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TxDOT Director: At Least $1B a Year More Needed

Posted: 12:04 PM Jan 10, 2013
Reporter: Associated Press

FORT WORTH, Texas -- The Texas Department of Transportation's executive director says the agency needs $1 billion a year more to keep up with road maintenance.

Phil Wilson told a group of officials Thursday that TxDOT will need an additional $3 billion a year to deal with growing congestion on roadways. The Dallas Morning News reports that Wilson said he would let the Legislature decide how to increase road funding and did not support any specific ideas.

Lawmakers have already said Texas will need to tackle road financing as the state's population grows.

TxDOT relies on a 20-cents-a-gallon fuel tax that hasn't been raised since 1991. State officials say they'll soon run out of money for any construction or expansion without changes.