Officials hoping to improve roads

Cameron County officials are hoping proposed road improvements projects in the county will be funded by a nearly $800 billion stimulus package that President Barack Obama is expected to sign into law within a few days.

County Judge Carlos H. Cascos said the county is seeking about $63.6 million for "shovel-ready" projects that include improvements to several existing roads throughout the area, as well as the North and West Rail projects.

The money sought, if approved, will actually come through the Texas Department of Transportation, which is slated to receive funding from the economic stimulus package, Cascos said.

The state transportation department will be responsible for ensuring that funding for improvements is directed to projects that are ready statewide.

Penny Mason, spokeswoman for TXDOT, said it remains unclear how much money the transportation department will receive from the stimulus package and that funding received will go to those projects that are ready to go.

Cascos believes the county's chances are "very good" in getting funding for the projects, although the county will be competing with other areas around the state for the stimulus money. "There's nothing we can do about that," Cascos said.

The county is also seeking money to fund a comprehensive drainage study that would examine the drainage problems in the county, Cascos said.

The severity of the drainage problems was brought to the forefront in July after Hurricane Dolly left many areas in the county flooded for weeks. Much of the severe flooding occurred in northern Cameron County around the Santa Rosa and La Feria area and some of the funding being requested at this time pertains to immediately addressing those problems, Cascos said.

Although county workers tried to pump the floodwaters out of the area, the work at times appeared fruitless because of consistent rains.

Late last month county officials discussed important local projects in Washington, D.C., with Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Chairman James Obestar and local Democratic congressional Reps. Solomon P. Ortiz, Ruben Hinojosa and Henry Cuellar. County officials also met with U.S. Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, and staff to U.S. Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison, R-Texas.

"These flood control projects are ones that we helped identify after the storms this past summer," Precinct 4 Commissioner Edna Tamayo said, who also attended the meeting in Washington D.C. "I am appreciative of TxDOT's decision to include these drainage projects in this package. However, there are many projects still pending that we will continue to pursue in this stimulus and in other future legislative proposals."

lmartinez@brownsvilleherald.com