET MOST OF THE 
 WEAR THERE IN THE NEXT 30 
 YEARS.
 THERE ARE AREAS WITHIN TEXAS, 
 SAN ANTONIO, AUSTIN GROWING 
 TOGETHER.
 THOSE AREAS ARE GOING TO, YOU 
 KNOW, GROW IN POPULATION MUCH 
 MORE RAPIDLY THAN THAT.
 WHAT ARE WE DOING IN A GENERAL 
 SENSE WHEN WE'RE'S PROVING 
 HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS OF DOLLARS 
 ON A PROJECT LIKE THIS ON A 
 MAJOR CORRIDOR, WHAT ARE WE 
 DOING TO NOT ONLY ANTICIPATE 
 BUILDING THIS OUT BUT ALSO 
 BEING IN A POSITION TO 
 POTENTIALLY EXPAND THAT?
 OR THE CAPACITY AND/OR THE 
 CAPACITY IN FUTURE YEARS AS THE 
 POPULATION CONTINUES TO 
 INCREASE?
 AND I APOLOGIZE FOR NOT ASKING 
 OR GIVING YOU A FEW MINUTES TO 
 THINK ABOUT THAT.
 [ LAUGHTER ]
 ASKING THAT YESTERDAY OR LAST 
 WEEK.
 JUST CAN YOU GIVE THE PUBLIC A 
 GENERAL SENSE OF HOW WE'RE 
 THINKING ABOUT THESE MAJOR 
 CORRIDOR PROJECTS THAT WE'RE 
 INVESTING HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS 
 IF NOT BILLIONS IN, I-35 A 
 PRIME EXAMPLE; I-45 IS A PRIME 
 EXAMPLE.
 HOW CAN WE POSITION OURSELVES 
 TO HANDLE THE CAPACITY THAT'S 
 GOING TO BE REQUIRED IN FUTURE 
 DECADES?
 >> SO, WHAT WE DO ON PROJECTS 
 LIKE THIS IS WE, YOU KNOW, WE 
 GET THE POPULATION PROJECTIONS 
 FROM THE STATE DEM OG FER IN 
 THIS CASE, DR. POTTER, WHO HAS 
 SPOKEN TO THE COMMISSION MANY 
 TIMES.
 WE GET THOSE YEAR POPULATION 
 ESTIMATES.
 WE GET THE OUT-YEAR TRAFFIC 
 VOLUME ESTIMATES.
 AND WE BUILD ALL OF THAT INTO 
 OUR PLANNING PROCESS WHEN WE'RE 
 DEVELOPING THE, THESE 
 CORRIDORS.
 SO THIS, YOU KNOW, THIS PROJECT 
 WAS, IT'S GOT A 25-YEAR DESIGN 
 LIFE.
 THE PLAN, WHEN WE DEVELOPED 
 THESE PLANS, IS TO DESIGN FOR 
 THAT CAPACITY IN THE FUTURE.
 BUT ALSO, TAKE INTO 
 CONSIDERATION, YOU KNOW, WHAT 
 IT WOULD TAKE TO EXPAND IT FROM 
 THERE.
 THE OTHER THING WE DO, IN 
 CORRIDORS LIKE THIS, WE DO HAVE 
 AN I-35 RIVER-TO-RIVER STUDY.
 FROM THE RIO GRANDE TO THE RED 
 RIVER.
 IT INCLUDED THIS SECTION FROM 
 AUSTIN TO SAN ANTONIO.
 AND THOSE EXACT ISSUES WERE 
 DISCUSSED.
 PART OF THAT PLAN, WHEN 
 DEVELOPING THAT BIGGER PLAN.
 ONE CHECK WE'LL DO, THIS 
 PROJECT, NEAR-TERM PROJECT AND 
 MAKE SURE IT'S COMPATIBLE WITH 
 THE LONG-RANGE PLAN OF 
 EXPANSION OF I-35.
 >> OKAY.
 ANY OTHER COMMENTS OR 
 QUESTIONS?
 >> JUST WANT TO PIGGY BACK THAT 
 DISCUSSION.
 I THINK IT'S ALSO CRITICAL YOU 
 THINK OF THINGS LIKE -- I KNOW 
 YOU DO, BUT I'M -- I'M BRINGING 
 IT UP FOR DISCUSSION -- 130, 
 281, OTHER WAYS OF MOVING 
 PEOPLE NORTH AND SOUTH THAT ARE 
 PARALLEL SO THAT EVERYTHING 
 DOESN'T HAVE TO BE ON ONE 
 CORRIDOR.
 >> AND THOSE TYPE OF THINGS ARE 
 IN THOSE LONG-RANGE CORRIDOR 
 STUDIES.
 THOSE ALTERNATIVE ROUTES.
 BUT ALSO, YOU SAW YESTERDAY OUR 
 STATEWIDE CONNECTIVITY.
