Time to re-think VA's public-private transportation act

Link to article here.

11/28/2012

The dark side of Va.’s public-private road deals

By

Washington Post

Seventeen years ago, Virginia passed what was said to be one of most progressive pieces of legislation in the country. The Public-Private Transportation Act would help build road in the tax-averse state by shifting some of the cost and management to the private sector.

The result has been 14 miles of adjusted-toll HOT lanes on Interstate 495 in Northern Virginia, proposed extensions to tunnels in Hampton Roads, superhighway connectors in the Richmond area and a planned $1.4 billion road linking Suffolk to Petersburg.

But just how much oversight is there in such public-private partnerships? Hardly any, argues James J. Regimbal Jr., a transportation analyst in a new report published by the nonprofit Southern Environmental Law Center.

Cato scholar slams street car as obsolete 'fantasy'

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Cato scholar slams street car as obsolete 'fantasy'
By Terri Hall
November 28, 2012
Examiner.com

When 98% of Americans drive a car as their preferred mode of travel, street car advocates have a problem. Randal O’Toole, Senior Fellow of the Cato Institute, gave a series of talks in San Antonio today on the downtown street car plan being touted by Bexar County Judge Nelson Wolff. O’Toole pokes holes in proponents arguments in favor of the street car -- especially the big promise of economic development. But all are based on fallacies, according to his voluminous data. Indeed, he said it’d be cheaper to give everyone a free Toyota Prius every other year, than to keep running a street car system. Which do you think the public would rather have? I’d take the Prius.

Considering the San Antonio street car proposal also plans to heist $92 million in Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) road funds for construction, opposition comes from nearly every corner of the spectrum. Opponents see the plan as grossly misplaced priorities when the northside sits in gridlock while it’s told there’s no money to fix roads without drivers having to pay tolls.

Government waste taking us off fiscal cliff

Government waste taking us off 'fiscal cliff'
By Terri Hall
Examiner.com

With all the talk of the ‘fiscal cliff’ that magically appeared the day after the election, let’s examine how we got here. Is it because taxpayers pay too little? Is it because some aren’t paying their ‘fair share’? When you look at the sheer volume of government waste, you’ll find the answer staring you in the face.

Senator Tom Coburn publishes a government waste book every year, and this year, it’s chalk full of transportation pork that has no relevance to the federal taxpayer, and wastes our money. Let’s take a look at some of the most absurd examples of waste in the Federal Highway Trust Fund and similar funds, like the National Scenic Byways grant to build an 18-ft Lego replica of a street in West Virginia. Considering the trust fund has required bailout after bailout in recent years, it’s a no-brainer to cut the waste since Congress continues to ask Americans to pay tolls galore for badly needed highway improvements.

TxDOT cashes-in by slowing free routes

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TxDOT Insists It's Not Taking the Low Road to Increase Toll Traffic
By Jason Wheeler
KEYE-TV
November 13, 2012

Many drivers are enjoying the rush of the fastest speed limit in the country; 85 miles an hour on the new stretch of the SH 130 toll road that extends down to I-10.  But just beneath the "whoosh"€™ sounds left behind by the fast passing lead foots there's a growing cacophony of criticism about the new speed limit -- not the 85, but the 55.

"The 55 speed limit is ridiculous,"€ exclaims Karen Morrison from the passenger seat of a pick-up truck.  She is talking about the new 55 mph limit on the rebuilt stretch of Hwy 183 which runs alongside the toll road.   It used to be 65; and it still is down the road on 183 where opposing traffic is separated by inches.  So why, when the lanes are separated by an entire toll road, is the speed limit lower? 

Big exec pay-outs despite Aussie's failing toll road

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Australia: Trading Halted on Failing Toll Road
Australian toll road project to cost investors big, while executives pocket big bonuses.
The Newspaper.com
November 14, 2012

The Australian Stock Exchange on Tuesday halted trading of BrisConnections, the long-troubled toll road firm. BrisConnections built and operates the A$4.8 billion Airport Link toll road in Brisbane that opened in July. Already the project is under water.

"Following analysis and in light of traffic levels post the introduction of tolls for all vehicles, the board has determined today to enter into formal negotiations with its lenders and other keys stakeholders regarding potential reconstruction options, taking into account that on present traffic levels and operating costs, the enterprise value may be less than the outstanding debt," BrisConnections announced in a statement Monday.

