Stimulus Package to Bail Out TXDOT?

The Texas Department of Transportation could get a much-needed boost in federal funds.

Lee McGuire has a look at how Houston could benefit.

WHAT CAN YOUR COUNTRY DO FOR YOU?

AFTER YEARS OF COMPLAINTS THAT IT WAS UNDERFUNDED -- A FEDERAL STIMULUS PACKAGE MIGHT BAIL OUT TXDOT.

(Ed Emmett, Harris County Judge) "We have a long list."

THE HARRIS COUNTY JUDGE HAS ALREADY MET WITH TXDOT TO DISCUSS THE "WHAT IFS --"
 
INCLUDING ASKING THE FEDS TO HELP FUND A LONG-PLANNED EXPANSION OF 290,
INCLUDING COMMUTER RAIL, TOLL LANES AND FREE LANES.

(Emmett) "The 290 corridor was on everybody's project list a desperate need not only for the highway but the commuter rail next to it. The Texas Department of Transportation said they didn't have the money to go forward."

(Lee McGuire, 11News) "And this gets into an area that Texas Governor Rick Perry has long talked about. In Texas, we spend more on federal gas tax dollars than we get back from the federal government -- meaning, we are paying for highways to be built in Wisconsin. Now, this stimulus may change that."

EVEN BEFORE THE ECONOMY CRASHED - TXDOT CUT MORE THAN A BILLION DOLLARS WORTH OF ROAD PROJECTS BECAUSE OF BUDGET PROBLEMS. STATE LEADERS SAY THE CHALLENGE WILL BE CONVINCING THE FEDS TO SEND MONEY TO TEXAS --EVEN THOUGH OUR ECONOMY
IS BETTER THAN MOST.

(State Rep. Garnet Coleman, D-Houston) "Just because we're not having problems now doesn't mean that we won't have them in six months to a year."

HE HOPES THE STIMULUS INCLUDES MONEY TO BRING LIGHT RAIL LINES TO BOTH AIRPORTS. A WISH LIST IN THE BILLIONS --