Texas may need $2 billion to fix roads damaged by drilling activity

[white cloud]

Get ready taxpayer. Big Oily needs some more road repairs.

The surge of drilling in Texas has brought thousands of jobs for Texans, but it might come at the cost of public roads, officials said.

The Texas Department of Transportation has told industry and local officials that it could cost more than $2 billion to fix roads damaged by the increased drilling activity, The Fort Worth Star-Telegram reported.

Additional money may be necessary to maintain interstate and state highways that have been pounded by large trucks used by the energy industry, the newspaper reported.


“There’s not a dedicated revenue source,” John Barton, the department’s deputy executive director, told the Star-Telegram. “We need $2 billion, and the shortfall is $2 billion.”
http://fuelfix.com/blog/2012/07/13/texas-may-need-2-billion-to-fix-roads-damaged-by-drilling-activity/

[nykym]

1. Tax the drilling industry.

They want to drill they have to pay for the damage.

[arcane1]

2. Now that's just crazy-talk

[white cloud]

3. Matbe

they owe taxpayer surface damage? Why don't we lease them right to overload damage our roads and bridges.

$10 per mile traveled

[louis-t]

4. Privatize the profits...

socialize the risk.

[mbperrin]

5. Well, gosh, no dedicated revenue?

Oh, that's right, there USED to be dedicated revenue from gasoline to roads, but not any more.

Of course, there's no correlation to the end of that and bad roads, so quit thinking that.

[sonias]

6. We have gotten to the point that our sarcasm is standard

That just means we wish for those few decades ago that gas taxes did what they were supposed to. Oh and when corporations were actually held in check. They have way too much power today.

[DhhD]

7. Texas vehicle license renewal fee has added a $10.00

fee for usage in the purchase of the new windshield sticker. A just usage fee could be and should be charged on all of these vehicles. The State needs to asses the amount in damages per vehicle and just add that cost to the license fee. This would be paid by the companies/corporations for the use and damages to Texas roads and infrastructures. Easy fix. I would like to know argot how much the cost of repair will be. I certainly do not want to pay a toll for repairs that should be paid by the energy industry.

What is the $10.00 additional fee that we have been paying since the summer of 2011, for? The county tax assessor's office should be able to answer that in writing.