NAFTA leaders push to deepen integration with Mexico, Canada

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NAFTA leaders forge path forward to deepen North American integration
By Terri Hall
Examiner
November 16, 2012

Jobs, jobs, jobs, that’s the worry when it comes to the political reality of international trade agreements like the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), and that put proponents of NAFTA attending the NAFTA-20 Conference on defense with the public, especially in times of economic stress and sustained high unemployment.

The speakers and business leaders that converged at NAFTA-20, held in San Antonio where NAFTA was actually signed in 1992, struggled to find a path forward to deepen the integration of the three countries -- Canada, Mexico, and the United States -- amidst the political opposition and the lackluster defense of NAFTA by political leaders of each government.

“If I stopped people on the street and asked them if NAFTA has sent American jobs to Mexico, eighty-percent would answer, ‘yes,’” noted Barry Lawrence, Director of Texas A&M Supply Chain Lab.

NAFTA cargo to get inspection-free border crossings

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Mexican ambassador announces inspection-free border crossings
By Terri Hall
Examiner
November 15, 2012

“Welcome to San Antonio, the NAFTA city,” declared San Antonio Mayor Julian Castro at tonight’s opening of the NAFTA 20 conference held in San Antonio to commemorate 20 years since the signing of the North America Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) in the Alamo city. Castro served as host for the event and spoke of NAFTA’s vision being fulfilled, and San Antonio proudly acting as the conduit. Leaders from the three North American countries had promised something akin to announcing NAFTA 2.0, and they didn’t disappoint.

Mexican Ambassador to the United States Arturo Sarukhan determined, “If Texas is the engine behind the success of NAFTA, San Antonio is the spark plug.”

Then the Ambassador eagerly divulged that within the next 3-5 days, the Mexican government is prepared to announce pre-inspection facilities in Mexico where goods entering that country headed for the United States would be inspected at these Mexican facilities and allowed to enter the U.S. without stopping at the border. Companies would be pre-certified and vetted by the two governments in a tremendous leap toward erasing the United States border with Mexico and achieve one of NAFTA’s chief goals -- to create a common economic and security perimeter, a true North American Union.

Transportation tops Bexar County lobbying wish list

More taxpayer-funded lobbying in plain sight. Naturally, government wants more power to regulate and more of YOUR money, without accountability. Rather than get the money we already pay back to Bexar County (we've been shorted for decades -- Pharr, Waco, and Corpus Christi have gotten more than San Antonio in some categories of funding, and Ft. Worth, which is the same size, gets substantially more), they want to increase taxes.

Bexar spells out what it wants
By Nolan Hicks
November 20, 2012
Express News

In keeping with the holiday spirit, Commissioners Court signed off Tuesday on a legislative wish-list for the upcoming session, which begins in January.

The lobbying program features two main themes: finding additional money for transportation projects and gaining new powers to tackle problems in unincorporated, densely populated neighborhoods.

According to the presentation, Bexar County will lobby lawmakers for permission to establish a toll authority like one in Harris County. Precinct 2 Commissioner Paul Elizondo asked for an informal meeting on a later date to further explore the issue.

Read more here.

In keeping with the holiday spirit, Commissioners Court signed off Tuesday on a legislative wish-list for the upcoming session, which begins in January.

The lobbying program features two main themes: finding additional money for transportation projects and gaining new powers to tackle problems in unincorporated, densely populated neighborhoods.

According to the presentation, Bexar County will lobby lawmakers for permission to establish a toll authority like one in Harris County. Precinct 2 Commissioner Paul Elizondo asked for an informal meeting on a later date to further explore the issue.



Read more: http://www.mysanantonio.com/news/local_news/article/Bexar-spells-out-what-it-wants-4054846.php#ixzz2DTYw1n2e

Chinese takeover Canadian oil & gas firm

Link to article here.

So now the Chinese are taking over Canadian oil & gas companies to ship oil back to China. While the Chinese buy-up rights to more oil & gas, Americans continue to pay record high gas prices in part because of Obama's bans on offshore drilling and other regulations choking efforts to increase domestic oil production. Meanwhile, America continues to buy much of its oil from foreign companies, often hostile to U.S. interests. Just wait till we have to buy oil from the Chinese who already hold our debt.

