March 2005

(San Antonio, Texas) - Federal Highway Administrator Mary E. Peters joined Texas Governor Rick Perry and Ric Williamson, chairman of the Texas Transportation Commission, to announce an agreement between the state and Cintra-Zachry, a private consortium of engineering, construction and financial firms. The consortium has proposed investing $7.2 billion to develop the approximately 600-mile, Oklahoma to Mexico portion of the Trans Texas Corridor. The first phase of Cintra-Zachry's proposal calls for construction of a $6 billion toll road between Dallas and San Antonio by 2010. The innovative transportation partnership is attracting private capital to fund transportation improvements and reduce congestion in the region.

“Texas is a national example for all states and a leader in unleashing the resources, innovation and efficiency of the private sector to bring transportation improvements to the public faster and at less cost to American taxpayers,” said Peters. “Public-private partnerships in transportation hold great promise in cutting the congestion that’s choking our economy and keeping families apart from one another.”

This section of the proposed Trans-Texas Corridor, called TTC-35, will run north-south through Texas from Oklahoma to Mexico. The multi-use corridor should include lanes for passenger vehicles, trucks and rail and dedicated zones for water, electric, telecommunications and other utility lines. TTC-35 will be developed to reduce congestion, improve safety and address long-term mobility needs in the IH-35 corridor.

The comprehensive development agreement was signed in Austin by Michael Behrens, TxDOT's executive director, afael del Pino and David Zachry, CEO of Zachry Construction Corporation.

"Zachry has been a long-time supporter of identifying processes to deliver highway projects better, faster and cheaper for the state," said Zachry. "We believe the Trans Texas Corridor will accomplish that and serve as a model for future expansion of the state's highway system."

(This story contains information from a U.S. Department of Transportation website press release)

Read more at the Trans-Texas Corridor's website www.keeptexasmoving.com

View interactive map of proposed Trans-Texas Corridor route

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