 SOME OF THOSE CORRIDORS WERE 
 CHOSEN JUST FOR THAT REASON.
 THEY DO PROVIDE CONGESTION 
 RELIEF IN THE METROPOLITAN 
 AREAS.
 >> ANY OTHER COMMENTS OR 
 QUESTIONS?
 OKAY.
 I THINK THE COMMENTS ARE GOOD.
 WE KIND OF DISCUSSED THIS 
 YESTERDAY, AS WE'RE GOING 
 THROUGH THE ABILITY, YOU KNOW, 
 GOING BACK TO WHAT I WAS TRYING 
 TO ARTICULATE YESTERDAY, WE 
 DON'T REALLY HAVE THE SAME 
 METRICS THAT WE DO FOR OUR 
 TEXAS CLEAR LANES PROGRAM OF 
 TOP 100 CONGESTED CHOKE POINTS.
 BUT LOOKING FOR HOW WE CAN 
 BASICALLY USE THAT MONEY FOR 
 OTHER ARTERIES THAT, BASICALLY, 
 PARALLEL AND RELIEVE, YOU KNOW, 
 SERVICE RELIEVERS FOR MAJOR 
 OVERCROWDED INTERSTATES.
 AND THE, YOU KNOW, THE LIFE 
 BLOOD OF THIS STATE.
 THAT WHOLE THING JUST MAKES 
 TOTAL SENSE.
 I THINK YOU ALL HEARD IT LOUD 
 AND CLEAR YESTERDAY.
 THAT'S KIND OF WHERE THIS 
 COMMISSION IS LEANING.
 COMMISSIONER VAUGHN KIND OF 
 ARTICULATED, COMMISSIONER NEW 
 SECONDED THAT.
 AND I CERTAINLY WAS TRYING TO 
 ARTICULATE THE SAME THING 
 YESTERDAY.
 SO WE'LL BE LOOKING AT THAT.
 >> YEAH.
 CHAIRMAN, JUST.
 >> YEAH.
 >> FOLLOW-UP COMMENT RELATED TO 
 THAT.
 IT IS KIND OF LIKE DIFFERENT 
 FORMS OF TRANSPORTATION.
 WE NEED, GOING FORWARD, ALL 
 FORMS OF TRANSPORTATION.
 AND ALL FORMS OF ENERGY 
 SOURCES, ETCETERA.
 AND IN TEXAS, IN TERMS OF 
 HIGHWAYS AND MOBILITY, WE NEED 
 ALL THESE AVENUES.
 AND DIFFERENT CORRIDORS.
 BUT WHAT, I GUESS, MY EMBEDDED 
 POINT WAS, YOU KNOW, WHEN WE'RE 
 SPENDING BILLIONS OF DOLLARS ON 
 A PARTICULAR CORRIDOR, LET'S 
 THINK ABOUT NOT HAVING TO 
 REINVENT THE WHEEL EVERY 25 
 YEARS, IF THAT'S WHAT THE LIFE 
 IS.
 YOU KNOW, LET'S BUILD IT.
 LET'S PUT THE INFRASTRUCTURE IN 
 PLACE WHERE, YOU KNOW, IT WOULD 
 BE MORE EFFICIENT AND LESS 
 EXPENSIVE TO EXPAND UPON THAT, 
 IF NEEDED.
 IF AND WHEN NEEDED IN THE 
 FUTURE.
 THANK YOU.
 >> VERY GOOD.
 SO I WOULD LIKE TO TURN BACK TO 
 THE AGENDA ITEM.
 AND BEFORE I DO, I WANT TO 
 HIGHLIGHT WHAT BRIAN 
 HIGHLIGHTED ON PAGE 3 OF THE 
 PRESENTATION IT'S BROKEN INTO 
 TWO PARTS.
 COMMISSIONER VAUGHN AND I 
 DISCUSSED THIS YESTERDAY IN THE 
 TEXAS CLEAR LANES CONGESTION 
 RELIEF TASK FORCE MEETING.
 IF YOU NOTICE, THIS HAS BEEN, 
 AS BRIAN ARTICULATED, BEEN 
 BROKEN INTO, BASICALLY, THREE 
 PROJECTS.
 THE DESIGN-BUILD WHAT WE'RE 
 GETTING READY TO CONSIDER A 
 VOTE ON.
 THE OTHER TWO ARE TWO 
 DESIGN-BID BILL.
 AND I WANT TO COMPLIMENT OUR 
 DISTRICT ENGINEER IN SAN 
 ANTONIO JEANNE ZIAGAOS I SEE IN 
 THE AUDIENCE TODAY.
 GINA, RAISE YOUR HAND SO WE CAN 
 SEE YOU.
 THERE YOU GO.
 THAT'S BERT.
 THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE.
 THE REASON I WANT TO HIGHLIGHT 
 GINA, IS GINA WAS THE ONE THAT 
 CAME UP WITH THE IDEA IT MIGHT 
 STRETCH TAXPAYERS'S FURTHER IF 
 WE WERE TO BREAK THIS.