Cnooc Said to Agree on Canada Demands for Nexen Takeover

By Theophilos Argitis and Andrew Mayeda - Nov 20, 2012 - Bloomberg.com

Cnooc Ltd. (883), China’s biggest offshore oil and gas producer, has accepted management and employment conditions set by the Canadian government as it seeks approval for its $15.1 billion takeover of Nexen (NXY) Inc., according to two people familiar with the matter.

Wear: Free roads mean late

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Wear: For roads, free can also mean late
By Ben Wear
Austin American Statesman
November 18, 2012

The late evening sight has become a familiar one for Southwest Austin residents over the past couple of years: blinking red and blue lights on police cars at the U.S. 290/MoPac Boulevard interchange, blocking off road sections because of work on the new flyover bridges overhead.
The flyover project, if you go back to the original time estimates by the Texas Department of Transportation, was supposed to be done by December 2011.

Now, TxDOT officials tell me, the seemingly endless $8.4 million project should be done early next month when the remaining incomplete flyover, the one connecting westbound U.S. 290 to southbound MoPac (Loop 1) will finally open.

First fatal crash on Cintra's SH 130 toll road

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First fatal crash on 85 mph SH130 toll
Car collides with SUV in Mustang Ridge, Texas
Sunday, 11 Nov 2012
By Madison Roberts
KXAN

MUSTANG RIDGE, Texas (KXAN) - On Sunday afternoon, the driver of a Honda Civic died after a crash with a Chevy Tahoe in the south bound lanes of State Highway 130.

Mustang Ridge Police tell KXAN the accident happened in the newly opened section of SH130 Toll, where the speed limit is 85 mph.

Police are still investigating the cause of the accident and did not say how fast the cars were traveling. But they did confirm that wild hogs were not a factor in the crash. Four accidents involved wild hogs the first night the toll road opened.

Public interest group cautions against Ohio turnpike lease

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11/15/2012
Ohio Turnpike lease: Consumer group wants answers first
By This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., Land Line associate editor

A consumer group that has written extensively on the pros and cons of public-private partnerships wants Gov. John Kasich and his state-hired consulting firm to think long and hard before deciding to lease the Ohio Turnpike to private investors.

The national Public Interest Research Group and its Ohio affiliate have released eight questions they want to see answered before the consulting firm KPMG makes a recommendation later this year concerning the fate of the turnpike.

Spanish firms dominate toll road market

Link to article here.

Spanish firm, Cintra, dominates the Texas market, too, operating all three concessions signed so far: SH 130 (segments 5 & 6), LBJ, and the North Tarrant Express.

Spanish firms operate 36 pct of global infrastructure concessions
Fox News Latino
Published November 12, 2012 | EFE

Spanish companies operate 262 transport infrastructures around the world, which represents 36 percent of the total number open to concessionaires, according to the latest ranking by the Public Works Financing newsletter.

The first three places worldwide are occupied by Spain's ACS, Global Via and Abertis, based on the number of concessions for highways, railroads, airports and ports they had under construction or in operation as of October 2012.

Also among the first 10 groups are the Spanish companies Ferrovial, OHL and Sacyr.
With 30 years' experience in developing concessions in Spain, Spanish construction companies have not only expanded to other nations but have become world leaders in operating transport infrastructures.

Texans to boycott first foreign-owned toll road

Link to article here.

Texans for boycott of first foreign-owned toll road
By Terri Hall
November 12, 2012
Examiner.com

Today marks the first day Spanish toll operator, Cintra, starts charging Texas commuters tolls to use SH 130. San Antonio-based Texans Uniting for Reform and Freedom (TURF) and Austin-based Texans for Accountable Government (TAG) object to Texas’ first foreign-owned toll road, especially since SH 130 is part of the original Trans Texas Corridor TTC-35 (see it here). Though Cintra invented an innocuous sounding name, like the SH 130 Concession Company, make no mistake, a Spanish company, Cintra, controls and operates SH 130 for the next HALF CENTURY -- and some say it represents a multi-generational theft of public assets.

These controversial contracts called public private partnerships (P3s) will usher in the new railroad robber barons of our time -- private toll companies operating state-sanctioned monopolies and charging Texans a premium to drive. This is about our right to travel being trampled on by well-connected special interests with ties to the Texas Governor Rick Perry's office.

