TTI researchers Rafael Aldrete and Ginger Goodin share testimony on Transportation Reinvestment Zones with Committee Chairman Ron Simmons and State Rep. Celia Israel.
Researchers from TTI’s Transportation Policy Research Center (PRC) shared research findings on September 28 with two subcommittees of the Texas House Committee on Transportation.
The morning session for the Subcommittee on Long-term Infrastructure Planning focused on findings from “Transportation Reinvestment Zones (TRZ): Texas Legislative History and Implementation.” PRC Director Ginger Goodin and Senior Research Scientist Rafael Aldrete outlined their research on TRZs, which allow local governments to fund transportation improvements using the growth in tax revenue from an area surrounding those projects. They testified at the invitation of Subcommittee Chairman Ron Simmons. Chairman Simmons voiced his appreciation for TTI’s work in this area and expressed his desire for TTI to continue research in financial tools for transportation.
TTI researchers Jolanda Prozzi and Ginger Goodin present testimony on oversize/overweight vehicle issues along with Mike Murphy of the Center for Transportation Research at the University of Texas. From left are: Subcommittee Chairman Armando Martinez, Committee Clerk Sam Gammage, and committee members Rep. Celia Israel and Rep. Ina Minjarez.
Goodin was joined by Research Scientist Jolanda Prozzi in an afternoon hearing convened by the Subcommittee on Contraflow Lanes and Gross Weight Allowances. They addressed the issue of highway corridors in the state that are designated for shipments involving oversize and/or overweight vehicles, and explained how TTI has studied how these corridors are currently designated in Texas, the details of each implementation, and potential metrics that can be used for corridor designation and performance monitoring. Rep. Israel asked TTI a series of questions about how to make overweight corridors safer, and Prozzi described the most effective possible approaches. Goodin and Prozzi testified at the invitation of Subcommittee Chairman Armando Martinez.
Transportation Reinvestment Zones – Testimony of Ginger Goodin and Rafael Alrete before the Subcommittee on Long-term Infrastructure Planning, Texas House Committee on Transportation
Oversize/Overweight Corridors – Testimony of Ginger Goodin and Jolanda Prozzi before the Subcommittee on Contraflow Lanes and Gross Weight Allowances, Texas House Committee on Transportation
State Rep. Chris Paddie (left) asks industry representatives what information might be available regarding safety (crash rates and truck condition) and other metrics developed by TTI to monitor conditions on highways carrying oversize/overweight vehicles.