Honorable Joseph Pickett, Chair, House Committee on Transportation
FROM:
Ursula Parks, Director, Legislative Budget Board
IN RE:
HB1238 by Bonnen, Dennis (Relating to requirements for construction and maintenance work zones; creating an offense and altering a criminal penalty.), As Introduced
No significant fiscal implication to the State is anticipated.
The bill amends the Transportation Code relating to requirements for construction and maintenance work zones. The bill would require the Texas Department of Transportation, a political subdivision, or a contractor or subcontractor that establishes a construction or maintenance work zone and directs the flow of traffic into the opposite lane of travel to install concrete barriers to direct the traffic.
Based on the analysis provided by TxDOT, it is assumed TxDOT would incur additional costs on highway maintenance projects for the purchase, installation, and removal of concrete barriers if traffic is required to be directed into the opposite lane of travel in a work zone. For the purposes of this analysis, it is assumed any costs or duties associated with implementing the provisions of the bill could be absorbed within the agency's existing resources.
Local Government Impact
Local governments would incur costs for projects for the installation, delivery, removal, purchase and/or rental of concrete barriers as required by the provisions of the bill. The city of El Paso reported that there would be a total cost of $10,223,000 to provide concrete barriers for city projects in fiscal year 2016.
The bill would create a new fine offense regarding the speed limit in a construction or maintenance work zone. Costs associated with enforcement and prosecution could likely be absorbed within existing resources. Revenue gain from fines imposed and collected is not anticipated to have a significant fiscal impact.