CATC Mobility Headlines

On Mar 22, TXDOT and Cintra-Zachry signed the final contract for the private consortium tobuild and operate SH 130 Segments 5 & 6 (Mustang Ridge to Seguin) for the next 50 years. Under the agreement, Cintra-Zachry will cover design, land and construction costs and TXDOT retains ownership of the land. TXDOT will receive $25 million upfront and a minimum of 4.65 percent of the road’s toll revenue, with a potential increase of up to 50 percent.

The lease contract signing exempts the project from a proposed legislative two-year moratorium on concession agreements.

State Highway 130 (Segments 5 and 6) - TXDOT

State Highway 130: A Model For Public–Private Partnerships - Keep Texas Moving

Cintra-Zachry to finish 130 - Taylor Daily Press

The first of Capital Metro’s six Swiss-made rail cars has finished assembly and will arrive in Austin this fall for local track testing. Capital Metro’s commuter rail service is scheduled to begin in late 2008.

The Texas House Transportation Committee meets this morning beginning at 8:00 AM in Room E2.012 at the Capitol to discuss several transportation bills. The last bill under consideration for the day is HB 2296 which is defined as:

Relating to the designation of a portion of State Highway 130 in Williamson, Travis, Caldwell and Guadalupe Counties in honor of former Unites States Congressman J.J. “Jake” Pickle as the “Pickle Parkway.”

CATC members and staff have been working since the before the last legislative session to honor the Congressman this way - no one is more deserving.

The Honorable J. J. “Jake” Pickle was a founding member of CATC, a tireless advocate for Central Texas mobility, and truly visionary his projections regarding the need for transportation infrastructure. He was responsible for securing the initial funding for the study of what became SH 130, which has affectionately been referred to as the “Pickle Parkway” for many years by those who appreciated his enormous contributions to its development. He continued to champion SH 130’s implementation even after he retired from 31 years of Congressional service, as well as other critical transportation projects and funding initiatives. He was deservingly termed the “father of [Texas] transportation” by former Texas Transportation Commission Chair David Laney.

If you are able, we encourage you to drop by the hearing tomorrow and sign a card in favor of HB 2296.  If you can’t make it to the Capitol, an e-mail message of support to Transportation Chair Mike Krusee’s office would be appreciated.

Mar 20 House Transportation Committee Schedule

Text of HB 2296

Sen. Kirk Watson announced he plans to file three bils concerning land use along SH 130. The bills would allow small cities land control over extra-territorial jurisdictions within 15 miles of SH 130, provide limited zoning powers within 15 miles of SH 130 for Travis and Williamson Counties, and create an infrastructure district within five miles of SH 130 and within Austin’s extra-territorial jurisdiction, allowing the district to collect sales and property tax to pay for utilities and infrastructure.

Watson will hold a press conference on Friday, Mar 9, at 10:30 AM on the South Steps of the Capitol Building to announce the filing of the bills.