TxDOT teams up with international group on Trans-Texas Corridor

Link to article here

TxDOT teams up with international group on Trans-Texas Corridor
Dallas Business Journal
January 18, 2006

In a rare endorsement, the Texas Department of Transportation is joining the North America’s Supercorridor Coalition Inc., a nonprofit, international organization based in Dallas.

The members of Nasco, founded in 1994, aim to develop the highway infrastructure from Canada through the United States to Mexico, particularly the Trans-Texas Corridor, which would widen and expand Interstate 35 into a mega-trade corridor.

A press release Wednesday from Nasco and TxDOT said the two will work together to ensure development of the TTC, championed by Gov. Rick Perry.

“The Texas Department of Transportation is formalizing its commitment to work closely with Nasco and its local, state and international members as the strongest voice on the continued development of I-35 and Trans-Texas Corridor 35,” said Ric Williamson, chairman of the Texas Transportation Commission.

“Without question, Nasco has been the single most influential organization, not just in Texas, but the nation, when it comes to the development of I-35,” Williamson added. “They also know what it will take to meet the challenges of the next 50 years.”

TxDOT will market the I-35 and Trans-Texas Corridor 35 with Nasco to state, national and international audiences, as well as work on common federal priorities, said Amadeo Saenz, TxDOT’s assistant executive director for engineering operations.

Saenz said Nasco’s leadership has helped TxDOT to understand how a broad transportation corridor benefits all sides.

Saenz and Nasco Executive Director Tiffany Melvin will make presentations on I-35 and TTC-35 at the Northeast Mexico-Texas workshop on logistics for regional competitiveness in Monterrey, Nuevo León, Mexico.

Nasco has memoranda of understanding with eight U.S. states and one Canadian province for ongoing cooperation in enhancing the I-35/I-29 and I-94 corridors and major connectors to those highways. Nasco also has signed a letter of intent with the Secretariat of Communications and Transportation of Mexico to develop a plan to monitor the operation of commercial cargo vehicles along I-35 using intelligent transportation systems.

The 20-member Nasco Board of Directors includes eight Texans representing Webb, Bell, Denton and Tarrant counties, Free Trade Alliance San Antonio, EWI Risk Services, the International Bank of Commerce and the international law firm Strasburger & Price.

Nasco’s general membership includes Lockheed Martin (NYSE: LMT), Hillwood Properties/Alliance Texas, Love’s Country Stores, the City of Midlothian, the City of Gainesville, GrowthNet Trading, and Franco Eleuteri & Associates.

Web sites: www.Nascocorridor.com and www.dot.state.tx.us