Is the Trans-Texas Corridor dead?
As far as TxDOT is concerned, yes. While the Trans-Texas Corridor still exists in state law, TxDOT and the Texas Transportation Commission have taken several steps to shift away from the Trans-Texas Corridor concept. In May 2008, the Texas Transportation Commission accepted a minute order outlining guiding principles for toll projects and the Trans-Texas Corridor. These principles included affirming that all highway facilities will continue to be completely owned by the state and remain public property, that the Commission must approve initial toll rates and toll rate changes, that existing highway lanes will not be eligible for tolling and that the department must consider the use of existing right of way when possible in environmental studies. In January 2009, TxDOT laid the Trans-Texas Corridor concept to rest with the publication of Innovative Connectivity in Texas|Vision 2009. Rather than developing a corridor as one large project, Vision 2009 called for shorter segment projects,