 THIS WAS PROPOSED ORIGINALLY 
 100% DESIGN-BUILD PROJECT.
 SHE IDENTIFIED THAT THERE ARE 
 TWO COMPONENTS THAT COULD BE 
 DESIGNED-BID BUILD.
 THAT'S WHAT IS GOING FORWARD.
 AND SO THAT KIND OF, YOU KNOW, 
 GOING THE EXTRA MILE IN THAT 
 INNOVATIVE THINKING IS WHAT IS 
 HELPING US TAKE THESE PRECIOUS 
 TAXPAYER DOLLARS AB KIND OF 
 STRETCHIN' IT.
 AND, I'M NOT THE ONLY ONE THAT 
 WANTS TO SING GINA'S PRAISES.
 SO NOT TO EMBARRASS YOU, GINA, 
 BUT I GOT A TEXT FROM EXECUTIVE 
 DIRECTOR MARC WILLIAMS.
 THIS IS A HANDWRITTEN NOTE FROM 
 SENATOR JOSE MENENDEZ THAT WAS 
 GIVEN TO SENATOR AND CHAIRMAN 
 NICKELS, CHAIRMAN OF THE SENATE 
 TRANSPORTATION COMMITTEE.
 THE NOTE FROM SENATOR MENENDEZ 
 TO CHAIRMAN NICKELS WAS A 
 HANDWRITTEN NOTE I'M LOOKING 
 AT.
 FYI OUR TxDOT DISTRICT 
 DIRECTOR IS DOING A GREAT JOB.
 ALL CAPS.
 HER NAME IS GINA GUYAGOS.
 THAT WAS PASSED ALONG WITH FROM 
 CHAIRMAN NICKELS THROUGH OUR 
 EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR WILLIAMS TO 
 ME.
 I JUST WANTED TO CONGRATULATION 
 GINA.
 SO.
 I THINK PEOPLE ARE NOTICING 
 WHAT GINA IS DOING.
 NOT ONLY IN SAN ANTONIO, BUT WE 
 HAD A GLIMPSE OF THAT WHEN SHE 
 WAS HERE WORKING IN THE 
 BUILDING.
 GOOD WORK, GINA.
 WITH THAT, MAY I HAVE A MOTION 
 TO AUTHORIZE THE DEPARTMENT TO 
 ISSUE A REQUEST FOR 
 QUALIFICATIONS TO DESIGN 
 CONSTRUCT AND POTENTIALLY 
 MAINTAIN THE I-35 NORTHEAST 
 EXPANSION SOUTH PROJECT IN 
 ACCORDANCE WITH STAFF 
 RECOMMENDATIONS?
 >> SO MOVED.
 >> THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER 
 RYAN.
 MAY I HAVE A SECOND?
 >> SECOND.
 >> THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER NEW.
 ALL IN FAVOR PLEASE SAY "AYE."
 >> AYE.
 >> ANYONE OPPOSED?
 NO ONE OPPOSED.
 MOTION PASSES UNANIMOUSLY.
 EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR WILLIAMS.
 >> ITEM 7 THE CONSIDERATION OF 
 PROPOSED ADOPTION OF AMENDMENTS 
 TO CHAPTER 21 RULES RELATING TO 
 RIGHT OF WAY.
 RIGHT OF WAY DIVISION DIRECTOR 
 KYLE MADSEN WILL PRESENT THE 
 ITEM, KYLE.
 >> GOOD MORNING.
 THIS ITEM PROPOSES AMENDMENTS 
 TO THE UTILITY ACCOMMODATIONS 
 IN THE TEXAS ADMINISTRATIVE 
 CODE AND PROPOSES TO REPEAL 
 29.921 TO 29.930 CONCERNING 
 UTILITY RELOCATION PREPAYMENT 
 FUNDING AGREEMENTS.
 THE UTILITY ACCOMMODATION RULES 
 PRESCRIBED THE MINIMUM 
 REQUIREMENTS FOR ACCOMMODATION 
 METHOD AND MATERIALS AND 
 LOCATION FOR THE INSTALLATION 
 ADJUSTMENT AND MAINTENANCE OF 
 UTILITY FACILITIES WITHIN THE 
 RIGHT OF WAY OF THE STATE 
 HIGHWAY SYSTEM.
 THESE REQUIREMENTS ARE PROVIDED 
 IN THE INTEREST OF THE SAFETY, 
 PROTECTION, USE AND FUTURE 
 DEVELOPMENT HIGHWAYS WITH 
 CONSIDERATIONS GIVEN TO THE 
 PUBLIC SERVICE AFFORDED TO, BY 
 ADEQUATE AND ECONOMIC UTILITY 
 FACILITIES.
