Transportation
Gov. Perry has worked hard to make Texas’ transportation system the best in the nation. Improving transportation is essential to the safety of our families, a cleaner environment and the long-term health of our economy. The governor believes we must address immediate transportation challenges by improving and expanding existing roads, while also working to meet future needs that will come with a rapidly growing population.
Key Initiatives
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Highway Safety Projects
The Texas Safety Bond Program provided $600 million from voter-approved bonds to fund 644 safety improvement projects, including widening 1,600 miles of narrow roadways, constructing left turn lanes at 171 highway intersections, constructing 10 highway overpasses and the funding of over 100 other cost-beneficial safety projects. This also included the installation of 740 miles of concrete or cable safety barriers in the medians of divided highways to reduce the number of head-on collisions. Through these and continued improvements, the Texas Safety Bond Program has the potential to save 1,800 lives and prevent 21,000 injuries over the next 20 years.
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Increased Road Funding Without Raising Taxes
Governor Perry championed billions in increased road funding without a tax increase, accelerating needed transportation projects across Texas. The projects boosted by this increase in funds will help ease congestion, clean up our air, encourage business expansion and improve safety conditions on highways in our urban areas.
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Promoting Local and Regional Transportation Solutions
Governor Perry has given Texas’ metropolitan leaders the authority and the means to decide how best to fund and build urban transportation systems. Governor Perry signed legislation creating a variety of new transportation finance methods and regional transportation authorities to let regional leaders decide what transit, road and rail lines to build and how to pay for them.
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Rail Relocation
Under Governor Rick Perry’s leadership, Texas has pioneered the effort to relocate railroad lines out of urban population centers, increasing safety for motorists, improving traffic flow, moving hazardous cargo out of densely populated areas and leading to quieter neighborhoods with cleaner air. These projects will also lead to greater efficiency in the movement of products from the warehouse to the market, and will stimulate further economic growth.
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