A pothole here, a culvert there, and pretty soon, you’re talking real money – in the billions.
Earlier this month, Texans went to the polls and voted to spend an additional $2.5 billion on infrastructure improvements. In the meantime, rain carries a surprisingly large price tag when it comes to the impact on Texas roads.
Matthew Prosser, reporter for the Longview News Journal, talks to the Standard about how East Texas is handling the damage. Prosser says they’re seeing issues with culverts, or drainage pipes underneath roads.
“With the water levels rising, it overwhelms the drainage capabilities and public works officials are seeing a considerate amount of washout in these culverts, but that’s not really the worst of it,” Prosser says. “The outlying rural areas, our county officials are worried that if the precipitation continues into the winter months, we could see some far more serious damage to roadways, especially if we get some hard freezes.”
What you’ll hear in this segment:
– How much state-wide studies estimate for the cost of repair
– The unexpected challenges of fixing area infrastructure
– How officials hope to fund reconstruction
Listen to the full interview in the player above.