 THE PROPOSE THE AMENDMENTS 
 PROPOSE CHANGES THAT REFLECT 
 CURRENT ADVANCES IN 
 TECHNOLOGIES, CONSTRUCTION 
 PRACTICES, AND SAFETY 
 STANDARDS.
 PROVISIONS WILL ALSO IMPLEMENT 
 SENATE BILL 507, BY PRESCRIBING 
 MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS FOR THE 
 ACCOMMODATION, METHOD MATERIAL 
 AND LOCATION FOR THE 
 INSTALLATION ADJUSTMENT AND 
 MAINTENANCE OF BROADBAND 
 FACILITIES UNDER THE 
 ACCOMMODATION PROCESS.
 SECTIONS 21.921 THROUGH 21.930 
 CONCERNING UTILITY RELOCATION 
 PREPAYMENT FUNDING AGREEMENTS 
 ARE RECOMMENDED FOR REPEAL AS A 
 STATUTE AUTHORIZING THAT 
 PROGRAM HAS EXPIRED.
 STAFF RECOMMENDS APPROVAL OF 
 THE MINUTE ORDER AND I WOULD BE 
 HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS 
 YOU MAY HAVE.
 >> COMMISSIONERS, ANY REMARKS 
 OR QUESTIONS FOR DIRECTOR 
 MADSEN?
 >> FOR, I GUESS, FOR THE 
 PUBLIC, WOULD YOU PLEASE 
 ADDRESS THE IMPACT ON ALL OF 
 THE BROADBAND WORK THAT'S GOING 
 ON ACROSS TEXAS AND RIGHT OF 
 WAY THOSE KINDS OF THINGS TO 
 CHANGE THE RULE.
 OKAY.
 >> SO BEFORE SENATE BILL 507 
 WAS PASSED, THERE WAS A 
 DICHOTOMY IN THE LAW IN THE 
 STATE OF TEXAS WHEN IT CAME TO 
 BROADBAND FACILITIES, IF THE 
 BROADBAND FACILITIES WERE BEING 
 INSTALLED BY A TELEPHONE 
 CORPORATION, THEY HAD THE RIGHT 
 TO BE PERMITTED WITHIN OUR 
 RIGHT OF WAY AND ACCESS OUR 
 RIGHT OF WAY FOR FREE.
 IF THEY WERE NOT THEN THEY HAD 
 NO STATUTORY RIGHT TO BE IN THE 
 RIGHT OF WAY AND HAD TO ACCESS 
 THE RIGHT OF WAY BY A LEASE AND 
 PAY FAIR MARKET VALUE.
 SENATE BILL 507 ALLOWS ALL 
 BROADBAND FACILITIES AND ALL 
 BROADBAND FACILITY PROVIDERS 
 WHO PROVIDE BROADBAND SERVICES 
 AT A CERTAIN SPEED ABOVE A 
 CERTAIN SPEEDS 3.0 MEGABYTES 
 PER SECOND, I BELIEVE WHAT IT 
 IS, TO ACCESS OUR RIGHT OF WAY 
 BY PERMIT.
 IT SHOULD ALLOW US, AS A STATE, 
 TO EASILY EARLY INSTALL 
 BROADBAND FACILITIES THROUGHOUT 
 THE STATE.
 >> THE WORK THAT'S BEING DONE 
 NOW, IS THERE START AND STOP 
 RELATED TO THAT?
 BECAUSE OF A CHANGE IN RULES?
 >> WE'RE CONTINUING TO PROCESS 
 PERMITS AND HELP UTILITY 
 COMPANIES BROADBAND COMPANIES 
 INSTALL BROADBAND FACILITIES 
 WITHIN OUR RIGHT OF WAY.
 WE HAVE NOT STOPPED.
 WE DON'T PLAN TO STOP HERE.
 WE CONTINUE TO HELP INDUSTRY 
 USE THE RIGHT OF WAYS TO.
 >> MR. CHAIRMAN, I MAKE A 
 MOTION TO SUPPORT HIS 
 PRESENTATION.
 >> I WAS HOPING THERE WAS A 
 MOTION IN THERE.
 >> OKAY.
 >> THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER NEW.
 MAKES A MOTION.
 MAY I HAVE A SECOND?
 THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER VAUGHN.
 ALL IN FAVOR PLEASE SAY "AYE."
 >> AYE.
 >> ANY OPPOSED?
 THE MOTION PASSES UNANIMOUSLY.
 TURN IT BACK TO EXECUTIVE 
 DIRECTOR WILLIAMS.
 >> AND THIS BRINGS US TO ITEM 
 8, THE EMINENT DOMAIN 
 PROCEEDINGS.
 AGAIN, DIRECTOR MADSEN PLEASE 
 CONTINUE.
 >> THIS ITEM AUTHORIZES THE 
 FILING OF CONDEMNATION 
 PROCEEDINGS TO ACQUIRE 75 
 PARCELS THROUGH EMINENT DOMAIN.
