US$2bn repair bill for Texas roads damaged by drilling trucks

Texas has been left with a US$2billion bill to repair its drill damaged roads, according to a senior state transport official. John Barton, deputy executive director of the Texas Department of Transportation, said the estimated bill illustrated the toll gas and oil production had taken on the US state's roads. Judge for the DeWitt County in South Texas, Daryl Fowler, believes DeWitt alone will require as much as US$342million to repair or substitute roads stretching 392 miles.
July 6, 2012 Read time: 2 mins
Texas has been left with a US$2billion bill to repair its drill damaged roads, according to a senior state transport official.

John Barton, deputy executive director of the 3499 Texas Department of Transportation, said the estimated bill illustrated the toll gas and oil production had taken on the US state's roads.

Judge for the DeWitt County in South Texas, Daryl Fowler, believes DeWitt alone will require as much as US$342million to repair or substitute roads stretching 392 miles. 6127 Pioneer Natural Resources and 6128 BHP Billiton provide financial contributions to the county whenever they drill a new well.

However, Fowler stressed how some firms make no contributions. He is pushing for legislative amendments to assist affected counties cover the costs related to exploiting shale gas. According to executive vice president of the Texas Oil and Gas Association, Deb Hastings, the key question is which party should cover those costs.

For more information on companies in this article

Related Content

  • Finland reverses its plan to impose user-pay roads
    January 24, 2017
    The Finnish government has axed controversial plans to privatise the operation of a large number of major roads and turn them into user-pay infrastructure. But transport Minister Anne Berner also announced that the government would now keep a tax on new car sales. The tax was going to be scrapped as part of the move to make road users pay tolls. Berner had recently announced that the government would put the operation of major highways under a new stand-alone agency that would engage the private secto
    Read More
  • Choosing the right dowel drilling equipment
    April 11, 2012
    Several aspects factor into choosing the proper concrete dowel drill - Randy Stevens. The concrete paving industry has seen significant changes to dowel drilling equipment over the years. Many years ago only hand-held models existed and when the first hydraulic drills were launched over 30 years ago, these increased production and reduced labour needs. Since that time pneumatic drills, have come to market and these are driven by air compressors, which are common on many worksites while the units also have l
    Read More
  • 3M is helping finance ARTBA programme
    February 28, 2013
    The American Road & Transportation Builders Association (ARTBA) Foundation’s Lanford Family Highway Worker Memorial Scholarship Programme is to receive a major financial contribution from the 3M Traffic Safety and Security Division. This programme provides post-high school financial assistance to the children of highway workers who have been killed or permanently disabled in the line of duty. The scholarship programme was originally launched in October 1999 through a gift from the families of past ARTBA cha
    Read More
  • New highway for Nepal
    August 16, 2012
    A new stretch of highway is now open to traffic in Nepal. The Nepalthok-Khurkot Road recently had its official opening. Some US$46.2 million was spent on the section of highway, with much of the funding being provided by the Japanese Government. The Nepalthok-Khurkot section of road forms part of a larger project and is Phase 3, Part-I of the Banepa-Sindhuli-Bardibas BP highway.
    Read More

Highlighted Content