Skip to main content

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

  • Debating the future of road transport
    February 23, 2012
    Mobility is essential for prosperity. How the transport industry will respond to future needs was debated by ERTRAC How will we travel in 2030? That question was posed in a debate on future scenarios of road transport during the launch of the 'Road Transport futures 2030 initiative,' organised in Brussels recently by ERTRAC (the European Road Transport Research Advisory Council).
  • Road transport key to Africa's trade links
    February 17, 2012
    Road transport is the key to improving Africa's links within its own territory, and further afield as Patrick Smith reports. Development of road transportation is the key to the future of the African economy, and countries on the continent are making great strides. According to a report by a transport infrastructure expert at the New Partnership for Africa's Development (NEPAD), within the next 15 years the value of trade in Africa could reach US$250 billion if a $32 billion investment is made to integrate
  • AEM elects 2017 officers, including Michael Haberman as chairman
    November 23, 2016
    The Association of Equipment Manufacturers (AEM), based in the United States, has announced its 2017 officer lineup as well as directors elected to the AEM board of directors and sector boards. Michael A. Haberman, president of Gradall Industries, is elected chairman and vice-chairman is Richard Goldsbury, president of North America & Oceania operations at Doosan Bobcat Others elected to the board of directors include Steven Berglund (president chief executive of Trimble Navigation, Arjun Mirdha (pres
  • Durisol barrier passes MASH TL-4 crash test
    February 23, 2021
    The aluminium noise wall barrier is prefabricated and has tongue and groove assembly.