 TxDOT CONTROLS ACCESS TO 40 
 PARCELS AND WILL NOT CONTROL 
 ACCESS TO 35 OF THE PARCELS.
 STAFF RECOMMENDS APPROVAL OF 
 MINUTE ORDER AND I'M HAPPY TO 
 ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU MAY 
 HAVE.
 >> COMMISSIONERS, ANY REMARKS 
 OR QUESTIONS FOR DIRECTOR 
 MADSEN?
 HEARING NONE, COMMISSIONER 
 VAUGHN, A MOTION?
 >> YES, CHAIRMAN.
 I MOVE THE TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF 
 TRANSPORTATION AUTHORIZE THE 
 TEXAS -- EXCUSE ME.
 I'M GOING TO START OVER.
 I MOVE THAT THE TEXAS 
 TRANSPORTATION COMMISSION 
 AUTHORIZE THE TEXAS DEPARTMENT 
 OF TRANSPORTATION TO USE THE 
 POWER OF EMINENT DOMAIN FOR THE 
 PROPERTIES IN THE MINUTE ORDER 
 SET FORTH AGENDA FOR THE 
 CURRENT ORDER CONSTRUCTION, 
 CURRENT CONSTRUCTION, 
 MAINTENANCE, STRAIGHTENING, OR 
 EXPANDING HIGHWAY FACILITIES 
 LISTED IN THE MINUTE ORDER AS 
 STATE OF THE STATE HIGHWAY 
 SYSTEM AND FIRST RECORD VOTES 
 APPLIES TO ALL UNITS OF 
 PROPERTY TO BE CONDEMNED.
 >> EXCELLENT JOB.
 COMMISSIONER VAUGHN HAS MOVED 
 AUTHORIZE CONDEMNATION MAY I 
 HAVE A SECOND.
 >> SECOND.
 >> THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER NEW.
 ALL IN FAVOR PLEASE SAY "AYE."
 >> AYE.
 >> ANY OPPOSED?  MOTION PASSES 
 UNANIMOUSLY.
 TURN IT BACK OVER TO OUR 
 EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR WILLIAMS.
 >> CHAIRMAN, ITEM 9 THE 
 CONSIDERATION ROUTINE 
 MAINTENANCE ORDERS DONATIONS OF 
 DEPARTMENT REAL ESTATE REPORTS 
 DESIGNATIONS AND ACCESS AND 
 CONTROL AND SPEED ZONES.
 STAFF RECOMMENDS APPROVAL OF 
 MINUTE ORDERS INCLUDED IN THE 
 ROUTINE ITEMS ITEMS WITH 
 REPORTS TO THE COMMISSION ARE 
 INCLUDED FOR INFORMATIONAL 
 PURPOSES AND DO NOT INVOLVE OR 
 REQUIRE SPECIFIC ACTION BY THE 
 COMMISSION.
 >> THANK YOU, DIRECTOR 
 WILLIAMS.
 COMMISSIONERS, ARE THERE ANY 
 QUESTIONS CONCERNING THE 
 ROUTINE MINUTE ORDERS?
 OKAY.
 BEFORE I ASK FOR A MOTION, WE 
 HAVE A COMMENT CARD.
 I WOULD INVITE CARL TIF TO 
 PLEASE COME FORWARD AND STATE 
 YOUR NAME FOR THE RECORD AND 
 THE ORGANIZATION YOU REPRESENT, 
 PLEASE.
 >> MY NAME IS CARL TAFFE.
 I'M SUTTON COUNTY, OUT IN WEST 
 TEXAS.
 WE STARTED THIS PROJECT SEVERAL 
 YEARS AGO.
 I DON'T KNOW, BUT WE'RE HERE 
 TODAY.
 AND I APPRECIATE AND WANT TO 
 THANK CHAIRMAN NEW AND 
 MR. GOODMAN FOR GETTING THIS 
 THING ON THE AGENDA FOR US.
 I THINK IT WILL BE A GREAT 
 ASSET TO Y'ALL AND TO US TO GET 
 THIS ITEM COMPLETED.
 I WANT TO, WELL, WHAT A GREAT 
 STATE WE ARE.
 TEXAS.
 BE ABLE TO STAND UP HERE AND 
 TALK TO Y'ALL.
 I APPRECIATE THE JOB Y'ALL DO.
 RUSSIA CAN'T DO THAT TODAY.
 AND GOD BLESS TEXAS.
 AND I JUST WANT TO THANK YOU 
 ALL FOR THE JOB YOU DO.
 RIGHT NOW, WE WERE TALKING 
 EARLIER ABOUT THE DEATH ON A 
 HIGHWAYS IN TEXAS, YOU ALL HAVE 
 BROUGHT TO SUTTON COUNTY, TOM 
 GREEN COUNTY, SLACKER COUNTY, 
 SUPER 2 THAT HAS LOWERED THE 
 DEATH RATE.
