Texas 130 bypass money left out of U.S. House bill

WASHINGTON -- As Congress returns to work today from its July Fourth recess, hopes for $155 million to help buy land and start construction of the Texas 130 bypass look dim -- at least anytime soon. Despite the efforts of a Central Texas delegation that traveled to Capitol Hill last month to make the case for the federal funding, the money was not included in the House transportation appropriations request for fiscal year 2002. That's because the Texas Department of Transportation didn't ask for funding, forcing Central Texas leaders to take a longer view on a project they consider a top priority.

In addition, White House budget officials -- mindful of the cost of President Bush's tax cut -- are strongly discouraging members of Congress who are seeking billions of dollars for projects in their districts. Money for such "earmarks" -- pork barrel to critics -- is a time-honored part of the negotiations over the 13 spending bills Congress passes each year. Such requests have increased from 1,724 in 1993 to 3,476 in 2000 to 6,454 in the current fiscal year, according to the Office of Management and Budget.

U.S. Rep. Lloyd Doggett, D-Austin, who touts his good standing with the nonpartisan Concord Coalition, a budget-balancing advocacy group, said he agrees with the Bush White House. The Concord Coalition has twice named Doggett the House's most most fiscally responsible member. "Given my own voting record in support of fiscal responsibility, I generally agree with the Bush administration's position that we need tight budgeting with fewer earmarks," Doggett said. But Doggett's office was quick to point out that the House spending bill did not include the $155 million needed for Texas 130 right-of-way acquisition because state transportation officials failed to ask for it. The chamber included a request for next year, but when Doggett's office contacted the Texas Department of Transportation, officials there said they were unfamiliar with it, said Lindy Eichenbaum, spokeswoman for Doggett. The proposed 91-mile bypass, which would run from Seguin to Georgetown, has been on the local wish list for more than a decade. Texas 130 would be built east of Interstate 35 to draw traffic off the interstate, already more congested through Austin than at any other point from Mexico to Minnesota.

"No SH 130 right-of-way funds were included in the House version of the transportation bill," Eichenbaum said. "Indeed, TxDOT was unfamiliar with the request until so advised by our office." Randall Dillard, spokesman for state Transportation Department, said Monday that the department did not request money in March, when it was putting its budget needs together, because it didn't have clearance from the federal government to move forward. That clearance came June 5. "I just don't think that was really the project that was on our mind," he said. "We didn't have environmental clearance yet." Overall, he said Texas fared well in the House bill, securing $38.5 million in discretionary highway money, more than the state has ever received.

Doggett said state transportation officials must make better use of federal money already in hand. "On transportation, what we need most is more cooperation from TxDOT in allocating the federal dollars they already have to the projects we desperately need in Travis County, such as SH 130," he said. Phil Russell, director of the Texas Turnpike Authority, said state transportation officials are still negotiating with Travis County, Williamson County, the City of Austin, and Caldwell and Guadalupe counties -- all of which indicated they would kick in money to help pay for right-of-way acquisition. "It's hard to assume what the congressman's intent is," Russell said. "From our standpoint in the turnpike division, we've been as aggressive as we can trying to bring this project to fruition. We're really burning on all cylinders. . . . We understand there is a right-of-way concern with some of the local entities."

Thais Austin, vice president for public policy at the Greater Austin Chamber of Commerce, downplayed the situation. She said Central Texas officials were hoping to make an early case for the bypass money, as they did when they traveled to Washington in 1998 to ask for federal transportation dollars. That lobbying trip eventually bagged an $800 million federal loan for toll road projects. Congress doesn't reauthorize the program that provides money for transportation projects for another three years.

"Part of laying the groundwork is making these requests," she said. "Even though we might not be aligned today, we will be by year 2003. But what we do have to do is some work with TxDOT and make sure they understand what a priority SH 130 is." In April, Russell predicted that construction of the Texas 130 bypass could begin as early as next spring. That's unlikely now, but Dillard said the bypass remains a top priority. "State Highway 130 has been, is and will continue to be a top priority of this department," he said. "Providing congestion relief is something we've been working very hard on and will continue to work on, and we'll get it in place."