Maverick County awarded $396K in CETRZ Funds by TxDOT

By: Jose G. Landa, Copyright 2014, Eagle Pass Business Journal, Inc.

Maverick County was awarded $396,593 in Senate Bill 1747 County Reinvestment Transportation Zone funds on Monday, April 7, 2014, by the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT), announced State Senator Carlos I. Uresti and Maverick County Judge David R. Saucedo.

State Senator Carlos I. Uresti introduced Senate Bill 1747 through the 83rd Legislative Session to allow Texas counties whose roads and infrastructure affected by the increased oil and gas boom traffic could apply for surplus TxDOT funds from the Rainy Day Fund of the State of Texas.

Maverick County hired a consultant to assist it with the CETRZ Funds application which was eligible to receive up to $400,000. Maverick County also created a County Reinvestment Transportation Zone Advisory Board to qualify for these funds.

Maverick County Commissioners Court had designated the Old Mines Road (FM 1021) in southern Maverick County to be the beneficiary of any CETRZ funds it would receive. The Old Mines Road is the road between El Indio, Texas and Laredo, Texas, which if paved and developed one day would reduce travel between Eagle Pass and Laredo to 85 miles from the current 125 miles, a savings of 30 miles each way.

State Senator Carlos I. Uresti stated that he was very pleased that Maverick County had been awarded CETRZ Funds.

Maverick County Judge David R. Saucedo stated that he and Commissioners Court were elated and pleased that TxDOT had awarded Maverick County’s request of CETRZ Funds and look forward to putting them to good use in developing the Old Mines Road.