 WE HAD A LOT OF DEATHS OUT 
 THERE.
 AND YOU ALL SAW TO IT THAT THAT 
 GOT HANDLED.
 AND WE ALL APPRECIATE THAT.
 OTHER THAN THAT, THANK YOU FOR 
 THE JOB YOU DO.
 >> THANK YOU SO MUCH.
 WE HAVE NO FURTHER COMMENT 
 CARDS.
 AT THIS TIME I HAVE A MOTION TO 
 APPROVE THE ROUTINE MINT ORDERS 
 IN ACCORDANCE WITH DIRECTOR 
 WILLIAMS RECOMMENDATION.
 >> SO MOVED.
 >> OKAY.
 THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER RYAN.
 MAY I HAVE A SECONDS?
 >> SECOND.
 >> COMMISSIONER NEW.
 ALL IN FAVOR PLEASE SAY "AYE."
 >> AYE.
 >> AYE.
 >> ANY OPPOSED?
 THE MOTION PASSES UNANIMOUSLY.
 WE WILL NOT MEET IN EXECUTIVE 
 SESSION TODAY.
 AND ALL OF THE ITEMS ON TODAY'S 
 AGENDA ARE COMPLETED.
 IS THERE ANYONE SIGNED UP 4 THE 
 OPEN COMMENT TODAY?
 WE HAVE FOUR OPEN COMMENT 
 CARDS.  I WOULD LIKE TO INVITE 
 WALTER MILLER, PLEASE COME 
 FORWARD STATE YOUR NAME FOR THE 
 RECORD AND THE THAT YOU 
 REPRESENT.
 MR. MILLER.
 >> GOOD MORNING, MR. CHAIRMAN, 
 MEMBERS OF THE COMMISSION.
 MY NAME IS WALTER MILLER.
 I HAVE CURRENTLY IN THE TOWN OF 
 RISING CITY A SUBURB OF EL 
 PASO.
 ALSO CURRENTLY SERVE AS CHAIR 
 OF THE TRANSPORTATION POLICY 
 BOARD OF THE EL PASO NPO.
 I'VE BEEN ASSOCIATED WITH THAT 
 ORGANIZATION FOR ABOUT 20 YEARS 
 NOW.
 SO.
 I WANT TO THANK YOU ALL FOR THE 
 OPPORTUNITY TO VISIT WITH YOU 
 TODAY.
 I COME BEFORE YOU WITH ONE 
 PARTICULAR ITEM, WHICH IS WE 
 HAVE A MAJOR, ONE OF THE MAJOR 
 ARTERIES FOR CONNECTIVITY IN 
 TEXAS IS INTERSTATE 10, WHICH 
 RUNS THROUGH THE CERTAINTY OF 
 EL PASO.
 IT IS IN DIRE NEED OF 
 REHABILITATION.
 AND REFURBISHMENT.
 WE HAVE A PROJECT BEFORE YOU.
 AND AS OF LAST FRIDAY, THE EL 
 PASO MPO COMMITTED SIGNIFICANT, 
 A SIGNIFICANT CONTRIBUTION 
 TOWARDS THAT PROJECT.
 I WOULD LIKE FOR YOU TO 
 CONSIDER THAT IN THE 
 DEVELOPMENT UTP AS WE GO 
 FORWARD.
 THAT PARTICULAR SECTION OF I-10 
 IS, HAS MET ITS USEFUL LIFE OR 
 EXCEEDED ITS USEFUL LIFE.
 IT NEEDS TO, THE 
 RECONSTRUCTION.
 IT'S ALSO A CHOKE POINT.
 I WOULD -- WE'VE BEEN TALKING A 
 LOT ABOUT CONNECTIVITY TODAY.
 I-10 IS THE MAJOR CONNECTION 
 BETWEEN THE PORT OF LOS ANGELES 
 AND THE REST OF THE UNITED 
 STATES.
 SO IT RUNS RIGHT THROUGH THE 
 MIDDLE OF OUR TOWN AND OUR 
 CITY.
 IT'S VITAL THAT WE MAINTAIN 
 THAT IN A SAFE AND EFFICIENT 
 MANNER.
 SO I THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING ME 
 TO COMMENT THIS MORNING.
 I BELIEVE THAT SENATOR BLANCO, 
 WHO HAS EXTENDED AN INVITATION 
 FOR YOU ALL TO COME AND VISIT 
 WITH US, WE WOULD REALLY LIKE 
 TO SHOW YOU WHAT OUR ISSUES ARE 
 THERE.
 WOULD BE GLAD TO HAVE YOU COME 
 TO VISIT OUR CITY.
 THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
 >> THANK YOU, MR. MILLER.
 AT THIS TIME I WOULD LIKE TO 
 INVITE ED CALVO TO PLEASE COME 
 FORWARD AND STATE YOUR NAME FOR 
 THE RECORD AND THE ORGANIZATION 
 YOU REPRESENT.
