SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 571
         WHEREAS, The Senate of the State of Texas is pleased to
  recognize District 21 of the Texas Department of Transportation,
  also known as the Pharr District, as the agency celebrates a
  century since its earliest incarnation in 1917 as the Texas
  Highway Department and was tasked with the building and
  maintenance of our state's roadways; and
 
         WHEREAS, The first construction project under the
  supervision of the Texas Highway Department was a 20-mile section
  of untreated flexible base 16 feet wide between Falfurrias and
  Encino; work began in October of 1918 and was completed in June of
  1920; the corridor that was built is in the same location as
  present day U.S. Route 281; and
 
         WHEREAS, District 21 of the Texas Department of
  Transportation was organized on April 1, 1932, and encompassed
  the 10 southernmost counties of the state; District 21 began
  operations under the supervision of district engineer J. W.
  Puckett; the first headquarters office for the district was
  located in an upstairs bank building on South Cage and Caffery in
  Pharr; and
 
         WHEREAS, The earliest major challenge for the new district
  occurred in September and October of 1932, when the Rio Grande
  flooded twice, sending large amounts of water through the
  floodway system for the first time; all county roads crossing the
  floodway were blocked for several days, closing as the flood
  moved downstream and opening as the flow subsided; levees were
  built at low overflow areas to lead surplus water from the east
  and northeast to a junction south of and between McAllen and
  Pharr; the United States Section of the International Boundary
  and Water Commission took over the responsibilities of the
  floodway system in the early 1930s; and
 
         WHEREAS, The principal objective of District 21 was to plan
  and construct an adequate public road network system to serve
  area residents; the first designation in Hidalgo County
  following the organization of District 21 was an extension of
  S.H. 66 from Pharr to the International Bridge in Hidalgo; Texas
  Highway Department operations stopped at the river levee on the
  approach to the bridge; and
 
         WHEREAS, Today the Texas Department of Transportation
  District 21 serves Brooks, Cameron, Willacy, Hidalgo, Starr, Jim
  Hogg, Zapata, and Kenedy Counties and is under the direction of
  Toribio Garza, District Engineer; Hector Gonzalez, Deputy
  District Engineer; Jesus Leal, Director of Traffic Operations;
  Homer Bazan, Director of Transportation Planning and
  Development; and Rex Costley, Director of Maintenance; now,
  therefore, be it
 
         RESOLVED, That the Senate of the State of Texas, 85th
  Legislature, hereby commend the Texas Department of
  Transportation District 21 for its continued service to the
  people of South Texas and congratulate the agency on its
  centennial celebration; and, be it further
 
         RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution be prepared for
  the Texas Department of Transportation Pharr District as an
  expression of esteem from the Texas Senate.
 
  Lucio
   
   
   
    ________________________________ 
        President of the Senate
     
        I hereby certify that the
    above Resolution was adopted by
    the Senate on April 4, 2017.
   
   
   
    ________________________________ 
        Secretary of the Senate
   
   
   
    ________________________________ 
         Member, Texas Senate