TxDOT’s 2012-13 legislative appropriates request for the next biennium and beyond has decreased from previous years. The baseline request for 2012 is $8.3 billion and $7.2 billion for 2013, or about $1.3 billion less than the current biennium.

The drop in funds is mostly attributed to diminishing bond proceeds, lower federal stimulus expenditures and lower federal reimbursements.

To provide legislators with a clearer picture of how to increase the number of new projects that can begin in 2012 and 2013, TxDOT requested exceptional items for general revenue, fewer diversions and additional proceeds from Prop 12 General Obligation Bonds.

Additionally, because most of the money that is appropriated to TxDOT is dedicated to public roads, the department included exceptional item requests for general revenue to support rail-related activities. This funding would be used to possibly draw down federal dollars and to complete preliminary engineering for a number of rail projects throughout the state.