 GOOD MORNING, MR. CALVO, GOOD 
 AFTERNOON.
 ONE MINUTE PAST.
 >> CORRECT.
 MY NAME IS MR. CAL VO EXECUTIVE 
 DIRECTOR OF MPO.
 I WANT TO THANK CHAIRMAN MILLER 
 FOR STEALING MY THUNDER AND 
 REITERATE WHAT HE SAID.
 ALL KIDDING ASIDE, LAST FRIDAY 
 THE POLICY BOARD MET OF COURSE, 
 THE BIG PROJECT WHICH IS I-10 
 CAME UP.
 AND THE BOARD APPROVED.
 WE'RE GOING TO BE SUBMITTING A 
 PROPOSAL, ACTUALLY IT'S ALREADY 
 IN THE WORKS.
 THE GOOD PEOPLE FROM EL PASO 
 DISTRICT THOMAS AND EDDY AND 
 THESE ARE ALREADY DOING THE 
 INTERNAL WORK ON THAT.
 SO WE'RE VERY EXCITED TO 
 CONTINUE THE PARTNERSHIP WITH 
 TxDOT AND WITH THE COMMISSION.
 AS CHAIRMAN MILLER SAID, YOU 
 KNOW, THIS IS OUR NUMBER 1 
 PRIORITY PROJECTS.
 IT'S BIG.
 IT IS SO IMPORTANT, NOT JUST 
 FOR US LOCALLY, BUT, YOU KNOW, 
 FOR THE STATE OF TEXAS AND 
 NATIONALLY AS WELL AS, YOU 
 KNOW, WHERE THE GATEWAY FOR ALL 
 OF THE STUFF THAT COMES IN FROM 
 CALIFORNIA TO THE STATE OF 
 TEXAS.
 WITH THAT, JUST TO LET YOU KNOW 
 WE TOOK A FIRST STEP.
 HOPEFULLY, WE'LL SEE SOME 
 PROGRESS IN THIS YEAR'S UTP.
 BUT WE'LL CONTINUE WORKING 
 TOGETHER AND, YOU KNOW, AS 
 BRIAN STATED IN SOME OF THE 
 LAST CONVERSATIONS, WE'RE 
 TURNING EVERY STONE TO FIGURE 
 OUT OR FIND ALTERNATIVE WAYS TO 
 FUND THE PROJECT.
 SO THANK YOU AGAIN FOR THE 
 COORDINATION AND THE 
 COOPERATION, TOO.
 THANK YOU.
 >> THANK YOU, MR. CALVO.
 AT THIS TIME, I WOULD LIKE TO 
 INVITE SKYLER WHITE TO PLEASE 
 COME FORWARD AND STATE YOUR 
 NAME FOR THE RECORD AND THE 
 ORGANIZATION YOU REPRESENT.
 >> HELLO.
 HOW'S IT GOING TODAY?
 SAY, I WANT TO BRING TO YOUR 
 ATTENTION TO THIS REPORT THAT 
 Y'ALL PROVIDED FUNDING FOR.
 ON PAGE 7, OF THE PHASE II-A 
 TxDOT FM 1053 PROJECT, THERE'S 
 A LONG CONTRACT NUMBER ON HERE.
 I WON'T READ THAT.
 I WANT TO READ THERE'S ONE 
 SENTENCE IN HERE ON THIS PAGE 7 
 WHERE THE PERSON THAT WROTE 
 THIS REPORT DISPUTES THAT THIS 
 COVER COLLAPSE OTHERWISE KNOWN 
 AS SINKHOLE WAS CAUSED BY THE, 
 WAS CAUSED BY THE WELL THAT YOU 
 ALL TRIED TO PLUG.
 THIS GUY GOT THIS WRONG.
 THIS SINKHOLE WAS CAUSED BY THE 
 WELL THAT YOU ALL TRIED TO 
 PLUG.
 NOT CAUSED BY [ INDISCERNIBLE ] 
 FORMATIONS AND NOT BREAKING 
 PIPES AND OTHER STUFF HE PUTS 
 IN THE REPORT.
 IT IS ACTUALLY CAUSED BY THE 
 WELL YOU ALL TRIED TO PLUG AND 
 PROVIDED FUNDING FOR.
 I'M NOT VERY GOOD AT MATH, BUT 
 BY MY MATH, YOU ALL WERE 
 AWARDED $758 MILLION IN FUNDING 
 TODAY FOR PROJECTS.
 HOW MANY OF THESE PROJECTS 
 TODAY DID YOU JUST PROVIDE 
 FUNDING FOR THAT YOU'RE NOT 
 GOING TO OVERSEE?
 MY -- MY POINT ON THIS WHOLE 
 THING IS, IS THAT Y'ALL 
 PROVIDED THE FUNDING TO MESS 
 THIS UP.