HOV policy changes to benefit private tollway

Link to article here.

Change in public HOV policy smooths way for private toll roads
By Terri Hall
November 8, 2012
Examiner.com

It’s been a long time coming, but don’t tell Dallas and Ft. Worth commuters that.

North Texas officials say the days of a free ride on HOV lanes were numbered from the beginning, but most area commuters don’t know that and haven’t a clue what’s coming outside the handful who happened to catch the poorly attended public meetings on the proposed increase in occupancy requirements for a free ride to go from two people (HOV+2) to three (HOV+3). Officials are also considering allowing single occupancy vehicles (SOV) to use HOV lanes -- if they pay a toll.

England quietly plans new round of road tolls

Link to article here.

Government quietly planning new round of road tolls policed by cameras
UK Daily Mail Online
November 10, 2012

Motorists will be expected to pay a new round of pay-as-you-drive charges under plans being drawn up by the Government and councils, it has been claimed.

Proposals already exist for three new tolling schemes under which, like London's Congestion Charge, drivers will have to pay online or via their mobile phone.

But ministers plan to roll out more similar schemes, according to the small print of a tender document drawn up by the Highways Agency. 


Motoring groups criticised the decision as another front in the so-called 'war on the motorist'.

Money swap still bypasses voters on streetcar debacle

So, first, the county wouldn't bring this to San Antonio voters to decide, because they knew they'd lose the vote as they did in 2000. So then they snagged ATD sales tax money that's supposed to fund roads to put in an unpopular downtown streetcar to benefit a handful of developers. When it became clear they'd be sued for using ATD money for streetcars, the same thing as light rail, which they promised voters ATD money wouldn't fund, now they're switching the pots of money to avoid a lawsuit, but still trampling on taxpayers by bypassing voters and ramming it down people's throats.

It's clear this plan was hatched in a backroom with a handful of powerful officials, Bexar County Judge Nelson Wolff, Transportation Commission Chairman Ted Houghton, TxDOT Executive Director Phil Wilson, and Via Bard CHairman Henry Munoz. The MPO Board was completely left in the dark as were the taxpayers -- no pubic notice or hearing or opportunity for debate. Just the usual railroad job...

US 290 tollway to open in December

Link to article here.

Tuesday, Nov. 6, 2012

U.S. 290 tollway’s first piece opening in December

By Ben Wear
Austin American Statesman

The first section of what will be the area’s sixth tollway should open in December, officials with the Central Texas Regional Mobility Authority say, and the entire, 6.2-mile length of what the agency is calling the “Manor Expressway” should be done by spring 2014.

That initial phase of the reconstructed U.S. 290 East will include four flyover bridges connecting the toll lanes on that road to U.S. 183’s northbound and southbound lanes, as well as 1.4 miles of tollway that would allow drivers to avoid stoplights at Tuscany Way and Springdale Road by paying a toll. The flyovers, which will carry a 50-cent toll initially, and the eastbound lanes of that 1.4 miles will open in early December, mobility authority spokesman Steve Pustelnyk said, and the westbound lanes in that section would be complete in late December or early January.

Perry's budget compact should dictate adjustment to gas tax

Link to article here.

Perry's budget compact should dictate adjustment to gas tax
By Terri Hall
Examiner.com
November 5, 2012

Texas Governor Rick Perry recently announced his support for ending diversions to the state motor fuel tax, a practice that’s starved traditional road funds and allowed him to push tolling and road privatization. So why now? Attempting to shore up his conservative credentials after being attacked for smoke and mirrors ‘balanced’ budgets, a massive business tax hike, and wasteful special interest slush funds like the Texas Enterprise Fund during his run for president, Perry added halting the raid of gas taxes for non-transportation purposes to his Texas Budget Compact, calling it a matter of truth in budgeting.

Spain's highway bubble: Empty highways lead to bankruptcy

Link to article here.

Spain's empty highways lead to bankruptcy

October 28, 2012
Phys.org

At the Leganes toll booth outside Madrid, the workers scan the horizon for cars. In Spain's recession, the stream of paying drivers has slowed to a trickle and the toll road is all but bankrupt.

Like the housing bubble, pumped up until it burst in 2008, and its speculation-funded phantom airports, the folly of Spain's road-building boom too is now being laid bare in vast stretches of tarmac.

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