Episode 208: Highways to Hell?
Traffic is getting worse in our largest metro areas. Is Governor Perry's massive central Texas highway plan the answer? Are toll roads the solution? Or are we doomed to gridlock? (airing week of March 25th)
View entire show here.
Panelists:
Representative Joe Pickett
Representative Joe Pickett is serving his seventh term in the Texas House of Representatives for
El Paso
. Rep. Pickett is currently serving on the House Committee on Land and Resource Management, which has jurisdiction over all matters pertaining to public lands. In addition, he serves on the Committee on Border and International Affairs which has jurisdiction over international commerce and trade, as well as economic development, tourist development, and public health and safety issues affecting the border. He is a member of the Executive Committee for the El Paso Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) and former Chairman of the Transportation Policy Board. The American Metropolitan Planning Organization (AMPO) recently elected Representative Pickett to their national board of directors.
Kris Heckmann
Kris Heckmann is the Deputy Legislative Director for the Office of the Governor. He has a degree in political science from
Texas
A&M
University
and a Juris Doctor from Texas Southern University. After several years working for the
Texas
legislature, Heckmann joined Governor Rick Perry’s office in 2001 as an advisor to the Governor specializing in transportation policy. Since then, he has assisted Governor Perry and legislative leaders in passing the most sweeping transportation legislation in the history of
Texas
. Heckmann is currently working as Governor Perry’s liaison to the Texas Senate, working on a broad array of issues during the 80th Legislative Session.
Ben Wear
Ben Wear, an
Austin
native, has been a reporter and editor for the Austin American-Statesman since 1994, although he left for a little over two years beginning in 2001 and was an assistant managing editor with Education Week in the
Washington
,
D.C.
area. He received a petroleum engineering degree from the
University
of
Texas
in 1976 and worked in the oil and gas business until 1988. After getting a master's in print journalism from
Northwestern
University
in 1989, he worked at three other papers before coming to the Statesman. He has covered transportation since his return to the Statesman in 2003.
Research Links:
- “Texas toll-road debate still has miles to go,” by Tony Hartzel,
Dallas
Morning News, March 11, 2007.
- “The Highwaymen,” by Eileen Welsome,
Texas
Observer, December 15, 2006.
- “Democrats criticize TxDOT's use of Washington lobbyists,” Associated Press via
Dallas
Morning News, February 2, 2007.
- “Toll hearing focused on private turnpike deals,” by Ben Wear and Laylan Copelin,
Austin
American-Statesman, March 2, 2007.
- “Senator questions will of state officials to fix problems,” by Laylan Copelin, Austin American-Statesman, February 28, 2007.
- “Kicked in the asphalt,” by Paul Burka,
Texas
Monthly, February 27, 2007.
- “Proposed bills would expand city and county land-use powers along Texas 130 in Austin area,” by Kate Miller Morton,
Austin
American-Statesman, March 8, 2007.
- “The greatest story ever tolled,”.by Paul Burka,
Texas
Monthly, February 28, 2007.
- “Lawmakers act to freeze toll projects,” by W. Gardner Selby,
Austin
American-Statesman, March 7, 2007.
- “Tarrant seeks private funding for highways,” by Marcie Richter,
Dallas
Morning News, January 12, 2007.
- “State, Cintra agree on second road project,” by Ben Wear, Austin American-Statesman, February 28, 2007.
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