 YOU NEED TO GET OUT IN FRONT OF 
 THIS AND START WORKING ON IT, A 
 SOLUTION TO THIS, INSTEAD OF 
 JUST TRYING TO RUNAWAY FROM IT.
 AND I WANT TO ALSO GO BACK TO 
 THE FIRST, THE FIRST OF THE 
 MEETING WHEN DON EVANS WAS 
 SPEAKING HERE TODAY HE PROVIDED 
 A LOT OF REASONS WHY WE NEED TO 
 PAY ATTENTION TO THE PERMEAN 
 BASIN.
 YOU KNOW IT IS A GREAT PLACE 
 TOR ALL THE GAS PRODUCTION AND 
 ALL OF THAT.
 THAT'S ALL FINE AND WELL.
 BUT IF WE MESS UP THE 
 ENVIRONMENT, IF WE POLLUTE OUR 
 WATER, IF WE TEAR THINGS UP AND 
 DON'T FIX THEM, THEN ALL OF 
 THIS ENERGY PRODUCTION IS GOING 
 TO BE FOR NAUGHT IF WE LEAVE A 
 MESS FOR OUR KIDS.
 PLEASE GET OFF YOUR BUTTS AND 
 GET IN FRONT OF THIS THING AND 
 LET'S TRY TO FIND A SOLUTION TO 
 PLUG THIS WELL.
 DON'T SIT BACK AND JUST SAY, 
 OH, WE PROVIDED FUNDING.
 IT IS NOT OUR PROBLEM.
 YES, IT IS OUR PROBLEM.
 I LIVE IN TEXAS, TOO, YOU ALL 
 LIVE IN TEXAS, THIS, THIS 
 ENVIRONMENT IS HAVING THAT WE 
 ALL NEED TO BE CONCERNED ABOUT.
 LET'S DON'T RUN FROM THIS 
 ANYMORE.
 YOU ALL NEED TO HELP US OUT AND 
 TRY TO FIND A SOLUTION TO THIS.
 THANK YOU.
 >> THANK YOU, MR. WHITE.
 AT THIS TIME, I WOULD LIKE TO 
 INVITE MR. JIMMY VERAGA TO 
 PLEASE COME FORWARD AND STATE 
 YOUR NAME FOR THE RECORD AND 
 THE ORGANIZATION YOU REPRESENT.
 >> GOOD AFTERNOON, LADIES AND 
 GENTLEMEN.
 I'M JIMMY VERAGA I COME FROM 
 BONRAY (PH.), TEXAS.
 I FEEL LIKE A LITTLE FISH IN A 
 BIG OCEAN.
 JUST I WANT TO THANK YOU ALL 
 FOR ALLOWING ME TO SPEAK ON 
 THIS CONCERN ON THIS FM 1053.
 I'M A RANCHER IN REEVES COUNTY 
 AND A RANCHER IN PECOS COUNTY.
 I TRAVEL THAT HIGHWAY 
 PERIODICALLY.
 I HAVE FRIENDS IN NEAR 
 COMMUNITIES THAT I'M AFRAID 
 THAT THAT IS A LOT OF WATER 
 WILL GET INTO OUR GOOD WATER 
 AND POLLUTE THAT WATER.
 I KNOW THAT Y'ALL ARE DOING 
 BECAUSE OTHERWISE YOU ALL 
 WOULDN'T BE THERE RIGHT NOW IF 
 THE STATE OF TEXAS DIDN'T 
 DEPEND ON YOU ALL TO DO THIS.
 BUT I'M JUST ASKING, YOU KNOW, 
 TO REALLY FOCUS ON THE LITTLE 
 THING THAT I MIGHT THINK IS 
 LITTLE BECAUSE I HEAR ALL OF 
 YOU ALL SPEAK OF MILLIONS AND 
 MILLIONS OF DOLLARS AND FUNDING 
 INTERSTATES.
 SAFETY FOR COMMUNITIES.
 WELL, I'M JUST ASKING YOU ALL 
 TODAY TO PLEASE CONSIDER.
 AND I KNOW THAT YOU ALL HAVE 
 YOUR HANDS FULL BUT THERE'S 
 MORE COMMUNITIES IN WEST TEXAS 
 NEED EVERYBODY'S HELP.
 AND THAT'S ALL I HAVE TO SAY.
 THANK YOU.
 >> THANK YOU, SIR.
 IS THERE ANY OTHER BUSINESS TO 
 COME BEFORE THE COMMISSION?
 THERE BEING NONE, IS THERE A 
 MOTION TO ADJOURN?
 >> SO MOVED.
 >> THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER NEW.
 MAY I HAVE A SECOND?
 OKAY.
 THANK YOU COMMISSIONER VAUGHN, 
 ALL IN FAVOR PLEASE SAY "AYE."
 >> AYE.
 >> AYE.
 >> ANY OPPOSED?
 MOTION CARRIES.
 WE STAND ADJOURNED AT 12:07.