News — Invest Texas Council

Policy Recommendation: Continue to Utilize Private Finance to Construction and Maintain the State’s Transportation Infrastructure

P3s have a track record of sound performance in Texas and elsewhere and offer some advantages over traditional transportation financing.

Evan WalkerJanuary 27, 2021

Transportation and COVID-19: A State Guide to Policy and Priorities

Long-term infrastructure public-private partnerships (P3s) can be especially valuable in the post-COVID-19 environment, as state and local governments are under severe fiscal stress.

Evan WalkerJanuary 27, 2021

Houston to Become Home to the Nation’s Largest Urban Solar Farm

In another step towards Houston growing its Energy 2.0 ecosystem and leading the energy transition, last week the Houston city council unanimously approved the lease of 240 acres of city-owned land in the Sunnyside neighborhood to Sunnyside Energy, LLC, a subsidy of Wolfe Energy.

Evan WalkerJanuary 20, 2021

Maryland DOT Weighs Three Proposals for Major P3

The Maryland Department of Transportation has received three proposals from teams composed of private sector firms interested in becoming the developer for major interstate improvement work.

Evan WalkerJanuary 20, 2021

Texas lawmakers look for ways to fund state’s transportation needs after TxDOT sees $1.9 billion revenue drop

Lawmakers are just beginning the 87th session of the Texas Legislature and they have to craft a budget, all while dealing with declining revenues as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Evan WalkerJanuary 15, 2021

Texas Comptroller Glenn Hegar Releases Biennial Revenue Estimate

Texas Comptroller Glenn Hegar released the Biennial Revenue Estimate (BRE) today, showing the state is projected to have $112.5 billion in revenue available for general-purpose spending during the 2022-23 biennium.

Evan WalkerJanuary 11, 2021

Texas Population Growth Far Outstrips Other States

The US Census Bureau has released its preliminary numbers for population growth by state over the last decade. The degree to which Texas growth has outpaced every other state is jaw-dropping.

Evan WalkerJanuary 9, 2021

Three private teams bid to build, finance toll lanes on Maryland Beltway, I-270

Three teams of companies submitted proposals Friday to develop a plan to add toll lanes to parts of Interstate 270 and Maryland’s portion of the Capital Beltway, state transportation officials said.

Evan WalkerJanuary 8, 2021

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON TRANSPORTATION TEXAS HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES INTERIM REPORT 2020

The Legislature should consider actions to support the intelligent and strategic use of toll roads and toll lanes in Texas.

Evan WalkerDecember 28, 2020

INVEST TEXAS COUNCIL TO URGE SUPPORT FOR PUBLIC-PRIVATE PARTNERSHIPS

AUSTIN, TEXAS—A group of prominent former and current public officials today launched the Invest Texas Council - a new policy-oriented collaborative focused on creating opportunities for public-private partnerships across all sectors of the Texas economy.

Evan WalkerDecember 17, 2020

Austin’s I-35 has worst traffic for truckers in Texas

Interstate 35 in downtown Austin is the most gridlocked roadway in the Lone Star State for truck drivers, according to an annual report from the Texas A&M Transportation Institute (TTI).

Evan WalkerDecember 4, 2020Interstate 35

Innovation in infrastructure delivery

“The private sector can be a valuable partner in delivering infrastructure in normal economic times, allowing for governments to take advantage of innovative project delivery, up-front financing, and life-cycle cost optimization.”

Evan WalkerNovember 30, 2020

Here's why COVID-19 is No. 1 challenge facing Texas lawmakers for 2021 session

AUSTIN — With the elections behind them, Texas lawmakers are preparing for a legislative session in two months that will be dominated by a pandemic that has strained the state's health care system and rewritten the playbook for the state's economy.

Evan WalkerNovember 13, 2020

How the pandemic is renewing a push to build toll roads in Texas

AUSTIN, Texas — The pandemic could bring new toll roads back to Texas.

That’s the push from a coalition of businesses who worry needed projects could be delayed without help from the private sector.

Evan WalkerNovember 10, 2020

BRIDGE THE DIP: The Advantages of Proactive, Countercyclical Infrastructure Policy

The private sector can be a valuable partner in delivering infrastructure in normal economic times, allowing for governments to take advantage of innovative project delivery, up-front financing, and life-cycle cost optimization.

Evan WalkerAugust 1, 2020

Governors eye expanding public-private partnerships for infrastructure financing

Faced with vastly aging infrastructure and an economy rattled by the COVID-19 pandemic, the National Governors Association (NGA) held a virtual summit this week to discuss ways to finance the nation’s infrastructure projects.

Evan WalkerJune 25, 2020

Can P3s Jumpstart Smart Cities? (Contributed)

Reinventing a city is a challenge and a feat of such immense proportion that it can rival building a new city from the ground up. It requires no less than rethinking and rearchitecting everything that worked decades or centuries ago, for both present and future needs.

Evan WalkerJune 17, 2020

A Playbook for Resiliency: Creating Opportunity for All Texans

A joint report by the Hobby School of Public Affairs at the University of Houston and the LBJ School of Public Affairs at the University of Texas.

Evan WalkerMay 13, 2020

TEXANS BACK TO WORK TASK FORCE

Infrastructure has become more strained as the state has not invested sufficient funds to accommodate rapid growth and has been resistant to innovative funding mechanisms.

Evan WalkerMay 6, 2020