Posted on 01/19/2006 1:30:30 PM PST by Tolerance Sucks Rocks
In a rare endorsement, the Texas Department of Transportation is joining the North America's Supercorridor Coalition Inc., a nonprofit, international organization based in Dallas.
The members of Nasco, founded in 1994, aim to develop the highway infrastructure from Canada through the United States to Mexico, particularly the Trans-Texas Corridor, which would widen and expand Interstate 35 into a mega-trade corridor.
A press release Wednesday from Nasco and TxDOT said the two will work together to ensure development of the TTC, championed by Gov. Rick Perry.
"The Texas Department of Transportation is formalizing its commitment to work closely with Nasco and its local, state and international members as the strongest voice on the continued development of I-35 and Trans-Texas Corridor 35," said Ric Williamson, chairman of the Texas Transportation Commission.
"Without question, Nasco has been the single most influential organization, not just in Texas, but the nation, when it comes to the development of I-35," Williamson added. "They also know what it will take to meet the challenges of the next 50 years."
TxDOT will market the I-35 and Trans-Texas Corridor 35 with Nasco to state, national and international audiences, as well as work on common federal priorities, said Amadeo Saenz, TxDOT's assistant executive director for engineering operations.
Saenz said Nasco's leadership has helped TxDOT to understand how a broad transportation corridor benefits all sides.
Saenz and Nasco Executive Director Tiffany Melvin will make presentations on I-35 and TTC-35 at the Northeast Mexico-Texas workshop on logistics for regional competitiveness in Monterrey, Nuevo León, Mexico.
Nasco has memoranda of understanding with eight U.S. states and one Canadian province for ongoing cooperation in enhancing the I-35/I-29 and I-94 corridors and major connectors to those highways. Nasco also has signed a letter of intent with the Secretariat of Communications and Transportation of Mexico to develop a plan to monitor the operation of commercial cargo vehicles along I-35 using intelligent transportation systems.
The 20-member Nasco Board of Directors includes eight Texans representing Webb, Bell, Denton and Tarrant counties, Free Trade Alliance San Antonio, EWI Risk Services, the International Bank of Commerce and the international law firm Strasburger & Price.
Nasco's general membership includes Lockheed Martin (NYSE: LMT), Hillwood Properties/Alliance Texas, Love's Country Stores, the City of Midlothian, the City of Gainesville, GrowthNet Trading, and Franco Eleuteri & Associates.
Web sites: www.Nasco-itc.com and www.dot.state.tx.us
Trans-Texas Corridor PING!
BAD NEWS
200 billion dollar boondoggle.
BTTT
Good grief, is the defeat of Perry the only thing that will stop this nightmare?
Dallas is the primary member and the organizer of the River of Trade Corridor Coalition.
How so? Please explain, because I'm willing to bet that you have no idea what you are talking about.
What nightmare?
I guess there are several groups all with some interest in the transportation corridor from South America to Canada. I guess each has a preferred route and thus different groups to promote each ones preference.
IMO the ROTCC has a shortsighted view. If the corridor is carrying 4000-5000 trucks per day now, in 15-20 years it will be a mess.
I'm not sure what part of Texas you are in but I see Houston, San Antonio, DFW and Austin a few times a year and some of them more often. Traffic is a hellish most of the time around them.
The port of Houston is growing and believe it or not is becoming a huge container handler and thus the trucks are coming right along with it. Walmart is implementing a facility to bring between 20-28% of it's total container imports through it. That is huge for Houston and places even greater demands upon the road system.
I was on 290 between Houston and Austin today. They are completing a widening project to three lanes each way out beyond Spring Cypress now. However closer into the city it needs more lanes and nothing is under construction. They have finally got I-10 from the east side of Houston complete to the loop on the west side.... but the next few miles to Katy are a horror.
Anyway whatever happens Texas will reap a lot of the benefits whether good or bad.
Thanks for the ping!
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