growth concerns in Big D

Aside: I updated this week's edition of Sundry on Thursday, so please .. remain seated with your seatbelts fastened.

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Tuesday afternoon, I attended a North Central Texas Council of Governments meeting at Dallas City Hall (regarding the Metroplex Mobility Plan - i.e. what road projects will get priority in the next 10+ years). I learned several things during the meeting:

1. planners estimate an additional 100,000 people move into the MetroPlex every year;
   
2. There's a 69-31 balance between Dallas and Ft. Worth (population, infrastructure);
   
3. Emissions in 2025 are expected to be 80% less than now;
   
4. Most road funding is now via the gasoline tax, but what happens if there's a big shift to electric/biodiesel? (this makes tollroads a fairer way to fund road projects);
   
   and then there were 4 tidbits I learned (as of July 2004) after the meeting:
   
   
5. Gasoline taxes (state & federal) are 38.4¢/gallon in Texas;
   
6. Of that 38.4¢/gallon, 20¢ is the Texas state portion;
   
7. Gasoline taxes account for the 3rd largest tax revenue source;
   
8. Gasoline taxes are highest in New York and lowest in Alaska.

This growth strains all our resources, and building roads takes more time than (for example) buying more trash trucks to solve the recycling problem. It may be tied with building aqueducts from far-away lakes to bring clean water into the area, but that's another serious problem being addressed by a different agency.

BTW, the Dallas City Hall building is easy to find; it sits next to the Convention Center and has a unique design, not unlike some other buildings downtown.

While trying to reach City Hall, I learned (quite by accident) that the fastest way to the Frank Crowley Courts Building (when I'm asked to be on a jury) is via the unnumbered Woodall Rodgers Freeway which bisects downtown Dallas (occasionally called Big D). If you take the Woodall Rodgers freeway to the western end (and don't follow the ramp onto I-35E), you'll be dumped onto Industrial Blvd about 2 blocks north of the courthouse parking - very cool!

Trivia: James Woodall Rodgers was the Dallas Mayor from 1939 to 1947.

Say what you want, but the Dallas skyline is unique and .. dare I say it .. attractive. Given the lack of any natural aesthetics in this area, it has evolved into one of the country's most recognizable downtowns. Someday (April Fools Day?) I'll post something about climbing the Dallas Mountains, or watching the barge traffic on the Trinity River. Hmmm.