Houston’s Local Partner of the National Trust for Historic Preservation

Contact your elected officials now to save Transportation Enhancements in Texas

Greater Houston Preservation Alliance has joined with the National Trust for Historic Preservation, Preservation Texas and Texas Downtown Association to respond to the Texas Department of Transportation’s (TxDOT) recent notice that it will stop funding the Transportation Enhancement Program, which has long benefited Texas downtowns and heritage tourism programs.

If TxDOT’s decision stands, Texas will be the only state in the Union that does not benefit from federal transportation enhancement funding. In Houston, TxDOT’s decision eliminates $16 million that had been allocated to restore the Battleship TEXAS and jeopardizes the creation of the Buffalo Bayou Heritage Corridor.

Both the U.S. Code for the Surface Transportation Program (23 USC 133) and SAFETEA-LU (Public Law 109-59) state that 10 percent of federal transportation funding is to go to enhancement projects, but now the Texas Department of Transportation has decided, on its own and without consulting state legislators, to take away this valuable source of funding for important projects that improve Texas communities of all sizes.

For 15 years, hundreds of communities in Texas have utilized the Enhancement Program for downtown streetscape projects, visitor centers, historic preservation projects and hike and bike trails. More than $466 million has been distributed to 505 different enhancement projects across Texas since 1991.

The Greater Houston area has benefited greatly from the Enhancement Program. Enhancement funds have been used to construct or improve the White Oak Bayou, Braes Bayou and Hermann Park trails, support the MKT/SP Rails to Trails project, landscape the Gulf Freeway, Hardy Toll Road and Bellaire Boulevard, construct pedestrian improvements in West University Place, and repair Allen’s Landing in downtown Houston. The Fort Bend County Courthouse restoration in Richmond, Dickinson Depot restoration, Mustang Trail project in Alvin and League City bikeways project have all received enhancement funds.

Please contact Governor Rick Perry, your state and federal representatives, Texas transportation officials and the Houston-Galveston Area Council and tell them you disagree with TxDOT’s decision to eliminate the Transportation Enhancement Program.

Contact the Texas Department of Transportation

You may also contact the Texas Transportation Commission, however, the Commission only accepts written comments by mail (no phone calls, faxes or e-mails). To express your concerns, please write:

Mr. Ric Williamson

Chairman

Texas Transportation Commission

125 East 11^th Street

Austin, Texas  78701-2483.

Click here for the list of all of the commissioners.

Read what newspapers around Texas have been writing about TxDOT’s decision:
Houston Chronicle, December 3
Abilene Reporter News, December 5
Austin American-Statesman, December 7